What My Muffin Top Has To Say To You

My name is Hannah, and I have a confession to make. I hate working out—none of that sweat, panting, exhaustion, and sore muscles for me, no thank you. I’m embarrassed to go to a gym because I assume that everyone judges my speed, pacing, and weight lifting. I try to encourage myself by shopping for brightly colored running shorts and funky sports bras, but, honestly, it’s a fruitless endeavor. Because at the end of the day, I just don’t like to exercise. So why do I do it? Because I want to be skinny. [excerpt

Culture Shock

Take one week living in our culture: Monday: A student quotes other students on Overheard at Gettysburg. “In the commons at 8:50am. Two girls. Completely serious. Girl 1: Have you been outside? Girl 2: Yea! It’s rape weather. Girl 1: I know. A girl could totally get raped out there.” [excerpt

The physical activity levels among people living with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome receiving high active antiretroviral therapy in Rwanda

The accessibility of high active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for local human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients is improving in Rwanda. It is well known that this therapy is associated with serious adverse effects, such as metabolic and morphologic changes. One of the recommended preventive modalities for these complications is participation in physical activity. The current study aims to determine the anthropometric profile and physical activity levels among people living with HIV and receiving HAART in Kigali, Rwanda. The study was a cross-sectional, descriptive quantitative survey. The participant’s levels of physical activity participation and their association with anthropometric profiles were measured, using a structured self-administered questionnaire for 407 clients passing through the clinics. Of the participants, approximately 70% were inactive and in addition, 40% were obese and 43% overweight. Obesity was found to be strongly associated with inactivity. Lack of motivation, and time as well as fear of worsening the disease were found to be barriers to participation in physical activity.Department of HE and Training approved lis

Correlating ELISA values with growth and yield components of GFLV infected grapevines

Research NoteGrowth and yield components of Cabernet Sauvignon on AXR#1 rootstock infected with grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) were determined and compared to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) values. Negative correlations were found between ELISA values and berry weights, cluster weights, and crop yield. No correlations were found between ELISA values and pruning weights or berry numbers. The nature of the correlations suggest that virus titer is not the only factor which influences symptom expression in GFLV infected grapevines

Age validation of quillback rockfish (Sebastes maliger) using bomb radiocarbon

Rockfishes (Sebastes spp.) support one of the most economically important f isheries of the Pacific Northwest and it is essential for sustainable management that age estimation procedures be validated for these species. Atmospheric testing of thermonuclear devices during the 1950s and 1960s created a global radiocarbon (14C) signal in the ocean environment that scientists have identified as a useful tracer and chronological marker in natural systems. In this study, we first demonstrated that fewer samples are necessary for age validation using the bomb-generated 14C signal by emphasizing the utility of the time-specific marker created by the initial rise of bomb-14C. Second, the bomb-generated 14C signal retained in fish otoliths was used to validate the age and age estimation method of the quillback rockfish (Sebastes maliger) in the waters of southeast Alaska. Radiocarbon values from the first year’s growth of quillback rockfish otoliths were plotted against estimated birth year to produce a 14C time series spanning 1950 to 1985. The initial rise in bomb-14C from prebomb levels (~ –90‰) occurred in 1959 [±1 year] and 14C levels rose relatively rapidly to peak Δ14C values in 1967 (+105.4‰) and subsequently declined through the end of the time series in 1985 (+15.4‰). The agreement between the year of initial rise of 14C levels from the quillback rockfish time series and the chronology determined for the waters of southeast Alaska from yelloweye rockfish (S. ruberrimus) otoliths validated the aging method for the quillback rockfish. The concordance of the entire quillback rockfish 14C time series with the yelloweye rockfish time series demonstrated the effectiveness of this age validation technique, confirmed the longevity of the quillback rockfish up to a minimum of 43 years, and strongly confirms higher age estimates of u

The profile of occupational stress in a sample of health profession academics at a historically disadvantaged university in South Africa

Background: Higher education is a high stress occupation or environment. Academics in health professions are engaged in professional training that adds clinical or profession-specific competencies to general academic and research outcomes. Academics in health professions assume many roles and must remain current in the practise of their professions that increases stress. Studies on occupational stress amongst health professions academics are lacking in the South African context.Objectives: To assess occupational stress in a sample of Health profession academics at a Historically Disadvantaged Institution (HDI).Methods: An online survey was conducted with a randomly selected sample of 51 permanent academics. The response rate was 55% after incentives and reminders. Instruments included a demographic questionnaire, Assessing emotions scale and the Sources of Work Stress Inventory. Descriptive statistics, correlation and regression were used to analyse the data. Instruments were reliable with this sample. Ethics clearance was obtained (Reg. No.: 15/4/42) and all ethics principles were upheld.Results: The sample was mostly female and the composition was consistent with the profiles of the faculty, health professions and HDIs. Small effects were reported for associations between demographics, EI and Occupational stress. Mixed results were reported for predictive relationships. EI and level of education were predictive of certain sources of occupational stress.Conclusion:  Transformations and the work environment contributed to academics experiencing occupational stress. The historical apartheid legacies still manifest in patterned ways along gender, race and professional status in the occupational stress academics experience. Health professionals constitute a legitimate subgroup that impacts the experience and management of occupational stress. EI is an important factor to consider in the experience and management of occupational stress

Experiences of persons with physical disabilities regarding rehabilitation services: a systematic review

Rehabilitation has been found to improve the integration of persons with disabilities into the society. For rehabilitation to be effective, there is a need to seek patients' perceptions of the services rendered to them. Incorporating these perceptions in the rehabilitation process of patients is one of the ways that recognises patients' involvement in rehabilitation. The most common identified persons with physical disabilities' experiences that have been explored are: accessibility of rehabilitation services, interaction of service providers with patients, provision of information related to disability and rehabilitation. This review aims at highlighting the experiences of persons with physical disabilities regarding rehabilitation services as it relates to different studies

A model for community physiotherapy from the perspective of newly graduated physiotherapists as a guide to curriculum revision

Background. Limitations in physiotherapy curricula have been reported. Work-based experiences, especially during compulsory community service, could inform curricula. Objective. To develop a model of community service physiotherapy to guide curriculum reform. Methods. In this appreciative inquiry, trained physiotherapy students conducted tele-interviews with newly graduated physiotherapists. Twelve recently graduated community-service physiotherapists – heterogeneous in gender, mother tongue, university attended and work setting – were purposively recruited. Two coders applied Tesch’s coding technique to the transcripts; one did paper-based work and the other used AtlasTi software. Consensus was reached and a member check done. Results. Four themes identified were: (i) the essence of community physiotherapy; (ii) the collaborative nature of community physiotherapy; (iii) prerequisites for a positive practice environment; and (iv) community physiotherapy as a gateway to personal growth and professional development. Physiotherapists consult clients from varied cultural backgrounds, ages and health and disease profiles. Health education is a key intervention, but clients emphasised therapeutic touch. Team work enhances services, especially within a context of poverty, and prevents isolation. New graduates have to deal with inefficient management, lack of transport, inadequate equipment and needs resilience. They want discipline-specific supervision. Conclusion. Community physiotherapy makes specific demands, especially for novice therapists. Service-learning in authentic diverse contexts would foster professional development and cultural competence. Clinical competency should remain the backbone of the curriculum, complemented by competency in health education. Different ways of reflection would facilitate lifelong learning and growth in attributes such as resilience, which is necessary for dealing with sub-optimal practice environments

Six Months In: We Surge On

Steve Jobs created Apple in a garage. Facebook emerged out of a college dorm room. And so, like all good (and equally famous) things, the idea for Surge began in the Plank basement. As seniors, and admittedly all bonafide social justice enthusiasts, we wanted to expand the movement at Gettysburg College and leave our mark. [excerpt