Global Health Equity and Advocacy: The roles of international Non-Governmental Organizations

International health equity and community empowerment are promoted through local and global collaborations with non-governmental organizations (NGO’s). Civil society organizations and inter-agency partnerships assume central roles in addressing global health inequity, within the context of national health and social systems, local realities and priorities. Community health promotion through public-private collaboration by NGO’s on health needs assessments and fund-raising is designed to increase support for local programs in the United States. This paper compares health promotion and advocacy roles of an international non-governmental organization in global and local arenas, based on community case studies by the author in rural Hungary and North Texas from 2009 to 2011, using ethnographic and qualitative research methods. Findings confirm the need for systematic evaluation of the effects of complex socioeconomic, political and multi-ethnic contexts, and the impacts of prevention programs and healthcare on health equity

Fast-field cycling NMR is sensitive to the method of cross-linking in BSA gels

This work was supported by ARUK (grant number 19689).Non peer reviewedPublisher PD

Fast field-cycling NMR of cartilage : a way toward molecular imaging

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Inelastic Neutron Scattering by Gaseous O2

The magnetic contributions to neutron diffraction by molecular oxygen have been studied both experimentally and theoretically. We extend the theoretical studies by performing a calculation of the magnetic interaction in the inelastic neutron cross section for gaseous O2. The magnetic inelastic cross section for O2 is significantly different from the nuclear inelastic cross section due to the lack of spherical symmetry in the magnetic‐moment distribution about each oxygen nucleus. It is expected from these results that the inelastic cross section for O2 will provide more information about the magnetic‐moment distribution than the angular distribution. We present representative calculations to indicate the size and nature of the magnetic contribution to the inelastic cross section.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/71223/2/JCPSA6-49-2-890-1.pd

Deuteron-equivalent and phase-equivalent interactions within light nuclei

Background: Phase-equivalent transformations (PETs) are well-known in quantum scattering and inverse scattering theory. PETs do not affect scattering phase shifts and bound state energies of two-body system but are conventionally supposed to modify two-body bound state observables such as the rms radius and electromagnetic moments. Purpose: In order to preserve all bound state observables, we propose a new particular case of PETs, a deuteron-equivalent transformation (DET-PET), which leaves unchanged not only scattering phase shifts and bound state (deuteron) binding energy but also the bound state wave function. Methods: The construction of DET-PET is discussed; equations defining the simplest DET-PETs are derived. We apply these simplest DET-PETs to the JISP16 $NN$ interaction and use the transformed $NN$ interactions in calculations of $^3$H and $^4$He binding energies in the No-core Full Configuration (NCFC) approach based on extrapolations of the No-core Shell Model (NCSM) basis space results to the infinite basis space. Results: We demonstrate the DET-PET modification of the $np$ scattering wave functions and study the DET-PET manifestation in the binding energies of $^3$H and $^4$He nuclei and their correlation (Tjon line). Conclusions: It is shown that some DET-PETs generate modifications of the central component while the others modify the tensor component of the $NN$ interaction. DET-PETs are able to modify significantly the $np$ scattering wave functions and hence the off-shell properties of the $NN$ interaction. DET-PETs give rise to significant changes in the binding energies of $^3$H (in the range of approximately 1.5 MeV) and $^4$He (in the range of more than 9 MeV) and are able to modify the correlation patterns of binding energies of these nuclei

To the Bitter End: Disparities in End-of-Life Care

Although technological advancements have provided the means to sustain life and provide care regardless of whether the treatment is appropriate and compassionate given the condition of the patient, bioethical, legal, and moral concerns related to disparities in care still arise in the United States. These concerns call into question the necessity to continue life-sustaining or palliative care treatments when patients and/or families are faced with end-of-life decisions. This study will focus on various historical, clinical cultural, and ethical issues that have placed this dilemma into a controversial public spectrum, by using case studies retrieved from referenced literature, which illustrate disparities in care at the end of life

Case Studies in Medical Futility

Technology has provided means to sustain life and provide care regardless of whether the treatment is appropriate and compassionate given the condition of the patient. This study presents two case histories, compiled from historical patient charts, staff notes and observations, that illustrate the variety of ethical issues involved and the role culture plays in the decision making process related to possible futile medical treatment. Ethical and cultural issues related to the cases are discussed and processes are presented that can help hospitals to avoid, or decrease the level of, medically futile care, and improve the cultural appropriateness of medical care and relationships with patients