Isotope hydrology of Lehman and Baker creeks drainages, Great Basin National Park, Nevada

Environmental isotope techniques have been used to study the water resources in Great Basin National Park in Nevada in an attempt to understand the recharge and mixing characteristics of the creeks, lakes and shallow groundwater in the park. The results have been used to trace the sources of the springs and creek discharges and also to determine the isotopic behavior of the alpine lakes, as well as groundwater exchange with the lakes; Winter snow is the major contributor to groundwater and makes up about 80% of groundwater recharge while summer rains contribute about 20%; The isotopic compositions of the lakes are quite dependent on the evaporation-inflow rates and are shown to be a qualitative measure of the degree of openness or closure of the particular lake; Three different values of maximum isotopic enrichment attainable in the park were obtained using three different methods. The differences in values suggest two kinds of closed lakes which behave isotopically differently. Water balance calculation using stable isotopes was performed for a closed alpine lake, showing that it has considerable interaction with groundwater and is not a completely closed lake. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

What is in a nickname: Ghanaian nickname cultures

Many a Ghanaian at one time or the other in his or her life has either been given a nickname, or conferred one on himself or herself, or on another person. Some have not one but several and a nickname may supplant a birth name. Some nicknames are perceived as insulting and are resented but some too are welcomed even if on the surface they denigrate the bearer. The paper looks at the characteristics of nicknames in Ghana. It addresses the questions: who gives nicknames; to whom; for what reasons; and what significant values do they have? It posits that the study of nicknames contributes to an appreciation of the socio-cultural values of a society.Keywords: nicknames, names, culture, Ghana, Afric

Performance of restaurants: Recognizing competitive intensity and differentiation strategies

Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to examine the relationships between differentiation strategies, competitive intensity and restaurant performance. It was also to estimate the effect of interaction terms of differentiation strategies and competitive intensity on restaurant performance. Methods: Data were obtained from 160 restaurant operators in the Ashanti region of Ghana through a structured questionnaire. The paths of the relationships were estimated and tested using regression analysis. Results: The findings suggest that differentiation strategies have a significant impact on restaurant performance and that competitive intensity partially influence the performance of restaurants. Competitive intensity was, however, found not to moderate the relationship between differentiation strategies and restaurant performance. Implications: The study findings will greatly help managers of the restaurant industry to appreciate the critical contribution of competitive intensity and differentiation strategies in estimating the performance of restaurants. The interactive terms of differentiation strategies and competitive intensity add to the divergent ways of measuring restaurant performance. This paper, therefore, contributes to the growing research in the restaurant industry

Customer Perceived Risks and the Choice of Mobile Phone Brand in Ghana

Purpose – The purpose of the study is to develop, measure and empirically validate the contribution of performance risk, social risk, financial risk and psychological risk to the customer choice of mobile phone. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 267 mobile phone users applying the convenience sampling method. The study finds that performance risk, social risk, financial risk, and psychological risk relate to customer choice. Further study results demonstrate that all the predictor variables after controlling for experience and means of acquisition are statistically significant in predicting customer choice of mobile phone brand. However, performance risk showed the highest effects on customer choice. The study contributes to the development of a multi-dimensional scale for customer perceived risk and choice of mobile phone in the Ghanaian context. The study provides firms in the mobile phone industry with a deeper understanding of how the performance, financial, social and psychological factors are relevant in the development of marketing programmes in the mobile phone industry

Lead Poisoning, Education, and Advocacy for Prevention (L.E.A.P.) study

Lead poisoning has been regarded as a major threat due to its irreversible and harmful effects. This includes severe cognitive and developmental impairments, especially in children. Over the years, the CDC has reduced the benchmark for acceptable blood lead levels (BLL) from 10 μg/ml to 3.5 μg/ml to allow for earlier intervention and prevention. Despite increased awareness and government programs that lead to a decline in mean blood levels across the country, testing for elevated BLLs, especially in low-income households, continues to be disproportionately lower

Language Barrier Contributions to Food Insecurity in Spanish-Speaking Populations

Food insecurity refers to a household or individual’s inability to access adequate food to obtain a healthy lifestyle. This contributes to health concerns such as birth defects, low nutritional intake, anemia, cognitive problems, mental health disorders, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Low-income rural community members lack access to full grocery stores and often turn to convenience stores with unhealthy, expensive, and fewer food options. The aim of this study was to determine how language barriers affect Spanish-speaking populations with limited English proficiency. The research for this project was obtained from Google, Google Scholar, and PubMed. Keywords included “health disparities,” “Spanish-speaking,” and “food insecurity.” As of 2021, seventeen percent of Latino Americans were food insecure, with Latino and Black households experiencing food insecurity at higher rates compared to White households. One in six Hispanic individuals have been affected by food insecurity, and several SNAP recipients have limited transportation options, making it difficult for food-insecure Spanish speakers to access food distribution resources available to them. It was found that Latino communities face unique challenges and are more likely to battle food insecurity than non-Hispanic White communities. It is imperative to conduct more studies and assess the impact of sustainable interventions to further understand the barriers faced by Latino communities

Implementation of Attending Narcotics Anonymous Meetings in Addiction Medicine Curriculum

Following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, opioid-related deaths were augmented, highlighting an area of concern for the state of New Jersey. Although the state has taken steps to combat the number of opioid-related deaths, this continues to be a problem emphasizing the need for increased interventions to decrease the number of opioid-related deaths and to improve long-term healthcare outcomes. Rates of stigma surrounding addiction, and more specifically, opioid addiction, are high within the general population and amongst healthcare professionals.2,3 A national survey conducted in 2016 revealed that two-thirds of primary care physicians surveyed viewed people with opioid use disorder as dangerous.2 In those experiencing substance abuse disorder, the anticipation and fear of bias contribute to isolation, hiding high-risk activities, and can prevent individuals from seeking treatment, such as harm-reduction programs.2 A proposed intervention to help combat this problem is the implementation of attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings into the Area of Distinction (AOD) in the Addiction Medicine curriculum. This intervention allows medical students to listen to the experiences of people dealing with substance abuse disorder, helping dispel stigmas and implicit biases that may exist early in a student\u27s medical career. By providing early exposure to variations in how addiction can present itself and affect members of our community, it is possible to improve healthcare outcomes and, hopefully, patient retention

Marketing performance of service firms: Recognizing market sensing capability and customer interaction orientation

Purpose: This study examines the effect of market sensing and interaction orientation capabilities on the marketing performance of service based firms in Ghana. The study particularly explored the moderation effect of interaction orientation capability on the relationship between market sensing and firm performance of the service firms. Methods: This study adopted the survey approach focusing on a convenient sample of 200 employees of service firms. The hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to establish the relationship between the variables of interest. Results: the study revealed that market sensing capability and interaction orientation significantly account for variations in the marketing performance of the service businesses. Furthermore, the findings showed that the interaction of market sensing and interaction orientation capabilities is vital for extracting a higher marketing. Implications: The research target of service firms limits the generalizability of the findings since the participants were not proportionally participated. In addition to insights on how marketing sensing and interaction orientation should fit the realization of marketing performance, the research offers other ideas to enhance measurement of marketing performance based on customer profits and customer relations

What More Can Be Done? Childhood Obesity in Glassboro, NJ

Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern in the United States, with an estimated 20% of American children being obese. In New Jersey (NJ), 9% of high school students are obese, and there are disparities in obesity rates based on gender, sexual identity, and race/ethnicity. In Gloucester County, NJ, limited data is available on childhood obesity rates, but 36.4% of adults are obese, and lower SES is related to higher rates of obesity in youth. To address this issue, this research poster proposes a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Glassboro to provide nutritional resources and create monthly newsletters for parents and guardians, with the aim of promoting access to affordable produce and grocery stores in the area. This intervention could potentially help reduce rates of childhood obesity in Glassboro, NJ. Limitations of the study include limited data availability and difficulty in finding meaningful and sustainable intervention ideas

Food Insecurity and Dietary Restrictions

According to the USDA Food Insecurity affects around 10.2 percent of the US population as of 2021. For families that have members with certain dietary restriction such as, but not limited to diabetes, hypertension, gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance, and food allergies, the challenge of securing food becomes an even greater burden with having to navigate food banks or discount stores that may not offer food items that meet their dietary requirements. Families with dietary restrictions often face greater food insecurity and less access to food. More research is needed to understand the challenges families with dietary restrictions face regarding food insecurity, especially on a state level for New Jersey, as well as providing ways for said families to understand the nutritional content and ingredients on the food they’re acquiring