ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS

Leader-Follower dynamics within medical students’ groups during their clinical rotation

Poli-Technical University of Valencia Press, 2019

Preamble:

Clinical practical training is a common practice and a requirement for many medical professions in the U.S.A. This training often lacks in managerial and leadership training, leaving many future practitioners poorly prepared for the challenges and requirements of leadership roles. The complexity of the healthcare system brings about new challenges in terms of leadership, with the development of leadership skills for practicing physicians becoming even more crucial. This study analyzed a sample of students and resident doctors in a psychiatric setting during their clinical rotation. The particularities of the observed emergence of leadership within the scope of multiple theoretical frameworks in the field of leadership were analyzed by calculating the median values of each set of survey responses. The study found that biological sex did not play a significant role in Leader emergence (p=0.74). Followers scored Leaders highly overall, and Leaders showed that they had a solid insight into their own capacities and limitations. Overall, strong leadership qualities were identified across all theoretical frameworks with valuable implications for the development of future leadership training. More research is needed to test this methodology in different medical settings and to identify the most effective type of leadership training for clinical education.

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Investigating the role of Transgenic American Chestnut (Castenea dentata) Leaf Litter in Decomposition, Nutrient Cycling, and Fungal Diversity

M.S. Thesis, State University of New York College of Environmental Science & Forestry, Syracuse, NY

ProQuest Dissertations Publishing , 2015

Preamble:

The American chestnut (Castanea dentata) once played an integral part in forests within Eastern North America, providing many ecological and economic benefits. The majority of these trees were eradicated by an introduced pathogenic fungus, leaving the American chestnut functionally extinct. Disease-resistant transgenic trees containing the transgene oxalate oxidase were developed to re-establish the American chestnut to its native range. In order to introduce transgenic American chestnut trees into forests, federal policies from USDA APHIS, FDA and EPA require that the ecological functions of the transgenic trees be equivalent to those of wildtype American chestnut trees. This study is aimed at determining if the rates of decomposition, elemental concentrations and contents, and diversity of colonizing fungi are significantly different among transgenic and wild-type American chestnut leaf litter in situ. Taken together, these studies suggest that the process of genetic engineering using the transgene oxalate oxidase does not have any measureable effect on the mineralization of plant material. Upon future approval of federal deregulation, the American chestnut will be the first genetically modified non-orchard tree to be deregulated and environmentally released, which will make the process easier for the genetic engineering of other threatened native tree species in the future.

Link to the publication here

Poster Presentation: Leaf Litter Mass Loss and C/N for American Chestnut (Castanea dentata) Litter in Central NY: Wild Type Vs. Transgenic and Hybrid.

Publication date: 2015

Preamble:

American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was once an integral component in northeastern US forests, providing many ecological and economic benefits; an introduced fungus rendered the species functionally extinct. Federal (USDA APHIS, FDA and EPA) policies require demonstration that transgenic tree functions are equivalent to native American chestnut. We compared foliar mass loss and elemental concentrations among two transgenic (GM1, GM2), a hybrid (American-Chinese) and wild-type (Zoar) incubated in situusing litterbags retrieved 12, 18, and 24 months. At 24 months, wild-type and GM 2 had less mass remaining (0.06 g, 0.08 g) than GM 1 (0.13 g) (p = 0.004). (p = 0.30). There was a greater range in mass remaining between the two transgenic types (GM 1 and GM 2) than between the transgenic types and wild-type or hybrid type. There was no interaction between litter type and time. After 24 months, wild-type leaf litter had a slightly higher C/N ratio (21) than GM 1, GM 2, and hybrid (19, 18, and 19 respectively; p = 0.006). These studies suggest that the process of genetic engineering does not have a large influence of foliar decomposition.

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NON-ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS

Distribution of Animals Used for Agriculture and Manure Generated: Ratio of Manure to Land Application

Publication Date: August 2017

The Humane Herald Research Publications

Preamble:

The document is meant to highlight the findings of the Humane Party in its analysis of the number of animals kept by state, the amount of manure generated by them and the implications of such manure. The report analyses the data to understand which species are being most exploited and the concentrations by state. The report also analyses the amount of manure generated by state and its ratio to land mass of each state in relation to the annual recommended application (RA) for fertilization of crops.

Link to publication here.

Animal-based agriculture Vs. Plant-based agriculture. A multi-product data comparison.

Publication date: May 2017

The Humane Herald Research Publications

Preamble:

The document is meant to highlight the findings by the Humane Party in its analysis of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports and censuses. The report presents a comparison between the economic profitability of the animal-based agricultural industries and that of the plant-based agricultural industries. In order to properly encompass these industries, their main products and commodities are analyzed and a comparison is made between the animals being farmed and the plants being grown in equal circumstances, that is, pertaining to pounds created, number of acres used, sales, expenses, and profits generated.

Link to publication here.

Key Business Ratio Multi-industry comparison.

Published: May 2017

The Humane Herald Research Publications

Preamble:

The document highlights the findings of the Humane Party in its analysis of the historic Key Business Ratios presented by dun & bradstreet Library solutions. No assumptions were been made in the preparation of the report. The report presents a comparison between animal-based agriculture industries and plant-based agriculture industries. Key Business Ratios provide an overview of the efficiency, solvency and profitability of publicly owned companies within an industry. The industries used to obtain the data are all publicly owned and encompass a relevant market share within their industry.

Link to publication here.

Analysis of the USDA Annual Report (2015) of Animal Usage by Research Facility.

Published: July 2017

The Humane Herald Research Publications

Preamble:

The document highlights the findings of the Humane Party in its analysis of the USDA report of animal usage by research facility. The USDA report is broken down by Pain and Distress category. In the Humane Party's report, each category is analyzed, as well as the clinical signs of pain and distress used to assign categories. A statistical analysis is also carried out to visualize the number of animals per state and per category being subjected to research testing.

Link to the publication here.