A recent study showed that children who are admitted to pediatric intensive care units at regional medical centers tend to be sicker than children admitted directly from the center’s own emergency rooms.

The study, conducted by pediatric intensive care physicians at the UC Davis Children’s Hospital, examined over 13,000 records of patients admitted to pediatric ICUs. The patients were 18 years old or younger, and were admitted between January 2001 and January 2006.

The patients were assessed using the Pediatric Risk of Mortality score, said Dr. James Marcin, the study’s senior author.

Marcin, researcher of pediatric critical care medicine at the UCD Medical Center, said that score is a way of summarizing how sick a patient is in terms of their chances of death or survival.

“It takes into account things like vital signs, lab measures and physical exam findings,” he said. “It’s kind of a consumer report rate, but not how good your car is – it’s the chances of you dying.“

According to the study, children who were admitted to pediatric ICUs from smaller hospitals required a longer hospital stay of eight days. Those who were admitted directly from the center’s ER were hospitalized for an average of 6.7 days.

The study also provided statistics regarding other medical conditions that suggest patients coming from smaller hospitals tend to be sicker: 45 percent needed mechanical ventilation to help them breathe in comparison to 28.5 percent of patients who were transferred from within the center. Seven percent of children from the smaller hospitals needed medication to control their blood pressure and support their heart functions while only 5 percent of patients from the center’s emergency departments needed similar medication.

Possible reasons children admitted from the remote sites tend to be sicker could be because the doctors and nurses do not have resources or experience at those sites, Marcin said.

“When [patients] are in hospitals that don’t have a lot of resources, they may not get the optimal treatment right away,” he said.

Other reasons could be that people at the remote hospitals are sicker before they come to those emergency departments, Marcin said.

“People who live in rural areas and don’t have access to healthcare may come in more sick than children who live near hospitals or where they have easier access to hospitals and clinics,” he said.

The UCD Children’s Hospital hopes to improve situations by educating other pediatric hospitals and reaching out to the community. One way to do so is through telemedicine, the diagnosis and treatment of patients in remote areas through medical technology such as satellites.

“We, the UC Davis Medical Center, [are] an international leader in telemedicine in general,” Marcin said.

According to the UCD Children’s Hospital website, their pediatric critical care telemedicine program was the first of its kind in the United States. Programs include child abuse consultation and evaluation, child development, endocrinology, gastroenterology, oncology and hematology and psychiatry. Telemedicine also allows patients to communicate with their friends and family, interpreters and physicians.

“Rather than just getting a telephone call from a doctor, we’re able to talk to the family and see the patient to get a better assessment of how sick the child is,” he said.

Marcin said the UC Davis Children’s Hospital is committed to outreach and education in remote and underserved communities.

“Along with this commitment, we do things like go out [into] the community to give lectures to nurses and physicians for better treatment of sick children,” he said.

Marcin added that while many doctors at referral hospitals feel that other hospitals “dump” patients on them when patients don’t need to be hospitalized, data says that is not the case for children.

“I think that we need to be aware that community and rural hospitals don’t have the resources or experience to take care of sick children,” he said. “We have to be cognizant of that fact and recognize that on average, [children] are sicker when they come from outside hospitals.“

Outside hospitals have a lower threshold admitting these patients and the UCD Children’s Hospital is doing what they can to help, Marcin said.

For more information about the UCD Children’s Hospital, visit www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/children.

THUY TRAN can be reached at campus@californiaaggie.com.XXX

UC Davis’ South Asian Student Organization will be performing “Khayaal” as their 15th annual cultural show. The various cultures and dance forms of South Asia will be celebrated at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts at 6 p.m., with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.

SASO’s stated mission is to “promote South Asian cultural awareness and unity in an effort to bridge the gap between the South Asian countries,” which is something the performance intends to do.

Tanya Shah, president of SASO, explained the scheduled acts.

“There will be a range of classical and modern music and dance, there’s an instrumental act, there are singers and there are all kinds of regional folk dances. We have a very diverse show this year,” she said.

Swati Agarwal, vice president of SASO, remarked on how proud she was of the leadership.

“The great thing about it [the show] is that it’s all student-run. It’s students spreading their culture to other students and letting them know their heritage.”

The variety of performances includes two Hindi film dances; a South Indian film dance; a Pakistani dance; Bhangra, a Punjabi folk dance; Bharatnatyam and Kathak, two classical Indian dances; Garba Raas, a folk dance native to the Indian state of Gujarat; and vocal acts featuring Bollywood songs.

Agarwal noted how well the organization was able to represent India.

“Each different state in India has its own culture, their own dance and art form, and we portray their different styles.”

Also on display will be an intersection of western and classical Indian instruments, and a fashion show exhibiting both Indian designs along with some by South Asian designers from the Bay Area.

Shah said the organization has three main goals, all of which are tied to this event.

One is to create a network for South Asian students on campus, and the show provides an opportunity for many different people with different interests to meet.

The second is to make SASO’s presence known, Shah said.

“We want our family and friends to come, but we always work to publicize the show, especially to people who are not South Asian because we want the community to explore our culture.”

Their third goal is to advance their philanthropy, and this year SASO has partnered with Rotary International and will be donating proceeds from Khayaal to provide clean water to several villages in India.

Unlike South Asian organizations at other UC schools, the show is open to anyone who wants to perform, Shah said.

“Other places have an audition or selection process, but we wanted it to be so that anyone who wanted to perform got the chance to,” she said. “They don’t even have to be South Asian, or have any kind of experience, they only need to be willing to make the commitment.”

Agarwal added that the commitment to the show is not a small one.

“We’ve been working on this since December and it’s taken a full five months to put this together,” she said.

Tickets can be purchased at the Mondavi Center during their normal business hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and noon to 6 p.m. on weekends. General admission is $18, student tickets are $15, $12 for children under 12 years and tickets at the door are $20.

MIKE DORSEY can be reached at campus@californiaaggie.com.XXX

For students looking to learn about another culture, Israeli Culture Week offers a look into a different way of life. “Students see a lot about Israel in the headlines, but they only hear about it as a politically charged country,” said Jewish Student Union president Sam Blumberg. “This week is about showing students another side of Israel and giving them a chance to become familiar with its rich culture.“

Israeli Culture Week is an annual event put on by Hillel and a handful of student groups on campus, including Aggies for Israel and the Jewish Student Union. This year promises to be particularly special as it marks Israel’s 60th anniversary.

“Thursday is the 60th anniversary of Israel’s independence, which is a big accomplishment,” said sophomore Emma Schnur, religious chair for Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi, a Jewish-interest sorority on campus. “We just want to focus on and celebrate [Israel’s] existence. Israel has a beautiful landscape with a beautiful culture and it is really important to bring that aspect to campus.“

The week kicked off Monday with a culture fair on the Quad, where students could browse different Israeli-themed stands and receive free falafel. Among the other events is an Israeli-themed Shabbat dinner tonight at 7 and a Havdalah with the Jewish Student Union on Saturday at 9 p.m. Both events will take place at Hillel House.

“Havdalah is a closing ceremony of Shabbat,” said Shiri Steinberg, Koret Israel intern for Hillel. “[Hillel] usually holds it every week. It is somewhat separate from the other events because it is a Jewish religious ceremony, but we are incorporating into this week’s events and ending it with an Israeli-style music session.“

The week’s activities will come to a close on Sunday when Hillel participates in the “Salute to Israel” at the state capitol.

Steinberg, a sophomore sociology major, said she thinks Sunday’s event is definitely worth checking out for anyone interested in getting a taste of Israeli culture.

“There will be a walk-a-thon, and afterwards there will be live music by Israeli musicians, Israeli folk dancing, theater and tons of food,” she said. “A lot of people from the Sacramento and Davis area will be there. It’s going to be a big celebration [of Israel’s anniversary].“

In addition to celebrating Israel’s culture, Blumberg, a senior religious studies major, said he hopes that this week’s events provide new learning experiences for students and a chance to connect with the culture.

“Israel has accomplished so much in science and technology and the arts as well,” he said. “Israel is also a very environmentally conscious country, which a lot of people don’t know about. Whatever you are interested in, Israel has something.“

Steinberg said that Israel’s diversity is why she thinks that so many people can connect with the culture.

“A common misconception is that Jewish culture and Israeli culture are the same, which is not true,” she said. “There are Jews in Israel, but there [are] also Muslims and Christians and people of the Baha’i faith…it is such an ethnically diverse country which makes it very unique. Almost anybody can find something that they identify with.“

ERICA LEE can be reached at campus@californiaaggie.com.XXX

The Whole Earth baby is almost ready to be born. After nine months of planning, this weekend’s festival promises to bring the community entertainment, education, art and a sustainable way of life.

“It’s like we’re giving birth right now,” said co-director of the festival and UC Davis alumna Lindi Houser.

Since 1969, Davis has hosted this three-day festival to provide a positive natural experience, free of charge for all who attend. The festival begins today at noon with an opening ceremony on the Quad and ends Sunday at 6 p.m.

Directors and coordinators hope to make the event waste-free, which they say is not an easy task, considering the hundreds of booths selling merchandise, food and crafts.

The theme for this year’s Whole Earth Festival is “Mending Our Web.” The phrase refers to what co-director J.P. Lee calls the “disharmony in the world.” Whole Earth Festival seeks to educate and provide tools for correcting violence, ignorance and wastefulness.

The festival boasts a myriad of booths and events, from small private vendors to a solar-powered dance stage, where artists and entertainers from across the country will be performers.

Entertainment

Attendees can look forward to practically every kind of music to hit the airwaves on the four main stages in the Quad.

One of the stages will be a DJ stage, with various DJs spinning music during the entirety of the weekend.

Another stage located on the Wellman Hall lawn, the “Soular Dance Stage,” is completely solar powered, with a fully-functioning sound system and light set-up. There will be drumming and dancing from many different cultures as well as a fire-dancing routine in the evening.

Additionally, there will be two other stages to facilitate the nearly 30 bands, artists and speakers performing throughout the weekend. Entertainment director Evan Kersnar expressed excitement for the diversity of musicians and speakers who will appear on the stages at the festival.

“We’re covering all bases and hopefully making everybody happy,” Kersnar said. “We’re trying not to have the same kind of music on one stage, so that if you’re not exactly into what you hear, you can just go to a different stage.“

Attendees can look forward to hip-hop, funk, alternative, reggae and more, including multicultural and international music.

Karma Patrol

The past week, students may have noticed a colorful structure taking form in the quad. The tent is known as the “Karma Dome,” and will be the center for volunteer coordination this weekend.

The Karma Patrol will be patrolling the campus, ensuring safety of attendees, washing the reusable dishes, setting up stages, composting and cooling any violent conflicts. The Karma Patrol has been trained in non-violent conflict resolution to prevent the need for intercession by UC Davis police.

Also near the Karma Dome, Whole Earth Festival will include a first-aid booth, in case of any emergencies.

Composting and recycling

One task the Karma Patrol is responsible for every year is sorting through the day’s “waste,” looking for compostable and recyclable material.

The volunteers actually look forward to this aspect, as it presents the opportunity to find treasures that have accidentally been thrown away. According to Danny Yadegar, director of compost and recycling, “You’d be surprised at what you can find.“

In the past, the Compost and Recycling Unit has recycled 98 percent of all Whole Earth Festival waste. The other 2 percent evidently comes from outside the campus.

The unit will have composting cans spread throughout campus, with volunteers educating people on what can be turned into compost.

“We want the festival to last until after the weekend, so we’re really stepping up the education aspect this year,” Yadegar said. The unit will hold workshops by Wellman Hall about compost and how to better sustain everyday waste.

Yadegar also hopes that next year the unit will be able to top this year’s compost goal by composting feces collected throughout the day.

Food

Attendees can also look forward to over 18 different types of locally grown, organic and vegetarian food booths, with food such as egg rolls, sushi, pizza, popsicles, vegetables and other raw foods, smoothies, coffee and herbal elixirs.

The goal of the food unit is to promote positive, sustainable food policies, which is why they have decided not to include any meat at the event.

“We aren’t trying to impose, we just don’t want to be bringing in an unsustainable kind of food,” said Ari Reisman, director of food vendors and junior comparative literature major.

All food will be served on plastic plates with recyclable utensils.

For information, or to volunteer for Whole Earth Festival, visit the Karma Dome in the Quad.

LAUREN STEUSSY can be reached at campus@californiaagie.com.XXX

In Wednesday’s article “UC Davis alumnus killed in shark attack,” the location of the attack was misspelled. The attack occurred in Solana Beach, Calif., not Solano Beach.

In Wednesday’s article “The Sacramento Bee’s database causes upset,“ there was a factual error. In the story, Phillip Reese was credited with receiving hundreds of complaints, when in fact it is the public editor, Armando Acuna, who received the complaints. The Aggie regrets the errors.