Isolated major aortopulmonary collateral as the sole pulmonary blood supply to an entire lung segment

Congenital systemic-to-pulmonary collateral arteries or major aortopulmonary collaterals are associated with cyanotic congenital heart disease with decreased pulmonary blood flow. Though it is usually associated with congenital heart diseases, there is an increased incidence of isolated acquired aortopulmonary collaterals in premature infants with chronic lung disease. Interestingly, isolated congenital aortopulmonary collaterals can occur without any lung disease, which may cause congestive heart failure and require closure. We present a neonate with an echocardiogram that showed only left-sided heart dilation. Further workup with a CT angiogram demonstrated an anomalous systemic artery from the descending thoracic aorta supplying the left lower lobe. He eventually developed heart failure symptoms and was taken to the catheterization laboratory for closure of the collateral. However, with the collateral being the only source of blood flow to the entire left lower lobe, he required surgical unifocalization. Isolated aortopulmonary collaterals without any other congenital heart disease or lung disease are rare. Our patient is the first reported case to have an isolated aortopulmonary collateral being the sole pulmonary blood supply to an entire lung segment. Due to its rarity, there is still much to learn about the origin and development of these collaterals that possibly developed prenatally

Images of Africa: A Case Study of Pre-Service Candidates' Perceptions of Teaching Africa

As much as the history and study of Africa have been incorporated into social studies curricula, Africa is still a region that is prone to misperceptions and misconceptions. Social studies teachers could provide students with an alternative image, but what if they only perpetuate misperceptions of Africa?  This case study examines pre-service candidates’ perceptions of Africa and categorizes their responses to determine what one group of future social studies teachers imagines when asked to think about Africa.  The results show that stereotypes and misperceptions overwhelmingly pervade candidates’ thoughts despite years of study.  This work has critical implications on the ways in which we prepare pre-service candidates to teach world history and global studies and how we can help pre-service candidates reflect on their own cultural assumptions and the construction of knowledge

The new world of onboarding: a comparison of virtual and hybrid onboarding experiences

The world of work has changed significantly due to the global pandemic of 2020. As a result, many organizations have shifted to remote or hybrid work models, requiring new ways of thinking about all aspects of the employee experience. This paper explored the impact of both remote and hybrid work models on the employee onboarding experience, focusing on employee sentiments toward the organization. The study occurred within a consulting organization and involved interviews with twelve new hires, to understand the successes and the challenges of their onboarding experiences. The results indicated that remote onboarding negatively impacted feelings of connection with colleagues and understanding of internal communication methods, and positively impacted new hires’ accounts of onboarding structure and planning. Organizations onboarding remotely should proactively address opportunities in the new hire experience to smooth employee entry and socialization

Green Purchasing Guide in Health Care Offices and Clinics

Honorable Mention Winner Environmental Center Leadership Program Project According to researchers at Northeastern University and Yale, the U.S medical facilities are nearly responsible for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions. Many of these institutions require significant amount of resources such as water, paper, plastic, and electricity but they are at often at a high cost, inefficient, and wasteful when inspecting at them closer. My project will provide a purchasing guide that will encourage to adopt environmentally, sustainable products that will save money and create a healthier environment. The main goal is to encourage offices to foster environmentally friendly products at an affordable cost. Through the collaboration of The My Green Doctor, a free nonprofit service whose main’s goals is to include environmental sustainability in offices & homes, I will create an essay and a visualized table for an open access page on the My Green Doctor’s Website for health care offices and clinics to utilize. It will encompass on the definition of sustainability and the relationship it has with the health care field, as well as, delve into what makes a product sustainable and factors to take in consideration such as the source of materials used, manufacturing process, packaging and shipping, reuse and recycling potential and disposal, etc. This guide will educate buyers of the proper insights and tools to look for in suppliers and an accessible and easy way to incorporate sustainability without taking time away from patient care

Creativity in the elementary art classroom: Incorporating strategies for encouraging creativity

Virginia art educators base their lesson plans on the Visual Arts Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools. Although creativity is implied in these standards, they are not directly mentioned; it is possible that lessons are not encouraging student creativity. Through a review of literature, this study explored the role of creativity in the elementary classroom, the role of creativity in the art education classroom, and strategies to encourage creativity in students. Findings suggest that creativity can be incorporated into lessons through a variety of strategies. Creativity is a lifelong process, and strategies that are incorporated into lesson plans, will help cultivate student creativity. The strategies were then combined with the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards and charts were created to help art educators implement the strategies into lessons. Recommendations include art educators aiming to integrate creativity into lessons and making creativity a goal in their classrooms

Identity in Sociocultural Context: Life Stories of Korean Youth in New York City

Despite the increasing number of Korean immigrants and children of Korean parents in the United States, there has been a dearth of research on these youth. The identity of Korean American youth has gained even less attention despite of its developmental importance. This research started from a recognition that the identity of Korean American youth has never been studied through their life stories. Thus, the goal of this research was to understand the identity of Korean youth in New York City through their life stories. I investigated how their life stories developed and what influences affected their identities while growing up as Korean Americans by employing McAdams’ life story model. By doing so, I expected to better understand the meanings of their lives and how they are related to their identity development. This study employed a qualitative methodology to examine participants’ subjective life experiences in the United States and the development of their identity in the process. I used McAdams’ life story model with its analytic schemes. Ethnographic techniques were also used in interviews and analyses to interpret the participants’ explicit and implicit expressions of Korean-ness. Because the purpose of this study was to explore the identity of Korean American young adults through their life experiences in the United States, ten second-generation Koreans in their late teens to twenties were recruited for the study. A primary focus was on the development of identity. To explore the identity of the ten Korean youth I had four overarching research questions: (1) What do individual life stories of Korean youth in New York City tell us about their identity; (2) How do their perceptions of ethnic identity relate to their life stories; (3) What are the meanings of “being a Korean” or “Korean-ness” in their everyday discourses; and (4) How do Koreans in the U.S. use societal images of Koreans to describe their life stories and those of Korean friends? The ten Korean youth interviews generated over 250 pages of transcripts, which were analyzed using the eight coding categories. The eight categories are: (1) theme of agency and communion; (2) two types of identity discourses; (3) neighborhood and cultural adaptation; (4) family relations and experiences; (5) friends, school, and Korean church network; (6) ethnic behaviors and practices; (7) changes in identity perception: Korean or American or both; and (8) prejudices and discrimination. The study findings revealed that the Korean youth’s awareness of Korean heritage occurred in facing many different life experiences. Parents, family, friends, school, church, and the Korean community in New York were all important contexts for the youth’s realization of their Korean-ness. Images of Koreans specifically and Asians in general influenced their awareness of Korean and Asian identity. The youth confronted racism, which along with American stereotypes and prejudices towards them raised their awareness of Korean and Asian identity. While a few youth perceived their Korean heritage would be hurdles to successful American lives, each realized that they had better embrace their Korean and American sides because their Korean heritage was undeniable. Although living between Korean and American life may on occasion be tough, the majority of the Korean youth felt comfortable accepting both Korean- and American-ness. They reported having made efforts to choose career paths to enhance their and their families’ lives. The life stories of the Korean youth, indeed, showed who they were and how they have been living in the United States. Thus, the identity of the Korean youth developed as their life stories were being written

Forget-Me-Not : The Politics of Memory, Identity, and Community in Armenian America

This project looks at how politicized identity and community was formed in Armenian America through the creation and dissemination of Armenian genocide memories. The Armenian genocide, which occurred in 1915, resulted in the mass dispersion of the Armenian people, and in great numbers to America. The traumatic genocidal experience, along with erasure by the Turkish government, has resulted in the genocide being the most seminal piece of Armenian community building and political organization. Most work done on the Armenian-American community and Armenian genocide focuses on the impact of non-recognition by the Turkish government. In my thesis, I seek to rediscover the ways that the Armenian-American community historically utilized this trauma in order to redefine their identity and look towards new possibilities of identity, community, and memory. This exploration of the intersections of memory, political organizing, and community building showcases the hopeful potentials of traumatic events