COVID-19 is caused by a novel coronavirus which has a high affinity for ACE-2 receptors in respiratory epithelium. The high affinity for ACE-2 allows the virus to infiltrate cells leading to viral assembly, maturation, and release. COVID-19 presents itself with respiratory and cold-like symptoms which may ultimately develop into ARDS. This study analyzed the demographics of inpatients who tested positive at MGH as well as their eligibility and enrollment status for COVID-19 clinical trials. When looking at the study population, MGH and the state of Massachusetts shared similar distributions of hospitalized men and women. MGH had a slightly higher proportion of Non-Hispanic Black hospitalized patients and a lower proportion of Hispanic hospitalized patients compared to the state of MA. MGH also had a higher percent of hospitalized patients 65 and older compared to the state. This study found statistically significant differences among eligibility status and enrollment status across race/ethnicity and age. There were no statistically significant differences among eligibility status or enrollment status across sex. Differences among eligibility and enrollment status among those 65 and older may be due to the large elderly population that utilizes MGH for care. It may also have to do with the fact that those who were under 65 had shorter hospital stays. The differences between eligibility and enrollment status across race/ethnicity may have to do with the hospital’s program dedicated to clinical trial inclusion of Spanish speaking patients. Findings from this study exemplify MGH’s efforts for equitable clinical trial involvement.

Purpose: Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders (NHOPIs) have the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity in the world. This study identified the proportion of our NHOPI sample in each body mass index (BMI) category and explored relationships between demographic characteristics and BMI. Design: This descriptive correlational study included 364 NHOPI caregiver adults in Utah (n=155) and Hawaii (n=209). We gathered demographic information with a questionnaire. Height and weight were measured for BMI calculations. Results: According to the CDC's BMI categories, 84.3% of our sample was overweight (BMI=25.0-29.9) or obese (BMI ≥30). Participants in Utah had significantly higher BMIs than participants in Hawaii. Educational attainment was inversely related with BMI; age, gender, and income were not significantly related with BMI. Implications for practice: Clinicians should screen all NHOPIs for obesity and related risks. Future research should focus on culturally sensitive interventions and education to reduce obesity and associated risks among NHOPIs.

This aim of this study was to establish if individual characteristics have an impact on the adoption of cellphone banking amongst low-income (Mzansi) consumers. The second component of the study then set out to assess the impact that cellphone banking adoption has on the financial behaviour of these consumers. This data was obtained using the data mining technique. Data from one of the local banks was extracted and analysed. In addition to using descriptive statistics, the ANOVA was used. The ANOVA is an inferential statistical method. It establishes whether there is a relationship with the defined variable and the adoption of cellphone banking. Race, age, income, gender, number of bank products and channel of registration where the variables that were analysed. With the exception of age, no other variable had an impact on adoption for both Mzansi customers as well as the entire base. The subsequent post adoption behaviour analysis that was conducted identified some key behaviour changes. Consumers who adopted cellphone banking significantly increased (>300%) their demand of prepaid products. Secondly, the demand for cash amongst adopters was lower than the demand from non-adopters which could signal a shift towards cashless solutions. And finally, the cellphone banking adopters were found to perform more transactions prior to adoption when compared to non adopters thereby demonstrating a higher need for a mobile banking solution. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

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Over the past decades, online learning has contributed to a large percentage of educational success in higher education and K-12 learning environments. It has not only allowed a number of opportunities for students to receive education due to flexibility, reachability, but also additional course offerings and educational advancement. As K-12 online learning has continued to soar as an option for educating students, concerns relating to students’ success in these courses have arose. Due to the concerns relating to student success, researchers have sought to determine what attributes can contribute to student success in online courses offered to students in elementary and secondary education. Therefore, this study examined the relationships between academic success and demographic characteristics of high school students enrolled in online courses in order to determine the predictability of various academic and demographic characteristics on students’ success. The demographic and academic characteristics examined in the study included: gender, ethnicity, attendance, grade level, GPA, previous online experience, and lunch code (free, paid, or reduced lunch). The population for this study included 987 students who enrolled in online high school courses at central and southern Alabama high schools between the semesters of fall 2015 through spring 2017. After the data were coded and analyzed using a multiple logistic regression, four variables -- GPA, gender, grade level, and lunch code were found significant in the predictability of students’ success in an online high school course. The results showed: a) students with high GPAs, b) upper-grade level high school students, c) female students, and d) students who paid for their lunch -- tend to be more successful in completing an online high school course. The findings of this study can benefit school enrollment counselors, principals, administrators, and advisors to better assist with student enrollments in online high school courses. Future research is recommended to examine if any relationship existed between online high school student’s success and other academic and demographic characteristics such as students with learning disabilities, economic status of parents, number of disciplinary infractions, etc.

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The socio-spatial distribution of hazardous waste sites in the United States closely resembles the distribution of industry more generally. An understanding of these spatial patterns requires considering the positive and negative externalities of residence near noxious industrial locations and variations across social groups in the ability to externalize costs. In contrast to the central thesis of the environmental justice framework, there is no evidence of a widespread, inequitable distribution of hazardous waste sites that disproportionately burdens poor and minority neighborhoods. Tract level analysis of national data and data on large metropolitan areas for various types of industrial and environmentally sensitive land uses provides consistent evidence that hazardous waste sites are located in industrial areas. As a general trend, hazardous waste sites tend to be located in white, working class neighborhoods in which larger percentages of persons with lower skills and persons employed in industrial jobs and industries reside, and in which access to modes of mass transportation is readily available. Differences between Hispanics and blacks in the empirical findings in which Hispanics are disproportionately represented in tracts hosting certain types of hazardous waste sites, particularly in metropolitan settings, are attributed to their different migratory histories and experiences with residential segregation and labor market discrimination. The dense residential concentration of blacks in areas with little or diminishing economic activity and blacks' less successful competition with Hispanics over the shrinking base of manufacturing jobs are factors considered to contribute to the lower representation of blacks in noxious industrial locations. The more frequent incidence of Hispanic proximity to noxious industrial locations is described as being reflective of the greater integration of Hispanics in the industrial labor market. The heterogeneity of sites proved to be a salient factor with distributional effects across regions and across different racial and ethnic categories. Older abandoned sites were found in larger numbers in older Northern MSAs. Abandoned sites appeared to be more readily avoided by non-minority whites, particularly when these sites were not the only locations of industrial employment in the larger area.

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