Emergency department use among Asian adults living in the United States: Results from the National Health Interview Survey (2006 – 2013)

This paper presents secondary analyses of the National Health Interview Survey data focused on emergency department (ED) utilization among Asian adults residing in the United States. National Health Interview Survey data provided from survey years 2006-2013 was pooled and disaggregated by single-race Asian ethnic subgroups (Filipino, Chinese, Asian Indian, other Asian). We explored trends in reports of an ED visit over the survey years for the purpose of determining whether reports of an ED visit increased or decreased over survey years. We also explored background/biologic, environment, access to care, and behavior factors and their associations with having an ED visit. The majority of respondents were foreign-born (75.9%) and had lived in the United States for ten or more years (54.3%). Estimates for reports of any ED visits ranged from 8.3% for the Chinese to 15.3% for the Filipino subgroups. Filipinos were more likely to have an ED visit compared to the Chinese and other Asians (except Asian Indians). For the eight years of survey data, estimates indicate a trend of fewer reports of any ED visit among the Asian Indian and Filipino subgroups. Among Filipinos, having diabetes and a smoking history were associated with an ED visit. The odds of an ED visit were higher among Asians in the youngest age category, among other Asians born in the United States, and among those who saw/talked to a mental health professional within the previous year. As there is a paucity of information available about ED use among Asians or Asian subgroups, this report adds to the literature on patterns of health care utilization among Asian subgroups living in the United States with a specific focus on ED utilization

Radioanalytical Methods for Characterization of the Surface Modification of Nanoparticles

The use of iron oxide nanoparticles for a variety of applications has grown over the past few decades. Manipulation of surface chemistry of these materials is critical to customizing the properties of the particles for desired applications. Ligand exchange is a common and versatile tool for surface modification. There are many factors which affect ligand exchange including ligand chain length, number of binding groups, binding group chemistry, and particle aging and oxidation. Furthermore, ligand exchange may not always occur to completion. Therefore, it is important to characterize the surface of the particles to determine the extent of exchange. Current techniques to confirm and monitor ligand exchange can be limited in sensitivity and versatility, and often these techniques must be used in combination to thoroughly characterize the exchange. To address this issue, radioanalytical techniques were developed to quantify ligand exchange on iron oxide nanoparticles and investigate the factors which affect ligand exchange. Oleic acid coated iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized via thermal decomposition with trace amounts of 14C-oleic acid on the surface. The particles were modified via ligand exchange with a variety of hydrophilic ligands. The modified particles were measured using liquid scintillation counting (LSC) to determine the activity and ultimately, the total number of 14C-oleic acid chains remaining after exchange. These techniques were used to determine effects of head group chemistry with polymeric ligands and effects of head group chemistry, number of binding groups, and ligand exchange reaction parameters with small molecule ligands. Results revealed catechols displace the most oleic acid during exchange. Furthermore, multidenticity, or multiple binding groups, increases the displacement of the oleic acid. Particle aging and oxidation was investigated using these techniques. Unlabeled, oleic acid coated particles which were aged in solution for 2, 7, and 30 days were mixed with 14C-oleic acid in exchange reactions. Results revealed that aging of the particles at 30 days effected an increase in the amount of 14C-oleic acid adsorbed on the particles after exchange. Kinetic analysis of these results indicated an increase in the desorption rate constant and a decrease in the adsorption rate constant with age but with no profound change in the overall reaction rates. A follow-up study with oxidized particles suggested that this behavior may be due to oxidation during aging. Overall, the results signify an increase in the number of available binding sites, possibly due to formation of a defective oxide shell during aging and/or oxidation

Measuring Food Security Using Respondents' Perception of Food Consumption Adequacy

food security, qualitative indicators, quantitative indicators, household surveys, Albania, Indonesia, Madagascar,

Academician/Practitioner Research Relationship in Sport and Leisure Management

The following manuscript will address areas in which practitioners and academicians can develop stronger research relationships in sport and leisure management. These include ascertaining the true nature of our research, recognizing common goals of both groups and the ability of managers to interpret findings. Finally, it will be argued that in sport and leisure management, academicians and managers can utilize their skills of observation and analysis to synthesize experience and perception for improved management performance by the practitioners

Fighting Jim Crow in post-World War II Omaha 1945-1956

Blacks in Omaha developed new approaches to fight Jim Crow practices in the post-World War II era. As a result, substantial gains were made in the areas of public accommodations, employment, residential segregation and education. The Omaha Star, a black newspaper, was instrumental in reporting civil rights abuses to its readers, while constantly urging them to unite and fight for their rights. Civil rights organizations played a crucial role in these efforts. The NAACP chapter was established as early as 1918, but after an initial burst it was relatively ineffective until the 1950s. The local Urban League, however, which dated to 1928, adapted more readily to the changing post-World War II environment. Realizing the need to shift from its earlier emphasis on self-help and recreation, it began to address problems such as employment, housing, and race relations. In 1950, Whitney Young became its executive secretary and played a major role in the fight against racial discrimination over the next several years. Another important organization in this struggle was the Omaha De Porres Club. It was organized in 1947 on the Creighton University campus under the direction of a priest, Father John Markoe, and a student, Denny Holland. The Club was instrumental in opening many doors for black Omahans, particularly in the area of employment. Working closely with the Urban League, its non-violent and direct confrontational tactics such as sit-ins, picketing, and boycotts made a significant contribution to the local civil rights movement. In 1956, a special election was held to choose the members of a Charter Convention that would draw up a new city Charter, which was became effective on May 27, 1957. It included a civil rights clause, a provision for fair employment, and the establishment of a Human Relations Board. Although there was much more to be done, the 1945-1956 era was marked by a number o f important achievements in the realm of race relations in Omaha, some of which occurred years ahead of many other cities

Periodization and “The Medieval Globe”: A Conversation

The period categories “medieval” and “modern” emerged with—and have long served to define and legitimate—the projects of western European imperialism and colonialism. The idea of “the medieval globe” is therefore double edged. On the one hand, it runs the risk of reconfirming the terms of the colonial, Orientalist history through which the “medieval” emerged, thus homogenizing the plural temporalities of global cultures and effacing the material effects of the becoming of the Middle Ages and its relationship to conditions of globalization. On the other hand, “the medieval globe” brings to bear a comparative focus that does not ask when and why a given culture did or did not start making the shift toward modernity, but rather asks what was going on at a given period throughout the globe. Such a history might undo the foundational narratives of European nations as well as give space to hitherto slighted histories. This conversation approaches the complexities of this problem from two perspectives: that of a scholar in European studies and a scholar in Chinese studies

Wisdom at Work: The Importance of the Older and Experienced Nurse in the Workplace

Focuses on promising strategies and opportunities for retaining experienced nurses, one of many approaches the authors recommend to alleviate the current nurse shortage crisis