Migrant Farm Communities: Culture, Education, Nutrition And Health Consequences

This study researches the healthcare disparities in migrant farm workers of NJ following a series of field observations within the local clinics and community settings of Hammonton , NJ. Through preliminary readings and research on past studies of the local migrant communities in NJ, specific health issues emerge which are unique within migrant groups, unseen in Mexicans who do not migrate, yet seldom noted in those who immigrate to the U.S. permanently. Cultural and language barriers present themselves within the recent health and education initiatives in this area of study. The link between the cultural and language barriers which exist and the healthcare disparities which result is a very complex set of processes, which require further study, in order to more specifically target the elements in need of change with regard to the existing health and education initiatives for migrant communities. Migrant farm workers represent a unique set of cultural variables within a home which is not actually their home, living among people in a community, in which they are not really a part, resulting in marginalization and isolation which fuels doubt and distrust in the systems in place, resulting in health disparities. Language and cultural barriers prevent otherwise reasonable health initiatives from success in migrant communities, mainly from misunderstandings by both the migrants and the healthcare workers

THE PROPOSITION VALUE OF CORPORATE RATINGS - A RELIABILITY TESTING OF CORPORATE RATINGS BY APPLYING ROC AND CAP TECHNIQUES

We analyze the Altman model, a Logit model as well as the KMV model in order to evaluate their performance. Therefore, we use a random sample of 132 US firms. We create a yearly and a quarterly sample set to construct a portfolio of defaulting and a counter portfolio of non-defaulting companies. As we stay close to the recommendations of the Basel Capital Accord framework in order to evaluate the models, we use Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) and Cumulative Accuracy Profile (CAP) techniques. We find that the Logit model outperforms the Altman as well as the KMV model. Furthermore, we find that the Altman model outperforms the KMV model, which is nearly as accurate as a random model.Altman Model, Cumulative Accuracy Profile (CAP), Distance to Default, Logit Model, Moody’s KMV, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC), Z-score.

Brent Nessler in a Senior Saxophone Recital

This is the program for the senior saxophone recital of Brent Nessler. Mr. Nessler was accompanied on the piano by Susan Monroe. This recital took place on November 6, 2014, in the McBeth Recital Hall in the Mabee Fine Arts Center

Restrictive left ventricular filling pattern and its effect on the clinical course of systolic heart failure in patients receiving carvedilol

Background: To analyze differences in brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels depending on mitral flow pattern (MFP) and to assess the effects of carvedilol on changes in MFP, left ventricular function and exercise capacity. Methods and results: The study population consisted of 73 patients with symptomatic heart failure in NYHA classes II and III and LVEF < 40% without prior beta-blockade. In all patients at baseline, before carvedilol, and then at 3 and 12 months after initiation of treatment, the following parameters were assessed: HRs, serum BNP, echocardiographic parameters, and exercise capacity with gas monitoring during cardiopulmonary stress test. Before carvedilol there was a positive correlation between BNP and E/A (r = 0.17; p = 0.05). BNP was significantly higher in patients with restrictive MFP (rMFP) as compared with nonrestrictive MFP (nrMFP) (541.5 &#177; 206.7 vs. 412.6 &#177; 207.2; p = 0.009), and lower VO2peak in rMFP as compared with nrMFP (12.5 &#177; 3.7 vs. 16.5 &#177; 4.7; p = 0.001). After initiation of carvedilol, the patients with rMFP had reduced E/A (2.9 vs. 1.4; p = 0.003), and rMFP was changed to nrMFP in 60.8% of patients. Respective BNP concentrations were 342.16 &#177; 284.31 vs. 326.40 &#177; 264.6; NS. In patients with rMFP VO2peak , %N increased significantly from 42.4 &#177; 10.2 to 52.4 &#177; 14.4; p = 0.012. Conclusions: In patients with systolic congestive heart failure, the presence of rMFP is related to higher BNP levels and reduced VO2peak. Chronic treatment with carvedilol replaces rMFP with nrMFP and improves exercise capacity in some patients