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Don't Know, Do Not Resuscitate: A Principle For The Creation Of The Kingdom Of Ends In The Icu, Griffen Isaac Allen

Honors Theses

In the United States today 20% of all Americans die in Intensive Care Units, or ICUs. These were developed in the 50s, 60s, and 70s to centralize medical resources to help treat critically ill patients with new technologies like ventilators, dialysis, and other tools that are now commonplace. This occurred simultaneously with the emergence of individualistic autonomy, understood as the patient's right to dictate their treatment, as the dominant force in medical ethics. Ostensibly both of these developments would seem beneficial for patients. However, the ultimate result is overly aggressive care that strips patients of their dignity and ensures that …

Effect Of Prior Trauma Exposure On Alpha Amplitude, Heart Rate, And Self-Reported Negative Affect, Gina L. Denoble

All Master's Theses

This study was conducted to investigate whether the number of traumatic events an individual has previously experienced influences that individual’s physiological and psychological reactions when exposed to a negative affective stimulus followed by a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention. Twenty-eight participants were placed into intact quasi-experimental groups based on their scores on the Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire (TLEQ). The negative affective stimulus consisted of a series of photos bearing negative affective valence. The photos were selected from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS), and paralleled the areas of trauma exposure evaluated by the TLEQ. All participants were exposed to the …

Exploring New Chemical Entities From Traditional Medicine: Docking, Synthesis And Specific Bioactivities, Chinni Yalamanchili

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traditional medical systems contributed significantly to medicine with a number of their phytochemicals found to possess good biological properties. Recently, Dr. Youyou Tu was awarded the Nobel Prize (2015) for her discovery/isolation of Artemisinin from the TCM plant Artemisia annua. Our first aim is to identify active phytochemicals against botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT/A), and diabetes from Ayurveda and TCM, respectively, by using in silico, in vitro and in vivo approaches. In our second aim, we wanted to enantioselectively synthesize scalable quantities of phytoestrogenic isoflavans such as equol and sativan. The following three chapters summarize results of the three research goals. …

Transcriptome Analysis Of Vaccine Responses To Francisella Tularensis Or Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus, Rebecca Ann Erwin-Cohen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of vaccines for emerging and re-emerging diseases highlights technical gaps and indicates a need for innovative approaches to produce new vaccines. Vaccines may be improved by knowledge of host responses to vaccination, disease pathogenesis, and the effect of age and genetics on vaccine outcome. This study's purpose was to quantitatively assess the molecular epidemiology of Francisella tularensis (Ft) and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus (VEEV). Study results support the Epidemiology Nexus model which holds that association of changes in gene expression to vaccination facilitate understanding the mechanisms of immune development and link public health and disease epidemiology. My research …

Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy For Veteran Survivors With Full Or Partial Ptsd, Mark Aaron Mayfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Symptom severity among veteran survivors with partial or full posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) continues to increase, with approximately 40% of U.S. veterans reporting significant symptomology 10 years after initial onset of the condition. Veteran survivors often struggle to find therapeutic interventions that meet their specific needs and have a difficult time maintaining a therapy that is both equitable and evidenced based. Grounded in the Rogerian, client-centered theory, the purpose of this qualitative collective exploratory case study was to explore the effects of equine-facilitated psychotherapy with 3 veteran survivors with partial or full PTSD. A 4-stage process was used to collect …

Political, Economic, And Health Determinants Of Tuberculosis Incidence, Ashley Rutherford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The epidemiologic transition has shifted major causes of mortality from infectious disease to chronic disease; however, infectious diseases are again re-emerging as a major global concern (Diamond, 1997; Karlen, 1995; McNeil, 1976). This research aimed to identify potential areas of infectious disease influence that are not health-related in order to help governments and policymakers establish new policies, correct current policies, or further address these issues in order to effectively prevent and combat infectious disease. This study employed a retrospective, cross-sectional, non-experimental design via structural equation modeling (SEM) and examined tuberculosis incidence rates at the country-level. Secondary data from open-source, international …

Hospital Preparedness: Effects Of Designated Preparedness Coordinators On Hospital Preparedness For Special Hazard Classes, Rodney Sinelair Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 9/11, little statistical rigor has been placed on identifying the correlates of hospital preparedness. This quantitative study explores the research question: Is there a correlation between the employment of a designated hospital preparedness coordinator and the reported level of preparedness for: (a) general preparedness; (b) chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) events; (c) pandemic disease outbreaks; (d) mass casualty events; and (e) internal infrastructure failure, as assessed by an online survey. Alternative analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between access to resources and the 5 dependent variables. Using complexity theory as the theoretical framework, point biserial correlation and …

Battle Echoes Never Fade: Soldiers' Trauma At The End Of Life, John E. Eller

Capstones

Soldiers suffer moral injuries when wartime experiences go against their own moral compass, such as killing innocent civilians or mutilating the bodies of enemies. Many soldiers bury the shame and guilt leftover from battle for years or decades, but these memories can surface unbidden as veterans near death.

Global Health Security Agenda Legal Landscape Assessment, Natasha M. Nussbaum

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) was created on February 13, 2014, to improve country's ability to detect, prevent and respond to emerging health threats. Eleven action packages were created. The detection action package included antimicrobial resistance, zoonotic diseases, national biosafety/biosecurity and immunization. The prevention action package included establishing a national laboratory system, strengthening real-time biosurveillance, advancing timely and accurate disease reporting and establishing a trained global health security workforce.The response action package focused on establishing emergency operation centers, linking public health and law enforcement and enhancing medical countermeasures/personnel deployment.

The following paper summarizes the components performed for the GHSA …

Support For Comprehensive Sexuality Education And Adolescent Access To Condoms And Contraceptions In South Carolina, Sarah H. Kershner

Theses and Dissertations

A statewide random-digit dialed telephone survey was administered to residents of a historically conservative southern state to 1) assess the level of support for comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in public schools, 2) assess the support for availability to condoms and contraception as an effective strategy for reducing unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted (STIs) among adolescents and 3) assess the perceived view of reproductive health as a moral or public health issue. Survey data were obtained from 841 South Carolina residents May through June 2013. Findings from the study revealed that the majority (90%) of South Carolina residents support CSE in …

Design And Testing Of Novel Anthrax Vaccines Utilizing A Tobacco Mosaic Virus Expression System, Ryan C. Mccomb

KGI Theses and Dissertations

Anthrax is a potentially fatal disease caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis. Infection and disease occur after spores gain entry into the body, germinate into vegetative bacteria, and produce toxin. Bacillus anthracis spores have been engineered as bioweapons and have been used repeatedly in warfare and terrorism to inflict casualties in military and civilian populations. Currently, only one vaccine has been approved for prevention of anthrax in the United States. This vaccine is an undefined product that is difficult to produce, requires a long vaccination schedule, and is reactogenic. Efforts to make an improved anthrax vaccine are being pursued. …

Feasibility Of Using Raman-Based Techniques For Breast Cancer Detection, Sara Mollamohammada

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Breast cancer is one of the common types of cancer among women all over the world. Early diagnosis is an effective way that improve the treatment process and gives the patients a better chance of survival. Many of the patients infected by breast cancer choose breast conservation surgery (BCS). However, some of those will be subjected to mastectomy, and many will have tumor recurrence as there is no precise technique to show the tumor margins. Raman-based methods are powerful techniques with potential to rapidly differentiate normal from tumor tissues and provides a solution to detect tumor margin. This is because …

Adapting And Piloting An Evidence-~Based Hiv/Aids And Teen Pregnancy Prevention Intervention For Native American Teens, Murlynn Crystal Lee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: Native American youth are at disproportionate risk for HIV infection. Native Americans represent about 1.7% of the U.S. population, yet they rank fifth in HIV/AIDS diagnosis nationwide (U.S. Census, 2012; CDCd 2013). Native Americans with HIV/AIDS are more likely to be younger than non-Native Americans with the disease. There are limited evidence-based HIV/AIDS and teen pregnancy prevention interventions that have been developed, adapted, and/or evaluated for Native American teens. The purpose of this study was to adapt an existing evidence-based HIV/AIDS and teen pregnancy prevention intervention into a culturally responsive intervention curriculum for Native teens. Methods: There were three …

Pesticide Exposure, Behavior Of Farmer, And Activity Of Cholinesterase Enzyme In Blood Of Fertile Women Farmers, Deni Abdul Rahman, Zakianis Zakianis, Laila Fitria

Kesmas

Petani perempuan usia subur berisiko mengalami penurunan aktivitas kolinesterase akibat pajanan pestisida. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis hubungan antara pajanan pestisida dan perilaku pemajan terhadap aktivitas kolinesterase petani perempuan usia subur di Desa Kedunguter. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain potong lintang pada 94 petani perempuan usia subur tahun 2015. Pengumpulan data dilakukan secara observasi, wawancara, dan uji kolinesterase. Analisis data menggunakan uji kai kuadrat dan hasil analisis menunjukkan hubungan signifikan antara jenis pestisida, waktu kerja, penggunaan sarung tangan, perilaku mencuci tangan terhadap aktivitas kolinesterase petani perempuan usia subur. Hasil analisis pada penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa variabel waktu kerja memiliki nilai odds …

“Inhumanly Beautiful”: The Aesthetics Of The Nineteenth-Century Deathbed Scene, Margo Masur

English Theses

Death today is hidden from our everyday lives so it cannot intermingle with the general public. So when a family member dies, their body becomes an object in need of disposal; no longer can they be recognized as the familiar person they once were. To witness death is to force individuals to confront the truths of human existence, and for most of us seeing such a sight would fill us with an emotion of disgust. Yet during the nineteenth century, the burden of care towards the sick or dying was shared by a community of family, neighbors, and friends; the …

Residual Impact Of Previous Injury On Musculoskeletal Characteristics In Special Forces Operators, Jeffrey J. Parr, Nicholas C. Clark, John P. Abt, Julie Y. Kresta, Karen A. Keenan, Shawn F Kane, Scott M. Lephart

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Background: Musculoskeletal injuries are a significant burden to United States Army Special Operations Forces. The advanced tactical skill level and physical training required of Army Special Operators highlights the need to optimize musculoskeletal characteristics to reduce the likelihood of suffering a recurrent injury.

Purpose: To identify the residual impact of previous injury on musculoskeletal characteristics.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods: Isokinetic strength of the knee, shoulder, and back and flexibility of the shoulder and hamstrings were assessed as part of a comprehensive human performance protocol, and self-reported musculoskeletal injury history was obtained. Subjects were stratified based …

A Noise Delivery System For Multi-Animal Multi-Level Whole Body Ototoxicity Studies, John E. Stubbs, Jeremy M. Slagley, James E. Reboulet

Faculty Publications

The Naval Medical Research Unit Dayton (NAMRU-D) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, in conjunction with the U.S. Air Force, studied ototoxic effects of JP-8 in rats. NAMRU-D used a multi-chamber whole body exposure facility for up to 96 test animals and 32 control animals at different exposure levels. The objective was to design a noise delivery system that could provide a white noise source one octave band wide, centered at 8 kHz frequency, delivered from outside the exposure chambers. Sound pressure levels were required to be within ±2 dB at all exposure points within each chamber and within ±2 …

A Multicenter, Open-Label, Controlled Phase Ii Study To Evaluate Safety And Immunogenicity Of Mva Smallpox Vaccine (Imvamune) In 18-40 Year Old Subjects With Diagnosed Atopic Dermatitis, Richard N. Greenberg, Maria Yadira Hurley, Dinh V. Dinh, Serena Mraz, Javier Gomez Vera, Dorothea Von Bredow, Alfred Von Krempelhuber, Siegfried Roesch, Garth Virgin, Nathaly Arndtz-Wiedemann, Thomas Peter Meyer, Darja Schmidt, Richard Nichols, Philip Young, Paul Chaplin

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Replicating smallpox vaccines can cause severe complications in individuals with atopic dermatitis (AD). Prior studies evaluating Modified Vaccinia Ankara virus (MVA), a non-replicating vaccine in humans, showed a favorable safety and immunogenicity profile in healthy volunteers.

OBJECTIVE: This Phase II study compared the safety and immunogenicity of MVA enrolling groups of 350 subjects with AD (SCORAD ≤ 30) and 282 healthy subjects.

METHODS: Subjects were vaccinated twice with MVA, each dose given subcutaneously 4 weeks apart. Adverse events, cardiac parameters, and the development of vaccinia virus humoral immune responses were monitored.

RESULTS: The overall safety …

The Flaws And Human Harms Of Animal Experimentation, Aysha Akhtar

Experimentation Collection

Nonhuman animal (“animal”) experimentation is typically defended by arguments that it is reliable, that animals provide sufficiently good models of human biology and diseases to yield relevant information, and that, consequently, its use provides major human health benefits. I demonstrate that a growing body of scientific literature critically assessing the validity of animal experimentation generally (and animal modeling specifically) raises important concerns about its reliability and predictive value for human outcomes and for understanding human physiology. The unreliability of animal experimentation across a wide range of areas undermines scientific arguments in favor of the practice. Additionally, I show how animal …

The Flaws And Human Harms Of Animal Experimentation, Aysha Akhtar

Morality and Ethics of Animal Experimentation Collection

Nonhuman animal (“animal”) experimentation is typically defended by arguments that it is reliable, that animals provide sufficiently good models of human biology and diseases to yield relevant information, and that, consequently, its use provides major human health benefits. I demonstrate that a growing body of scientific literature critically assessing the validity of animal experimentation generally (and animal modeling specifically) raises important concerns about its reliability and predictive value for human outcomes and for understanding human physiology. The unreliability of animal experimentation across a wide range of areas undermines scientific arguments in favor of the practice. Additionally, I show how animal …

How We Saved Ourselves: A Look At The Positive Coping Strategies The Orphans Of The 1994 Genocide Against Tutsis Implemented During Bereavement, Gregory Barber

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Recent estimates report that there are approximately 145 million children worldwide who have lost at least one parent as a result of various causes (Development, 2008). Parental death is one of the most traumatic events that can occur in childhood (Haine, 2006). Literature has also indicated that parental death places children at risk for many negative outcomes, including mental health problems, grief, lower academic success, self-esteem, and greater external locus of control (Lutzke, 1997). Between April and July 1994, 800,000 to 1,000,000 Rwandans died in the 1994 genocide against Tutsis. Because of the 1994 genocide against Tutsis, nearly 75,000 children …

Magic Bullet, Karen Haydock

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

Two of the most powerful types of corporations in the world today are those that produce pharmaceuticals and weapons. While the corporations are concerned with increasing their profits, we wonder if their products have any magical powers.

[India ink on rag paper]

This poster explores the military-industrial complex. The weapons industry profits through imperialism. The pharmaceutical industry profits through by taking advantage of people’s illnesses.

The poster has multiple interpretations, hopefully encouraging the viewer to participate by asking relevant questions, such as:

“What is that person drinking?”

”Are they pills or bombs?”

“Medicines cure us - how can a pill …

Exploring The Pathophysiological Concepts Of Ebola Virus, Andrew T. Wasson

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

The Ebola virus is a member of the filoviridae family. Five distinctive species of ebolavirus have been identified, four of which are known to cause disease in humans (Martines, Ng, Greer, Rollin, and Zaki, 2014). The specific species known to cause disease in humans are Zaire, Sudan, Ivory Coast, and Bundibugyo (Bray & Chertow, 2014). Bah et al. (2015) report that the Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) was the cause of the most recent West African outbreak and carries the highest human mortality rate among the five known species, with up to 90% of cases being fatal. Ebola is a filamentous, enveloped, …

The Challenges Of Afghanistan And Iraq Veterans’ Transition From Military To Civilian Life And Approaches To Reconnection, Jennifer Ahern, Miranda Worthen, Jackson Masters, Sherri Lippman, Emily Ozer, Rudolf Moos

Faculty Publications

Afghanistan and Iraq veterans experienced traumas during deployment, and disrupted connections with friends and family. In this context, it is critical to understand the nature of veterans’ transition to civilian life, the challenges navigated, and approaches to reconnection. We investigated these issues in a qualitative study, framed by homecoming theory, that comprised in-depth interviews with 24 veterans. Using an inductive thematic analysis approach, we developed three overarching themes. Military as family explored how many veterans experienced the military environment as a “family” that took care of them and provided structure. Normal is alien encompassed many veterans experiences of disconnection from …

Heat Stress Prevention Program For Workers In Demilitarization Protective Ensemble At Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant Training Facility, Joseph Padayhag

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) is being constructed to dispose of the entire stockpile of sulfur mustard contained in munitions stored at Pueblo Chemical Depot, Colorado. The PCAPP Training Facility provides courses on protective measures necessary for making entries into areas with hazardous concentrations of chemical warfare agents in air. Students are trained to work in Demilitarization Protective Ensemble (DPE), an encapsulating, impermeable, and positive pressure suit. The course includes wearing the suit and performing tasks to simulate work in PCAPP toxic areas.

Wearing DPE will increase the heat stress load for workers making entries. The PCAPP heatstress …

The Flame, 2014-2015, Mennonite College Of Nursing

The Flame (1985-present)

The Flame is a newsletter of Illinois State University's Mennonite College of Nursing

Mental Health Outcomes Of Drug Conflict Among University Students At The U.S.-Mexico Border, Kathleen A. O'Connor, Maricarmen Vizcalno, Nora A. Benavides

Departmental Papers (S&A)

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate to what extent young adults with close ties to Mexico were at greater risk for self-reported negative mental health outcomes than comparison groups during drug-related armed conflict from 2008 through 2012, and the effect of type and number of traumatic events on mental health outcomes. Using the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist, 202 university students living in the El Paso–Ciudad Juárez border region were surveyed for symptoms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress. Students with close ties to Mexico reported symptoms of anxiety and posttraumatic stress at significantly …

Supporting Self-Management In Veterans With Chronic Pain: A Policy Perspective, Erin W. Lind

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

The purpose of the project was to do an evidence-based review of the effectiveness of promoting self-care on pain levels and quality of life among veterans with chronic pain at a national level. A review of current chronic pain management policies for veterans in southern California was also conducted. Active self-management initiatives permit more diverse, patient-centered treatment, promote self-management, and are relatively safe and cost-effective. Our results have confirmed that chronic pain is on the forefront of priorities for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) due to an increasing rate of both chronic pain and opioid overdoses.

Antibacterial Evaluation Of Polygonum Multiflorum, Andy S. Demianicz

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Polygonum multiflorum, commonly known as Chinese Knotweed, is a tonic herb primarily used to enhance bodily functions. Recently, it has been shown to contain strong antioxidant, antibacterial and antiviral activity. The extract from the roots of Chinese Knotweed was used to assess its antibacterial properties against a broad spectrum of bacterial species, including 5 Gram-positive (B. cereus, B. megaterium, S. epidermidis, S. mutans and S. pyogenes) and 4 Gram-negative (E. aerogenes, E. coli, P. vulgaris and P. aeruginosa). Microtiter assays were carried out to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Chinese Knotweed at 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2.5% concentrations in order …

Swords Into Stethoscopes: How The U.S. Military Could Conduct Medical Diplomacy, Oliver Kendall

Political Science Honors Projects

Since the early 1960’s, Cuba and China have won international appreciation by sending doctors abroad to help where they are needed. While there was surprise in some quarters when U.S. military personnel were deployed to combat Ebola in the last months of 2014, the Department of Defense actually has a long history of medical activity. In its current form, DoD medical outreach cannot likely garner soft power in the way that the Chinese and Cuban programs can, but with a few modifications, the U.S. military could be a serious conductor of medical diplomacy that would save countless lives and benefit …