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A Tale of Two Age Groups: Patient Satisfaction Across Age Cohorts
No full textEffective patient-centered care requires efficient practices, strong communication, and proper systems. Age is a major factor that can impact patient satisfaction. Healthcare providers should be aware of this factor and adapt care accordingly. The purpose of this study was to explore how patient age influences their satisfaction within a multi-hospital system in the midwestern United States. A MANOVA was conducted to identify significant trends. After rejecting the null hypothesis, one way ANOVA contrasts were conducted for each criterion. The independent variable was the patients’ age group (over 65 and between 18 and 65). The dependent variables were the patient’s reported overall agreement with the following criteria: 1) timeliness; 2) communication; 3) care-team; 4) provider; 5) systems; and 6) facility. There were statistically significant findings as evidenced by Wilks’ Λ (6, 143) = 0.91, p\u3c0.05. There were six statistically significant findings: 1) patients (87%) who reported satisfaction with timeliness (p\u3c0.01); 2) patients (85%) who reported satisfaction with communication (p\u3c0.01); 3) patients (84%) who reported satisfaction with the care team (p\u3c0.05); 4) patients (89%) who reported satisfaction with their provider (p\u3c0.05); 5) patients (79%) who reported satisfaction with the system (p\u3c0.05); and 6) patients (84%) who reported satisfaction with the facility (p\u3c0.05). For every criterion, patients over the age of 65 reported higher satisfaction. These data imply that older patients are more likely to be satisfied with general determinants of hospital function. The recommendations of the findings are for greater research on the working class and the determinants they care about most
Does the intermediate time between defecation and collection of fecal samples affect the result of DNA recovery?
No full textThe Lowland Anoa (Bubalus depressicornis) is an endemic species to Sulawesi, Indonesia. There are fewer than 2,500 wild Lowland Anoas and that number continues to fall. A major reason for their endangerment is that they are being hunted for their meat and horns for social status. The locals of Sulawesi, Indonesia do their best to educate and maintain the population of the Lowland Anoa, however that may not be enough. Conservation work is underway but strong conservation plans require information on the genetic diversity of the remaining populations. Traditional genetic samples include blood or tissue, but these samples are especially difficult to obtain from endangered organisms. Fecal samples provide a noninvasive way to obtain comparable genetic data without requiring handling or even sighting of the animal in their habitat. It provides the least amount of disturbance to a species that is both rare in number and difficult to find in the wild. However, there are challenges associated with fecal DNA and there are many factors that can negatively affect the quality and quantity of DNA recovered from feces. One factor that could impact DNA recovery is the amount of time between defecation and sample collection. To test this, fecal samples from captive anoa at ZooTampa were collected at variable time intervals. The DNA was isolated and compared. The results of the work provide important information to conservationists that could utilize fecal sampling among wild anoas and thus aid in the conservation of the Lowland Anoa
The Weekly Challenger : 2023 : 03 : 23
No full texthttps://digitalcommons.usf.edu/challenger/2327/thumbnail.jp
Making Democratic Theory Democratic: Democracy, Law, and Administration after Weber and Kelsen
No full textThis book addressees a timely and fundamental problematic: the gap between the aims that people attempt to realize democratically and the law and administrative practices that actually result.
The chapters explain the realities that administration poses for democratic theory. Topics include the political value of accountability, the antinomic character of political values, the relation between ultimate ends and the intermediate ends that are sought by constitutions, and a reconsideration of the meaning of the rule of law itself. The essays are inspired by the demystifying realism of Max Weber and Hans Kelsen, including explications of their views on law, constitutions, and the rule of law.
The book will be of interest to social and political theorists, philosophers of law, and legal theorists, and for discussions of democratic theory, the administrative state, constitutionalism, and justice, as well as to readers of Weber and Kelsen
Industry 4.0 applications towards sustainability in hospitality: First waves in the guest room
No full textDigitalization is positioned as an important element for the future of hospitality related services, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (Gursoy & Chi, 2020; Shin & Kang, 2020). Historically, digitalization focused on amplifying returns by increasing revenue and operational efficiency. The hospitality industry utilizes resources intensely to function well; and when used properly, technological improvements can optimize the development of a sustainable business model. This manuscript explores the role of recent innovations in digitalization, such as Big Data, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI) in enabling environmental sustainability in hotels. These innovations become transparent when a substantial portion of resource utilization is being consumed (Yu-Lun et al., 2019)
Destination competitiveness of a tourist region: A case of Kerala, India
No full textThe concept of tourism destination competitiveness (TDC) is very complex, and so is developing a model for different destination contexts. The study aims to identify variables to measure the overall TDC of destination brand Kerala (India). A quantitative research design is followed based on a self-administered questionnaire survey strategy. A comprehensive study of various indices and published literature on TDC is conducted to arrive at a detailed list of variables for measuring competitiveness. Through content analysis and screening based on expert opinion surveys and interviews, variables are tailored to the natural and cultural destination region, Kerala. The perceptions of expert supply stakeholder groups regarding the relevance of variables are recorded. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is conducted to find underlying factors. The result is used to build a multiple linear regression model. Though the destination is celebrated for its \u27Inherited and created resources\u27, the study identifies that \u27Destination safety and quality\u27 has the highest impact on the TDC of Kerala. \u27Absence of general strike\u27, \u27Methods of work/technique\u27, and \u27Navigation within the destination\u27 are new significant variables that distinctly pertain to Kerala. The research is expected to help the destination management team evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the destination, assess TDC, and develop policies and guidelines to improve competitiveness
Book Review: De Waele, J., Gutiérrez, F., 2022. Karst hydrogeology, geomorphology and caves
No full textThe Future in Fragments: Three Critical Dystopian Works by Fernando Contreras Castro
No full textIn the prologue to the 2014 edition of Cantos de las Guerras Preventivas, Costa Rican author Fernando Contreras Castro states that the novel, originally published in 2006, originated as a response to the ambiguously-defined military campaigns that dominated the global geopolitical landscape during the first decade of the 21st century. Contreras Castro further explains that the novel is an attempt at imagining near-future worlds from a distinctly Latin American perspective, while avoiding the currents of cyberpunk and paranoid fiction that dominated late 20th century science fiction writing in the United States. The novel also marks a significant departure from the author’s own previous works, the majority of which explore the urban spaces of San José and the margins of Costa Rican society more broadly. Cantos de las guerras preventivas is the first of three works that envision hostile landscapes of a near-future in which geopolitical borders have been replaced by private cities and restricted ecological zones, both of which are controlled by megacorporations. In this paper, I discuss the ways in which three works by Fernando Contreras Castro approximate the critical dystopia (Moylan 2000) as a strategy for problematizing the lasting consequences of neoliberalism’s destructive presence across the region. In particular, I argue that the dialectical opposition between elements of historiographical metafiction and the ecological uncanny (Nayar 2019) in these works distorts the temporal distance between the sociopolitical realities of the present and the seemingly unfamiliar landscapes of a future in which humanity teeters on the brink of destruction
Healthcare Decision Makers\u27 Perspectives on Barriers and Facilitators to Hiring Genetic Counselors in Huntington Disease (HD) Clinic Settings
No full textHuntington disease (HD) is a hereditary, neurodegenerative autosomal dominant disorder for which there are currently no effective options to prevent the onset of symptoms. Although meeting with a genetic counselor (GC) is recommended as part of national guidelines for predictive HD genetic testing and a GC is required for Centers of Excellence, not all HD centers have hired a GC. To explore drivers for, valued outcomes of, and barriers to the creation of GC positions in clinics that treat patients with HD, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 individuals involved with HD clinics and/or hiring decisions at 8 clinics across the United States. Findings from thematic analysis of transcripts were compared with an existing theoretical model that describes the general process of creating new GC positions. Certain aspects of the model were confirmed, but several unique findings expanded understanding and were added to the model. We confirmed key drivers which bolstered prioritization of funding for new GC positions; these included genetic testing availability and physician champions. Drivers we identified that were not in the existing model included administrators as champions, the national protocol for HD supporting the role of a GC, and potential legal repercussions from misinterpreting genetic test results. Capacity of GCs to improve physician efficiency and benefit patients were confirmed as valued outcomes. Valued outcomes unique to our study included the variety of roles GCs can perform to support the HD clinic or other neurology clinics, contributions of genetic expertise, and maintaining Center of Excellence recognition. Finally, newly identified barriers, such as concerns about balance billing for genetic counseling (costs to patients) and challenges in role creation were added to the model. These findings may help in efforts to create new GC positions and improve access to genetic counseling in clinics that treat HD patients
Field-Base Exploratory Study of Microbial Activity in Eight Potable Water Storage Tanks in Barbados
No full textThere have been many initiatives to combat the global phenomenon of water scarcity. Potable water storage tanks have become widely known among water insecure countries and communities to provide adequate water quantity and quality for consumer use. Despite ubiquitous use in many low- and middle-income communities (LMIC), knowledge of microbial activity inside potable water storage tanks is limited. Barbados is a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), labeled as a high income country, and also water scarce. The Barbados Water Authority (BWA) has adapted potable water storage tanks for hundreds of residents as a solution to water quantity and water quality issues. In the summer of 2022, a collection of eight old (\u3e1 year) and new (\u3c1 year) potable water storage tanks across Barbados were sampled throughout the day for chemical compliance of nitrate and total chlorine residual, as well as microbial presence and activity that includes total coliforms, Escherichia coli (E. coli), and Legionella pneumophila (L. pneumophila). All tanks sampled had nitrate concentrations below regulated thresholds. Chlorine residuals, however, were often too low in tanks with concentrations below the WHO drinking water guideline of 0.2 mg/L minimum. Many tanks tested positive for total coliforms (5) and E. coli (3). There was no statistical significance regarding the time at which samples were collected for total coliforms or E. coli, but there was a statistical significance of coliform contamination based on tank age, as total coliform was more prevalent in new tank whereas E. coli was more prevalent in old tanks. Conditions of the water inside the tanks were optimal for L. pneumophila to grow as temperatures for all sampled water were within the bacteria’s growth range (25-45°C) and exhibited insufficient chlorine residuals. However, despite these optimal conditions, three of the eight tanks tested positive for L. pneumophila suggesting growth unique within each tank. It is recommended that more sampling take place to include old and new tanks to evaluate key drivers for microbial growth within these tanks. Once this is understood, development of operational and maintenance plans to mitigate microbial growth are possible for both the BWA and tank owners