THE QUEST OF EXISTENCE: A STUDY ON ZHUANG ZI VIS-À-VIS HEIDEGGER ON THE CONCEPT OF “BEING”

Existence has always been a great question in philosophy and a very broad topic explored by different philosophers. In general, existence is the state of being alive or being real. This leads us to the question, what then is the meaning of “being”? And, how does existence relate to being? In answering these questions, I will be focusing on Martin Heidegger’s definition of “being” which will be put side by side to Zhuang Zi, an Eastern philosopher, to further analyze the true essence of “being”. This paper argues that man eventually exists as one “being” because these philosophers’ concepts come together due to the Yin Yang theory

Enhancing Nurse- Patient Communication Through Commit to Sit

The patient experience is considered by healthcare policy experts as one of the essential components of healthcare quality. The project site implemented a program called “Commit to Sit” to help promote direct bedside communication with patients. This quality improvement project examined the impact of the Commit to Sit program on patient experience in an acute care setting. The purpose of this evaluation focused on determining whether communication between the frontline nurses and patients improved through the implementation of “Commit to Sit” campaign on a pilot unit in a community hospital. The Duffy’s Quality Caring Model was utilized because it encourages improving the communication between the provider and the patient. The project engaged patients in a span of three months in three batches with a mean sample size of 46. This study utilized the questionnaire from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, and analysis showed a three percent increase of the nursing unit patient satisfaction survey, nurse communication section since the implementation of “Commit to Sit.” This study demonstrated the impact of direct caregiver’s successful communication is essential in achieving the main goal of the health care team which is eliminating pain and suffering in a short time, hence promoting early recovery of patients. These findings support positive social change by in identifying effective methods for frontline nurses for enhancing patient communication, patient safety and patient satisfaction

Walking While… : Walkable Communities and the Politics of Urban Neighborhood Governance

This article explores walkable communities, with a specific emphasis on the intricate dynamics of urban neighborhood governance. Drawing upon case studies from three diverse urban locales—namely, the predominantly Black Chicago neighborhood of Eastwood, the predominantly Chinese Chicago neighborhood of Bridgeport, and the community occupying People’s Park in Berkeley, California—my research scrutinizes the politics surrounding walkable communities. Central to this analysis is an examination of the role played by urban neighborhood governance in ensuring the safety, accessibility, and equitable distribution of amenities, including public transportation, educational facilities, and healthcare services. In addition, this article delves into the multifaceted effects of policing, spatial inequalities, and urban redevelopment within the context of walkable communities. This examination is anchored in the broader question of whether the concept of walkable communities contributes positively or negatively to the pursuit of social justice within urban housing landscapes. To argue that there are numerous inequities seen in walkable communities, for example, due to wealth, race, and gender, I raise the question: for whom is the city walkable if it distributes uneven spatial citizenship

Galvanic Corrosion of Aluminum Coupled to Passivating and Non-Passivating Alloys

M.S. University of Hawaii at Manoa 2016.Includes bibliographical references.Galvanic corrosion of 6061-T6 aluminum-coupled metals was studied in marine, volcanic, and rainforest environments. In addition to field research, galvanic couples were subjected to the chloride-containing GM-9540P accelerated corrosion test. The galvanic couple types included 6061-T6 Al with Ti-6Al-4V, 316 stainless steel, silver, copper, 1018 steel, and Mg AZ31B connected via insulating fasteners. In this research, galvanic corrosion currents were measured through portable data loggers connected to each metal in the aluminum-coupled specimens. The total corrosion on an anode in a galvanic couple results from galvanic corrosion between the anode and the cathode plus additional simultaneous local corrosion on the anode caused by cathodic reactions occurring on the anode. The value of the total corrosion rate, that is, local corrosion and galvanic corrosion, was determined by mass loss of the galvanically-coupled aluminum coupons. The local corrosion was determined using the difference between the total corrosion rate and the galvanic corrosion rate, as determined from the galvanic current data and Faraday’s law. The mass loss of the coupons was also compared to those of uncoupled aluminum coupons which were not subjected to galvanic corrosion. Corroded aluminum samples were subjected to surface analysis using SEM/EDXA and XRD. Potentiodynamic polarization and pH experiments were also conducted in order to study the mechanisms of galvanic corrosion for the couples described above

Feasibility of Modifying Existing Chemistry Demonstrations by Using Substitute Materials

This study aimed to reiterate the use of Chemistry demonstrations as effective teaching tools to students while addressing some of its drawbacks, which discourages teachers from doing them such as cost and safety. Four chosen existing Chemistry demonstrations (Blue Bottle Experiment, Copper Sulfate Experiment, Blown Away, Dancing Flames) were modified by using substitute reagents, which are more accessible, relatively safer, and at lower cost. These demonstrations were chosen based on how easily the substitute reagents will be obtained. Afterwards, with the permission of a private junior high school, they were presented to a group of Grade 9 students of their choosing. The students were asked to evaluate each demonstration using a Likert scale-based questionnaire. This questionnaire rates each demonstration in terms of aesthetics, the materials and procedure done, effectiveness to explain certain Chemistry topics, safety, and the students’ overall judgment regarding the use of demonstrations as teaching tools. By converting their evaluation to quantitative values, the demonstrations scored high in all major categories. With this, it is highly recommended to explore other Chemistry demonstrations for possible modifications, which can be integrated in lecture classes

An Education Program for Improving Knowledge of Experienced and Aspiring Mentors

Using a staff development approach, this doctor of nursing practice project addressed the preparation of nurses who serve in the role of mentors. Developed and carried out in an American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet-designated hospital, the primary aim of the project was to develop and implement a staff education program for mentors focusing on best-practice strategies for mentoring new nurses. The secondary purpose was to conduct a literature review on evidence-based practice strategies for mentoring new nurses. This project was guided by Knowles\u27 adult learning theory and Benner\u27s novice to expert model. A 2-hour education program was attended by 16 registered nurses, including 2 assistant nurse managers, 12 clinical nurses, and 2 unit-educators. A program evaluation was completed showing 2 RNs indicating interest in initiating a unit-based mentorship program. Two nursing units reported current mentorship programs already in place. Evaluation results were summarized and reported to the education council chair. Improvements in knowledge scores on mentorship was ascertained from the results of a posttest that were higher (average score of 83.125%) than the scores noted on the pretest (average score of 70%). Potential implications of the project include improving the morale of mentors who would be well equipped through organized mentorship education programs with tools for preparing, training, and developing new nurses. The findings of this project have the potential to positively influence social change by assisting in achieving higher nurse retention rates leading to improved patient outcomes

Efficient Non-Viral Ocular Gene Transfer with Compacted DNA Nanoparticles

BACKGROUND: The eye is an excellent candidate for gene therapy as it is immune privileged and much of the disease-causing genetics are well understood. Towards this goal, we evaluated the efficiency of compacted DNA nanoparticles as a system for non-viral gene transfer to ocular tissues. The compacted DNA nanoparticles examined here have been shown to be safe and effective in a human clinical trial, have no theoretical limitation on plasmid size, do not provoke immune responses, and can be highly concentrated. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Here we show that these nanoparticles can be targeted to different tissues within the eye by varying the site of injection. Almost all cell types of the eye were capable of transfection by the nanoparticle and produced robust levels of gene expression that were dose-dependent. Most impressively, subretinal delivery of these nanoparticles transfected nearly all of the photoreceptor population and produced expression levels almost equal to that of rod opsin, the highest expressed gene in the retina. CONCLUSIONS: As no deleterious effects on retinal function were observed, this treatment strategy appears to be clinically viable and provides a highly efficient non-viral technology to safely deliver and express nucleic acids in the retina and other ocular tissues

Modeling of the residue transport of lambda cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, malathion and endosulfan in three different environmental compartments in the Philippines

AbstractThis study aims to determine the environmental transport and fate of the residue of four Philippines priority chemicals; i.e., lambda cyhalothrin (L-cyhalothrin), cypermethrin, endosulfan and malathion, in three different environmental compartments (air, water and soil). In the Philippines, pesticide application is the most common method of controlling pests and weeds in rice and vegetable farming. This practice aided the agricultural industry to minimize losses and increase yield. However, indiscriminate use of pesticides resulted to adverse effects to public health and environment. Studies showed that 95% of the applied pesticides went to non-target species. Data from previous studies in Pagsanjan Laguna, Philippines were used as input data. Dispersion, Gaussian plume, and regression equations were employed to simulate the behavior of L-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, endosulfan and malathion in air, water and soil. Substance decay was calculated using first order reaction. This study showed how L-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, endosulfan, and malathion behaved in the environment after release from nozzle spray, and its possible duration of stay in the environment. It will also show a tool in determining the percolation depth through soil by endosulfan. This tool can be utilized in determining the depth of contaminated soil during remediation strategic planning and project implementation of similar environmental condition

Retinal stem cells transplanted into models of late stages of retinitis pigmentosa preferentially adopt a glial or a retinal ganglion cell fate

PURPOSE: To characterize the potential of newborn retinal stem cells (RSCs) isolated from the radial glia population to integrate the retina, this study was conducted to investigate the fate of in vitro expanded RSCs transplanted into retinas devoid of photoreceptors (adult rd1 and old VPP mice and rhodopsin-mutated transgenic mice) or partially degenerated retina (adult VPP mice) retinas. METHODS: Populations of RSCs and progenitor cells were isolated either from DBA2J newborn mice and labeled with the red lipophilic fluorescent dye (PKH26) or from GFP (green fluorescent protein) transgenic mice. After expansion in EGF+FGF2 (epidermal growth factor+fibroblast growth factor), cells were transplanted intravitreally or subretinally into the eyes of adult wild-type, transgenic mice undergoing slow (VPP strain) or rapid (rd1 strain) retinal degeneration. RESULTS: Only limited migration and differentiation of the cells were observed in normal mice injected subretinally or in VPP and rd1 mice injected intravitreally. After subretinal injection in old VPP mice, transplanted cells massively migrated into the ganglion cell layer and, at 1 and 4 weeks after injection, harbored neuronal and glial markers expressed locally, such as beta-tubulin-III, NeuN, Brn3b, or glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), with a marked preference for the glial phenotype. In adult VPP retinas, the grafted cells behaved similarly. Few grafted cells stayed in the degenerating outer nuclear layer (ONL). These cells were, in rare cases, positive for rhodopsin or recoverin, markers specific for photoreceptors and some bipolar cells. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that the grafted cells preferentially integrate into the GCL and IPL and express ganglion cell or glial markers, thus exhibiting migratory and differentiation preferences when injected subretinally. It also appears that the retina, whether partially degenerated or already degenerated, does not provide signals to induce massive differentiation of RSCs into photoreceptors. This observation suggests that a predifferentiation of RSCs into photoreceptors before transplantation may be necessary to obtain graft integration in the ONL

Rabies Post-Exposure Prophylaxis in the Philippines: Health Status of Patients Having Received Purified Equine F(ab')2 Fragment Rabies Immunoglobulin (Favirab)

Infection from a bite by a rabid animal is fatal unless rapid treatment (thorough cleaning of the wound, administration of rabies immunoglobulins (RIG), and a full anti-rabies vaccination course) is provided. Ideally human RIG should be used, but cheaper, more readily available purified horse RIG (pERIG) are widely used in developing countries. Follow-up of over 7,600 patients previously given pERIG at the rabies treatment reference center in Manila (Philippines) provided updated health status for 6,458 patients 39 days to 29 months after treatment. A total of 151 patients had been bitten by animals with laboratory-confirmed rabies. Two rabies deaths were reported, one in a 4-year-old girl with bites on the back, shoulder, and neck so severe that stitching was required to prevent bleeding (against recommended practice), and another in an 8-year-old boy who only received rabies vaccination on the day of initial treatment. A 7-year-old cousin of this boy, bitten by the same animal, who did receive the full vaccination course was still healthy 10 months later. Fourteen other reported deaths had causes unrelated to rabies. These data illustrate the effectiveness of pERIG as part of the recommended treatment regimen, while highlighting the importance of adhering to current recommendations