62 research outputs found
Go green or stay on red: critical time in humanitarian action
No full textThis dissertation focuses on humanitarian action and security in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in the DRC and the Central Africa region. Using the humanitarian-security-development paradigm, I tackle the problem of the ineffectiveness of the traditional approach to humanitarian intervention in Africa, and provide a critical path to a systemic shift towards long-term stability and security by developing innovative institutional and operational mechanisms for peace recovery.On the security front, I argue that peace recovery through humanitarian action requires that the anchors of traditional security in indigenous Africa, based on sociological factors such as ethnicity and cultural dynamics, be integrated into the modern security framework. In addition to the security factor, I contend that addressing the issue of identity crises that are engendered and fueled by displacement during violent conflicts is equally important for long-term recovery. I argue that this could best be accomplished by applying an overarching ideology, such as Pan-Africanism, to aid in the victims’ construction of a more inclusive identity. Additionally, to further ensure effectiveness in humanitarian operations and delivery, I argue that the crisis of institutional deficits should be addressed through the empowerment and participation of local actors such as church leaders, organizations in civil society, traditional leaders, and other local authorities who are currently excluded or ignored in the design and implementation of humanitarian policies and strategies, despite their influential roles in local communities. I further emphasized that such an effort by itself would not be successful if sustainable solutions to the problem of post-conflict military integration are not provided. Hence, I suggest the use of transitional public security principles, focusing on rebuilding trust within the military ranks, professionalization of the defense forces, and the restoration of civilian-military relations as critical elements. To the above systemic and structural efforts, I argue for the adoption of practical solutions that address the issue of refugees and IDPs who are living in the camps. These strategies should be people-centered, with the victims making any decision regarding their readiness to return or reintegrate into their old communities. This readiness must be followed by an assessment of factors such as the institutional viability and legitimacy of actors in the country or communities to which refugees or IDPs might return. I conclude that it is only when these factors are considered and implemented under one integrated humanitarian framework that security will be recovered and peace guaranteed, both in the DRC and in the broader region.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical reference
Examining the perceptions of diabetes risk factors among Congolese immigrants in Illinois
No full textDiabetes is increasingly recognized as a serious, worldwide public health concern, due to its prevalence. Many scholars have focused on understanding the distribution of diabetes in terms of race, gender, and age. When considering the distribution of diabetes per ethnicity, researchers agree that African immigrants are not exempt of having diabetes. In addition, several studies argued that primary concerns of diabetes are diet, physical activity, and lifestyle. To further analyzing the study of diabetes distribution per ethnicity, some research focuses on the impact of factors such as diet, physical activity, and lifestyle on African immigrants. The aim of the current inquiry is to shine new light on these debates through an assessment of perception of risk factors associated with diabetes among Congolese immigrants by demographic-based. To accomplish such aim, a cross-sectional study was used to examine subjective responses on their perception of risk factors towards diabetes among Congolese living in the Champaign-Urbana area. A nonprobability sampling approach will be used to collect data on participants’ perception and risk factors of diabetes. The guiding research questions are: (1) What are the demographic rates associated with the distribution of diabetes’ perception of risk factors? And (2) What types of aspects increase the likelihood of risk factors in regards to diabetes? We hypothesize that more female Congolese will perceive diabetes risk factors than male Congolese. We also expect that education level will be the predictor of diabetes risk among Congolese immigrants. While this study sheds light on the perception of risk factors associated with diabetes among Congolese immigrants, it nuances the findings when it comes to the interplay between ethnicity and diabetes. The implication of the current study will be crucial in addressing cultural competency discourse.Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'U of I Access', the embargo will last until 2018-05-01The student, Daudet Ilunga Tshiswaka, accepted the attached license on 2016-04-20 at 00:17.The student, Daudet Ilunga Tshiswaka, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2016-04-20 at 00:27.This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2016-04-21 at 08:46.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #9362 on 2016-07-07 at 13:50:15Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-07T20:27:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 3
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Previous issue date: 2016-04-21Embargo set by: Seth Robbins for item 93153
Lift date: 2018-07-07T20:28:14Z
Reason: Author requested U of Illinois access only (OA after 2yrs) in Vireo ETD systemEmbargo set by: Seth Robbins for item 93153
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De inuentione by Marco tulio Cicero: translation and introduction
No full textEste trabalho consiste numa tradução integral dos dois livros do De inuentione de Cícero e um estudo introdutório. A despeito de não possuir preceitos específicos, a ars retorica constitui um gênero fundamentado em modelos e consagrado pela tradição. No estudo analisam-se as introduções das traduções mais recentes da obra, propondo, além das tradicionais leituras que privilegiam o contexto, as condições materiais e a subjetividade do autor, uma leitura retórica a partir do conceito de auctoritas.This work consists of a translation comprehending the two Cicero\'s books De inuentione and an introdutory study. The ars retorica as a work with no specific precepts is a gender well-grounded in models and established by tradition. The study examins the forewords of the most recent translations of the work and proposes a rhetoric reading through the concept of auctoritas, further to the traditional readings that favor the context, the material conditions and the subjectiveness of the author
Synthesis and application of monodisperse silver and gold nanoparticles as catalysts for kinetic investigations of model reactions
No full textAbstract:A hyperbranched polymers, dendrimers, synthesized for the first time by Tomalia and available in market in the form of poly-amidoamine (PAMAM) and poly-propylene imine (PPI) dendrimers are used as templates in the synthesis of metal nanoparticles to prevent agglomeration. Here, we study the synthesis of generation five amino-terminated poly(amidoamine) dendrimer encapsulated silver and gold nanoparticles. To avoid the intra-dendrimer stabilization, a spectrophotometric titration of the silver and gold ions into the dendrimer was performed. The results lead to the determination of the loading capacity of the dendrimers. The influence of temperature was evaluated by performing the titration at different temperatures. The colloidal metal nanoparticles were purified by dialyzing overnight against de-ionized water. The synthesis process of the silver and gold nanoparticles was monitored using UV-vis spectroscopy. The interaction of metal ions and tertiary amine group was assessed using a FTIR spectroscopy. TEM and EDX analysis were performed to obtain the distribution and average size of the metal nanoparticles, and to evaluate the purity of colloidal metal nanoparticles, respectively. The concentration of the metal nanoparticles in solution was determined by AAS. The specific surface area of silver and gold nanoparticles were estimated by self-assembled monolayer approach using the UV-photometric analysis to quantify the absorbed and unabsorbed organothiol. The catalytic activities of silver and gold nanoparticles were evaluated using the oxidation reaction of two different dyes, methylene blue and morin, as benchmark reactions. Hydrogen peroxide was used as an oxidizing agent and its stability during the catalytic process was assured by maintaining the pH constant using carbonate buffer. The Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism was applied to evaluate the catalytic performance of encapsulated silver and gold nanoparticles. This mechanism requires the adsorption of the reactants onto the catalyst surface prior to the start of the reaction. The catalytic process and the kinetic data set recorded were performed using UV-vis spectroscopy. The stability of the encapsulated metal nanoparticles during the reaction was evaluated by a three cycle runs using a dialysis bag.M.Sc. (Chemistry
Catalytic and kinetic studies of transition metal nanoparticles and reducible mesoporous transition metal oxide materials
No full textPh.D. (Chemistry)Abstract: The use of dendrimers as a template or stabilizer to synthesize stable and well-dispersed metal nanoparticles is a promising synthetic route. Dendrimers are three-dimensional polymers, which prevent Ostwald ripening of the metal nanoparticles. The dendrimer is an exceptional template for the synthesis of very small metal nanoparticles with dimensions in the range of 1-5 nm and large surface areas. For catalytic purposes, the large surface area of metal nanoparticles is beneficial for interfacial interactions. In our investigation, hydroxide-terminated dendrimers were applied as template for monometallic and bimetallic nanoparticles. All the colloidal metal nanoparticles were encapsulated inside the dendritic cavities and evaluated as nanocatalysts. Bimetallic nanoparticles were found to exhibit much higher catalytic activity compared to the monometallic nanoparticles. Thus, the synthesis of palladium-gold bimetallic nanoparticles was conducted in the presence of dendrimers as templates. Following the co-complexation method, bimetallic nanoparticles were synthesized which resulted in the formation of randomly dispersed alloy nanoparticles. A series of palladium-gold bimetallic nanoparticles were synthesized and their sizes were estimated in the range of 2-4 nm. The TEM analysis displayed well-dispersed spherical nanoparticles. The composition of the nano catalysts were quantified by ICP-OES analysis and their lifetime was estimated to more than two months. The synthesis of mesoporous metal oxide materials was conducted by adapting an inverse micelle sol-gel approach. The following mesoporous metal oxide materials were synthesized: SiO2, Fe2O3, MnO2, Co3O4, NiO, and CeO2. The final calcination temperature for all mesoporous metal oxide materials was 450 ºC for a total time of 2 hours. Some physicochemical techniques such as BET, XRD, and TPR were applied to study the porosity, crystallinity, and reducibility of each mesoporous materials, respectively. The results unveiled that all the mesoporous metal oxide materials were porous and JSCD number matched to the corresponding metal oxide crystallinity. All mesoporous metal oxide materials were reducible, which indicated the mobility of lattice oxygen. The mesoporous metal oxide materials served as supports to facilitate the recovery and reusability of the soluble nanocatalysts..
Effects of walking trainings on walking function among stroke survivors: a systematic review
No full textPhysical function is often compromised as a result of stroke event. Although interventions propose different strategies that seek to improve stroke survivors’ physical function, a need remains to evaluate walking training studies aimed at improving such physical function. The aim of this review was to assess the available literature that highlights the impact of walking training on enhancing walking for stroke survivors. We performed a systematic literature review of online databases – Google Scholar, PubMed, CINHAL, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and EBSCO – with the following inclusion criteria: manuscript published from 2005 to 2016, written in English, with treatment and control groups, for walking training studies aimed at improving physical function among stroke survivors. Findings indicated that walking speed, walking distance, and gait speed were the most used outcome variables for measuring improved physical function among stroke survivors. Importantly, proposed interventions involved either overground or treadmill walking trainings, if not both. Preserved locomotor improvements were not noted in all interventions at follow-up. Some interventions that used walking treadmill training augmented by auditory stimulations reported significant improvements in physical function compared with overground walking training augmented by auditory stimulations. The imperative to improve physical function among stroke survivors with physical impairment is paramount, as it allows survivors to be socially, emotionally, and physically more independent. In general, we note an
insufficiency of research on the interaction between physical function and socialization among stroke survivors.Journal ArticlePre-prin
Public trust in the time of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): The case of the DR Congo
No full textOver the past half century, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a low-income and post-conflict country, has experienced several Ebola Virus Disease outbreaks, with different fatality rates. The DRC is currently experiencing the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Using the PEN-3 cultural model, we assessed the socio-cultural factors affecting public trust in the government and its health agencies. Results of this analysis revealed the perceptions, enablers, and nurturers that impacted public trust in the government and its health agencies among the Congolese population. Future interventions designed to address the COVID-19 in the DRC should account for these socio-cultural factors.Journal ArticleFinal article publishe
Regional Political Leadership and Policy Integration in Great Lakes Region of Africa
No full textFor the past two decades, following the Rwandan genocide in 1994, the Great Lakes Region of Africa has become a conflict-ridden zone marked by mass violations of human rights and political instabilities. Part of these instabilities and violence is due to the lack of strong and stable political leadership and institutions in many of the countries in the region. In 1996, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was plagued by the uprising of the rebel movement called the Alliance des Forces Démocratiques pour la Libération du Congo-Zaïre. This movement was a coalition of Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda, along with Congolese people. However, the AFDL victory was short-lived since the coalition parties broke up their alliance in 1998, which led to a new cycle of conflict which continued to destabilize the DRC to date with its Eastern provinces being most affected. In addition to conflict within the DRC, political instability and crisis of legitimacy of political leadership in South Sudan, Burundi, and the Central African Republic have also exacerbated the instability in the region. In this chapter, the author argues that peace and stability in the Great Lakes Region of Africa would depend on how best several facets of policies are integrated into one operational framework for peace and stability. </jats:p
Acculturation and its influence on the health perceptions, health behaviors, and health outcomes of African immigrants in the United States: A review of the literature
No full textAfrican-born immigrants make up one of the fastest-growing group of immigrants in the United States; however, they are largely invisible in the literature on immigrant health. Very little is known about the effect of acculturation on their health perceptions and behaviors and the subsequent effects on their health outcomes. We review the literature on the effects of acculturation on health perceptions, health behavior, and health outcomes among African immigrants in the United States. Using PubMed, PsycINFO databases, and sociological abstracts, we examined studies that explored the influence of acculturation, specifically proxy measures of acculturation on African immigrant health in the United States. Following our inclusion criteria, 29 articles were retained in the review. The majority of the studies were quantitative and conducted among Somali immigrants. Our findings indicate that duration of residency in the United States and English language proficiency were the most frequently used proxy measures for acculturation when studying the health perceptions, health behaviors, and health outcomes of African immigrants. We conclude by highlighting the need to move beyond proxy measures for acculturation to explore other protective and contextual factors such as culture and religion and their influence on the health of African immigrants in the United States.Journal ArticleFinal article publishe
Stroke disparities in Florida: Examining the relationship between county classification, age-adjusted stroke mortality rates, and the presence of primary strok
No full textAlthough overall stroke mortality has declined in the United States for decades, recent data show that this decline in stroke deaths has slowed and that stroke remains 1 of the leading causes of death at the state level (1). In Florida, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and was responsible for 12,602 deaths in 2017. Florida’s death rate is 38.9 per 100,000 population and, in 2021, it is tied with Illinois at 20th place in stroke-related death rate rankings by state (2).
As part of an effort to improve the quality of care provided to stroke patients, primary stroke centers were created with a strict set of criteria for certifying hospitals that meet predefined standards (3) with the goal of stabilizing and providing emergency care for acute stroke patients (4). With these goals in mind, a patient is admitted to a primary stroke center or a comprehensive stroke center based on the severity of stroke symptoms. Although comprehensive stroke centers are equipped to provide care for complex stroke patients who often have more advanced therapeutic needs, primary stroke centers are equipped to provide care for less complex stroke patients and can administer acute stroke thrombolysis in a timely manner.
Having limited or no access to stroke centers remains a major challenge for many stroke patients. In the US, the scarcity of stroke centers is more pronounced in rural areas (5). In Florida, a rural county is a county with either 1) a population of 75,000 people or less, or 2) a population of less than 125,000 people and contiguous with a county that has a population of less than 75,000 people (6). By this definition, 30 out of the 67 counties in Florida are rural (7) and they contain 8.8% of Florida’s population (8). Considering the importance of stroke centers, a gap exists in the literature assessing the relationship between county classification, age-adjusted stroke mortality rates, and the number of primary stroke centers in Florida.
The purpose of our research was to create maps that illustrate the relationship between age-adjusted stroke mortality rates and the presence of primary stroke centers in Florida. We hypothesized that stroke mortality will be higher in regions of Florida with fewer primary stroke centers.Journal ArticlePublishe
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