Digital Commons Network^™

Examining Clinical Indications For Cesarean Section In A University Hospital In Karachi, Pakistan, Zehra Kanji, Shannon D. Simonovich, Nida Najmi, Jessica Bishop-Royse

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

Background and objectives: Current research reports that Pakistan exceeds the recommended percent of deliveries via cesarean sections, including both emergent and non-emergent. In order to better understand the high rate of cesarean sections in Pakistan we examined the medical and non-medical indications of these surgeries at a private university hospital in Karachi.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of patient medical record data was conducted from January 1st, 2018 to March 31st, 2018. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS 25.

Results: The total number of deliveries during the period was n= 1,211, out of which n=602 (49.70%) were CS. The top …

The Center Of Success: A Case Study On Hilton's Company Culture, Elsie G. Lamo

Experience Industry Management

Company culture is an essential element to the success of any organization. This is especially true in the hospitality industry where positive employee experiences are vital to customer satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to examine the company culture of Hilton. Data were sourced primarily from Hilton websites, third-party websites, and academic articles. This study found that Hilton’s culture is shaped by compelling mission, vision, and value statements that drive every organizational aspect. Additionally, award-winning reward, recognition, and training programs sustain and reinforce a culture that grants Hilton a unique competitive advantage. To maintain market leadership, Hilton must continually …

How Grants Improve Public Health In Sanger, California, Emily A. Rudger, Tabitha J. Tolsma, Jamie L. Mosler

City and Regional Planning

This report analyzes public health needs in Sanger, California. Gathering research from the community and generating a background using Healthy People 2020, the project outlines potential grants the community could benefit from, now and in the future. The grant chosen focuses on parks, as physical activity is an important factor and need for the community.

Students' Perspective On The Value Of Social Gathering During An Early Clinical Exposure Program, Kung-Pei Tang, Chien-Chih Wu, Chien-Yu Chen, Ming-Shun Wu, Tsan-Hon Liou

Journal of Medical Education

Background: Early clinical exposure is viewed as a supportive measure to guide students in professional identity formation. As part of the early clinical exposure courses, three groups of mentors at one medical school in Taipei provided students with regular, but optional social gatherings. However, the attendance at these gatherings had been sporadic and inconsistent. Methods: This study aims at investigating students' decision on attending these events. Participants completed a five-question survey asking for reasons why they chose to attend the social gatherings. The questions are relating to meeting location, mentor's participation, refreshment offered, meeting time, and information/activities. Participants rated in …

The Efficacy Of Compost Tea As A Biological Fungicide Against Coffee Rust (Hemileia Vastatrix), June 2019, Alexandra D. Reep

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Hemileia vastatrix, or Coffee Rust, is a fungal parasite on coffee tree leaves that has devastated coffee crops across South and Central America. While a variety of synthetic fungicides and fertilizers are currently used to combat the pathogen, there is a dearth of information available to farmers for more sustainable alternatives. This experiment assessed the effectiveness of six treatments: three forms of compost tea (CT), a Mountain Microorganism (MMO) solution, a Mokave inorganic compound fertilizer, and a Control group in combating Coffee Rust infections. I measured the changes in mean fungal lesion size before and after treatment on 270 leaves …

Expenditure, Coping, And Academic Behaviors Among Food-Insecure College Students At 10 Higher Education Institutes In The Appalachian And Southeastern Regions, Rebecca L. Hagedorn, Laura H. Mcarthur, Lanae B. Hood, Maureen Berner, Elizabeth T. Anderson Steeves, Carol L. Connell, Elizabeth Wall-Bassett, Marsha Spence, Oyinlola Toyin Babatunde, E. Brooke Kelly, Julia F. Waity, J. Porter Lillis, Melissa D. Olfert

Faculty Publications

Background

A number of studies have measured college student food insecurity prevalence higher than the national average; however, no multicampus regional study among students at 4-y institutions has been undertaken in the Appalachian and Southeast regions of the United States. Objectives

The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of food insecurity among college students in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, and to determine the association between food-insecurity status and money expenditures, coping strategies, and academic performance among a regional sample of college students. Methods

This regional, cross-sectional, online survey study included 13,642 college …

Montclair Magazine (Spring/Summer 2019), Montclair State University

Montclair: The magazine of Montclair State University

No abstract provided.

Influence Of Co-Digestion And Water Content On Biodigester Gas Production, June 2019, Madeleine Gregory

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Excess livestock waste can pollute water sources. Limited access to clean energy leads to burning of fossil fuels such as propane. Biodigesters treat animal manure, converting it into a nutrient-rich fertilizer and methane gas for fuel. I tested different substrate mixtures (including pig manure co-digested with goat manure, chicken manure, and whey) in a lab setting, measuring methanogenic potential of each treatment in order to test one in the biodigester. I also tested the effect of water-towaste ratio on gas production. Treatments containing pig manure, either alone or codigested with other manure types, produced the most gas. Mixtures containing whey …

Foraging And Nesting Behavior Of Leafcutter Ants (Atta Cephalotes) In A Tropical Secondary Forest, June 2019, John Wade Carson

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

La Calandria Forest is a coffee plantation-turned-reforestation project located in Los Llanos, Monteverde, Costa Rica. One of the species that seems to be successful in this forest is Atta cephalotes leaf cutter ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). I studied A. cephalotes foraging and nesting behavior to better understand their ecological relationships within a tropical forest ecosystem. I recorded the location of A. cephalotes nests and foraging sites with a GPS, and then identified plant species that these leaf cutter ants foraged from. After collecting data for two weeks: I created a map of A. cephalotes nests and their corresponding foraging sites, calculated …

Stenomicra Sp. Flies (Diptera: Periscelididae) On Rolled Leaves Of Heliconia Sp. And Calathea Sp., June 2019, Caroline Brandt

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Stenomicra are a genus of small, often yellowish flies of the family Periscelididae (Diptera). The Stenomicra I studied live in leaves of Heliconia sp. and Calathea sp. in Monteverde, Costa Rica. While not much is known about their biology, I suspected that some factors may influence whether or not they will be found on a particular leaf. I proposed that the amount of matter found within the rolled leaves, other arthropods within the leaves, and the stage of the rolled leaf affect whether or not the Stenomicra flies inhabit them. I found that none of the above factors contribute to …

Prevalence And Outcome Of Asymptomatic Cryptococcal Antigenemia In Art Naive And Art Experienced Hiv Patients In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Charles Mandela Makakala

Master of Medicine in Internal Medicine

Introduction: Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is a highly fatal disease and contributes to about 20% of all-cause mortality in HIV/AIDS. Sub-Saharan Africa is facing substantial challenges in the treatment of the disease; the focus has been shifted towards prevention of the condition in ART-naive patients with CD4 counts of less than 100 cells/μL. Most studies and interventions have been conducted on ART-naive HIV patients despite there being cases and deaths due to cryptococcal meningitis among ART-experienced patients. Recent studies have shown that although there is an increase in ART coverage among HIV patients, this has not affected the incidence of cryptococcal …

Assessing Deep-Water Culture And Sand-Bed Aquaponics Systems For Lettuce (Lactuca Sativa) Yield And Water Consumption, Lobna Salem

Theses and Dissertations

Agriculture and aquaculture play an important role in food security and water withdrawals. Agriculture and aquaculture contribute to over 70% of global water consumption. Aquaponics provides a solution for both sectors to reduce the combined water consumption and pollution and increase food production. The goal of the present study was to assess two aquaponics systems Deep-Water Culture (DWC) and Sand-Bed lettuce (Lactuca sativa variety capitata Type Batavia) production and water consumption. Each system contained a fish tank, plant bed, collection bed, three replicates per system and a mechanical filter; whereas, DWC contained an additional biological filter after the mechanical filter. …

Participant Perspectives On A Phase I/Ii Ocular Gene Therapy Trial (Nct02077361), Stephanie P. Brooks, Shelly Benjaminy, Tania M. Bubela

Office of the Provost

Background: To learn from the experiences of potential clinical trial participants, participants in a Phase 1 ocular gene therapy trial, and their partners to improve communications and trial conduct.
Materials and methods: Primary and secondary qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews of potential participants (n = 20), clinical trial participants (n = 2) and their partners (n = 2) in a gene therapy clinical trial for choroideremia (NCT02077361). Analysis included: 1) thematic analysis of transcribed entrance and exit semi-structured interviews with trial participants and their partners; and 2) secondary qualitative analysis of interviews with potential trial participants, …

Variation In Morphology, Diet, And Venom Composition In Crotalus Pyrrhus (Cope 1867), Chip Cochran

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Because rattlesnakes rely heavily on their venom for predation and defense, we can expect selection pressures from several sources to act on its composition, including, ontogeny, sex, and environmental variation. In this dissertation, I summarize the results of four studies of the southwestern speckled rattlesnake (Crotalus pyrrhus). First, I describe two cases of envenomation at separate Arizona localities (Tinajas Altas Mountains, Yuma County, and Phoenix Mountains, Maricopa County). Both patients experienced swelling, but neither demonstrated coagulopathy, thrombocytopenia, or hypofibrinogenemia. The latter patient required amputation of the distal portion of his middle finger. I also investigated variation in morphology, diet, and …

Does Self-Evaluation And Education In Students Change Attitudes And Beliefs Towards Weight Stigma?, Henry A. Garcia

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The current state of global ensures physical therapists will encounter patients that are overweight/obese in all clinical settings, which makes them exceptionally positioned to promote lifestyle modifications to their patients. Unfortunately, weight stigma is highly prevalent among health care providers. Weight stigma has been shown to have adverse effects on patients. The purpose of this study is to measure weight bias in the doctor of physical therapy (DPT) students. Elicit change in obesity stigma in DPT students by way of self-evaluation while enrolled in a course Aspects of Health Promotion (AHP). Methods: Sixty students enrolled in AHP course participated in …

Abolition Of Immigrant Family Detention: Tracing An Evolving Standard Of Decency From Separation Through Imprisonment, Daniel Hatoum

Hofstra Law Review

No abstract provided.

Forests And Health In Mexico: Preliminary And Pre-Preliminary Work - June 2019, Alejandro López-Feldman

Forest Collaborative Research

Presentation focuses on subjective wellbeing and natural protected areas in Mexico

Conference Introduction: Setting The Stage - June 2019, Allen Blackman

Forest Collaborative Research

Conference welcome, goals, agenda, and brief self-introductions.

Development And Usability Assessment Of A Connected Resistance Exercise Band Application For Strength-Monitoring, John A. Batsis, George G. Boateng, Lillian M. Seo, Curtis L. Petersen, Karen L. Fortuna, Emily V. Wechsler, Ronald J. Peterson, Summer B. Cook, Dawna Pidgeon, Rachel S. Dokko, Ryan J. Halter, David F. Kotz

Dartmouth Scholarship

Resistance exercise bands are a core component of any physical activity strengthening program. Strength training can mitigate the development of sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass or strength and function with aging. Yet, the adherence of such behavioral exercise strategies in a home-based setting are fraught with issues of monitoring and compliance. Our group developed a Bluetooth-enabled resistance exercise band capable of transmitting data to an open-source platform. In this work, we developed an application to capture this information in real-time, and conducted three usability studies in two mixed-aged groups of participants (n=6 each) and a group of older adults …

Development Of The Aaspire Web Accessibility Guidelines For Autistic Web Users, Dora Raymaker, Steven K. Kapp, Katherine E. Mcdonald, Michael Weiner, Elesia Ashkenazy, Christina Nicolaidis

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Websites figure predominantly in everyday life. However, many websites remain inaccessible to autistic people, and existing efforts to improve accessibility are in early stages, do not directly include autistic users in their development, or have not been empirically evaluated. The Academic Autism Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE) used a community-based participatory research approach to create a website to improve health care access for autistic adults. We used the creation of that website as a “living laboratory” to develop the AASPIRE Web Accessibility Guidelines for Autistic Web Users. Our guidelines are grounded in accessibility theory, had autistic end-user involvement …

Availability Of Microtrash Materials And Selectivity By California Condors, Marie G. Solis

Biological Sciences

California condors consume non-food items, including anthropogenic waste, and provision it to their young. Consuming “microtrash” can cause mortality, especially in nestlings. There are several hypotheses explaining why condors might consume microtrash. These hypotheses assume condors exhibit a preference for the type of material. Therefore, we test the assumption that when California condors take microtrash, they display material selectivity. We did this by sampling microtrash from roadside pullouts in the Los Padres National Forest. Those samples were compared to condor necropsy and nest microtrash data, categorized by material type: glass, plastic, metal, and other. We find that in our analysis …

Effect Of Solder Joint Flux Residue On Medical Guide Wire Performance, Rebecca Lisberg, Enlly Bugarin Rodriguez

Materials Engineering

The effect of residual soldering flux on the mechanical properties of 304 stainless-steel core medical guide wires was analyzed. A soldering process joins the metallic components of the distal end of a medical guide wire product. Acidic soldering flux is used to prepare the surfaces of the metallic substrates. Manufacturing protocol utilizes an ultrasonic bath to remove excess flux from the soldered joints. Sample groups underwent different levels of cleaning: no cleaning, partial cleaning, and full ultrasonic bath cleaning to obtain varying residual flux levels. Experimental sample groups underwent corrosion acceleration in an environmental chamber at 37°C and 85% relative …

Making Sustainability Affordable In Parlier, Kyle Alexander Ferguson

City and Regional Planning

As climate change continues to threaten everyday life on Earth, humans from every corner of this planet struggle to keep up with changes due access, attitudes, and most importantly affordability. Over the past decade, governments around the world have invested billions into renewable power. Private investors followed, hoping to cash in on what looked like a transformational shift in the way the world produced electricity and lived sustainability. It felt as though it was a way to add jobs, manage fossil-fuel prices, and curb the impending affects of global warming. Unfortunately, a sustainable world will not happen overnight and requires …

Radish: A Cross Platform Meal Prepping App For Beginner Weightlifters, Spoorthy S. Vemula, Tanay Gottigundala, Cory Baxes

Computer Science and Software Engineering

With the increasing ease of access and decreasing price of most food, obesity rates in the developing world have risen dramatically in recent years. As of March 23rd, 2019, obesity rates had reached 39.6%, a 6% increase in just 8 years. Research has shown that people with obesity have a significantly increased risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers, among other life-threatening diseases. In addition, 42% of people who begin weightlifting quit because it’s too difficult to follow a diet or workout regimen.

We created Radish in an attempt to tackle these problems. Radish makes it …

Alterations In Human Reaction Time Upon Consumption Of Taurine-Caffeine Based Energy Drink. A Gender Based Study., Asif Abbasi, Amaila Fazal, Faizan Mirza, Sadaf Ahmed

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Energy drinks contains several potentially psychoactive ingredients including taurine, glucoronolactone, and caffeine that increases the human performances, reaction time and mood with relative differences to visual and auditory stimuli between both the genders.

Factors Associated With Geriatric Morbidity And Impairment In A Megacity Of Pakistan, Saniya Sabzwari, Romaina Iqbal, Zafar Fatmi, Iqbal Azam Syed

Department of Family Medicine

Background: The elderly population is increasing globally. In Pakistan, the elderly comprise 6% of the population that is predicted to triple by 2050. Non-communicable diseases are common health problems of the elderly in Pakistan, however, resulting geriatric impairments and disability are unknown. This study was conducted to determine geriatric impairments and identify associated socio-demographic factors and comorbidities among community dwelling elderly in Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during 2013-2014. Community clusters were selected from all sub-districts of Karachi, the largest city of Pakistan. Data was collected from systematically selected households within these clusters from individuals, aged ≥60 …

Borderplex Business Barometer, Volume 3, Number 6, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Steven L. Fullerton, Ana Gutierrez Zubiate

Border Region Modeling Project

No abstract provided.

Prevalence Of Anemia In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, El-Saied Shaheen

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Background Diabetes mellitus (DM) has a high prevalence worldwide. It leads to various complications, including microvascular and macrovascular complications. The nephropathy may undermine the renal production of erythropoietin, positively contributing to an increased anemia framework. The inflammatory situation created by kidney disease also interferes with intestinal iron absorption. Therefore, diabetic patients with kidney disease have higher risk for developing anemia. Aim The aim of this work was to determine the prevalence and various types of anemia in patients with type 2 DM. Patients and methods After obtaining informed written consent, all diabetics as well as control individuals were subjected to …

Comparing Two Formulas To Estimate The Correct Depth Of The Neonatal Umbilical Venous Catheter Insertion, Hany W. G. Michael

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Aim The rate of complications among neonates with incorrectly positioned umbilical venous catheters (UVCs) is considerably increased. This prospective study aimed to evaluate whether the use of birth weight (BW) or body surface measurements as a guide for proper depth estimation of the UVC insertion was more accurate. Patients and methods A total of 104 neonates were assigned to two groups according to procedure used for proper UVC depth insertion: shoulder–umbilicus length graphs versus BW-based formula. Radiological assessment of correct catheter tip position was determined in both groups. Results The overall success rate for UVC insertion was 96% (100/104). However, …

Malnutrition In The Elderly, Clodagh Corcoran, Craig Murphy, Eamonn P. Culligan, Janette Walton, Roy D. Sleator

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Changes that occur naturally throughout the ageing process place the elderly population at greater risk of malnourishment. This review discusses the significance, causes, consequences and assessment of malnutrition in the elderly.