Alternative and Complementary Medicine Commons^™

Design Of Self-Assembled Peptides For Wound Healing, Ka-Kyung Kim

Dissertations

According to the CDC, 15% of diabetic patients develop diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) and approximately 170,000 patients undergo non-traumatic amputation annually. DFU is a major complication of diabetes caused by non-healing full-thickness wounds through the dermis. The current treatments include blood sugar control, frequent debridement, offloading, moist wound care, infection treatment, and amputation. To achieve wound closure of DFU, appropriate wound care and antibiotic therapy are essential. Topical regimens include hydrocolloids, alginates, foam, silver-impregnated dressings, and hydrogels. Wound healing is a complex and dynamic interplay between the immune system, keratinocytes, and dermal cells (in case of cutaneous wound). Angiogenesis has …

In Memoriam, Editorial Board

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

No abstract provided.

Foundations: Eating. Loving. Praying., George Conesa

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

Kurt Goldstein imagined that at every stage of their development, organisms are, to characterize, wrestling with the imminent and inescapable realities (bio-socio-psychological) of energy (e.g., food and sleep), safety (e.g., hygiene; home and a family), and possibility (e.g., learning; opportunities and luck), and importantly, simultaneously. To oversimplify, Maslow would like us to eat before loving or praying, whereas Goldstein intuits that human motivations are dynamically complex and multifactorial -- in others words, integrally transactional and ongoing. It is Goldstein’s more complex idea that this essay supports.

Lotus Eating: A Summer Book. New York: Harper And Brothers, Editorial Board

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

American Letters: Archives George William Curtis (1824-1892)

Ontological Awareness In Food Systems Education, Colin C. Dring

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

We review efforts in Sustainable Food Systems Education and Critical Food Systems Education literature to employ education in ways that seek social and environmental transformation of food systems. Here, we argue that forms of food systems education that are disconnected from awareness of their ontological roots are destined to reproduce the same food systems with the same consequences for life on Earth. This theoretical paper invites discussions that unpack “habits of being” underpinning modern/colonial conceptualizations of food system issues, transformation efforts, and pedagogies. We note the risk of reinscribing, within food systems education, specific onto-epistemological norms and values that are …

Editorial And Clarification, Editorial Board

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

No abstract provided.

Poem: "Foundations" By William Wilfred Campbell (1860 - 1918), Editorial Board

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

No abstract provided.

Why We Experience Musical Emotions: William Gardiner’S “The Music Of Nature” Revisited, Daniela L. Boero Dr.

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

This paper focuses and expands on the ideas of William Gardiner, an amateur musician who was the first to propose that human emotions experienced in music listening might be inspired by “the sounds of nature.” His book has been ignored for almost two centuries. We revisit his hypothesis from an evolutionary psychology approach. This contribution reviews environmental psychology and musical studies which focus on emotional reactions to basic musical cues such as pitch, timbre, and loudness, and also, on animal communication studies. Reported literature confirms the hypothesis that our ancestral soundscape might have shaped, at least in part, the basic …

Table Of Contents 4(1) May 2022, Editorial Board

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Study On Nurse Facilitators Of Mind-Body Skills Groups, Paula D. Blake-Beckford

Mindfulness Studies Theses

The Center for Mind-Body Medicine (CMBM), founded by Dr. James Gordon, provides communities with evidence-based Mind-Body Skills Groups (MBSGs) that foster self-care, self-awareness, and self-expression. MBSGs range from 8 to 12-week series on various mind-body practices wherein group members meet, practice, and reflect on the impact of mind-body skills in their lives. Research has demonstrated that participants in MBSGs have positive outcomes. Healthcare professionals (HCPs), especially nurses, gain resiliency from MBSGs. As facilitators of MBSGs, nurses develop essential skills transferable to clinical and educational settings. MBSGs are therapeutic for adult participants with chronic stress. Prior to this thesis, only one …

Using Animal As Metaphor In Drama Therapy With Psychiatric Patients In An Intensive Outpatient Program Group Therapy Session: An Intervention, Juliana Fort

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Abstract

Drama therapy may be uniquely suited to help people with mental illness who have negative beliefs about what it means to be mentally ill. It focuses on helping the individual expand their sense of what a person with mental illness can be, as well as their awareness of the other roles they may play in their lives. In the current study, the author developed a drama therapy intervention for psychiatric patients in an intensive outpatient program (IOP). The intervention uses pre-made cards that depict images of various animals. During the intervention, the participants were asked to discuss how they …

Using Animal As Metaphor In Drama Therapy With Psychiatric Patients In An Intensive Outpatient Program Group Therapy Session: An Intervention, Juliana Fort

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Drama therapy may be uniquely suited to help people with mental illness who have negative beliefs about what it means to be mentally ill. It focuses on helping the individual expand their sense of what a person with mental illness can be, as well as their awareness of the other roles they may play in their lives. In the current study, the author developed a drama therapy intervention for psychiatric patients in an intensive outpatient program (IOP). The intervention uses pre-made cards that depict images of various animals. During the intervention, the participants were asked to discuss how they handle …

Healing Our Connection With Nature: An Expressive Arts Community Engagement Project, Meghan Mccrillis

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

A community engagement project was created and implemented, comprised of two events for which the author facilitated nature-based expressive arts experiences to explore the integration of nature and expressive arts therapy. The events were offered to two different groups of community members, one for nature-curious adults held outdoors on the trails of a local conservation trust, and another for young children at a local library. The healing impact of nature connection and nature connection experiences are explored through a literature review, event methods, and the author’s personal experiences of the project via artmaking. The results include an emphasis on nature …

Dance/Movement Therapy As A Transdisciplinary Approach To Treating Trauma, Destany Schadder

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This thesis considers dance/movement therapy as a transdisciplinary approach to treating trauma in the body. It explains what the functions of the brain are, how trauma negatively affects it, and how posttraumatic stress disorder is expressed in both the body and the brain. It discusses multidisplinary approaches, it shows how these approaches leverage the body in treating trauma. Moreover, it demonstrates the benefits and advantages of a dance/movement therapist in supporting individuals who have experienced traumatic events. To achieve these goals, this thesis discusses research by neuroscientists, such as Damassio (1999), who maintain that the body and mind directly affect …

Is Tai Chi A Beneficial Treatment For Anxiety In The Elderly Community?, Carolyn Kenney

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

This study attempted to explore the relationship between tai chi practice and anxiety in the elderly population. The mental health disorder that I looked at was anxiety, as the elderly often experience anxiety related to contributing factors such as mental and physical decline. Anxiety among the elderly is a great concern as there is an increase in the world’s population of individuals aged 65 years or older. This will directly impact health care prices as more resources will have to be distributed to this age population. One solution to this problem is tai chi. Tai chi is a cost-effective way …

Improving Access To Non-Pharmacologic Integrative Pain Management Modalities In Sickle Cell Disease (Scd) Inpatients, Nicole Lincoln

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Background: Evidence suggests that non-pharmacologic therapies complement and work synergistically alongside traditional pharmacologic therapies for chronic pain and have a beneficial impact on the intensity of pain, improved quality of life and functional status. Sickle Cell Patients have complex pain and often feel stigmatized due to pain seeking behaviors. This project evaluates the effect of a clinical initiative stewarded by nurses and managed in the electronic health record. The project aims to improve access to preferred modalities for integrative pain management among hospitalized Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) inpatients.

Methods: The nurses received e-learning and in-person training on the use of …

The Synthesis And Characterization Of Ionic Liquids Using Nitrogen-Based Cations For Transdermal Delivery, Jo Galloway

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research was to explore the synthesis mechanisms of water-soluble ionic liquids with nitrogen-containing cationic bases for future use in transdermal drug delivery and forensic science applications. Ionic liquids are salts with an organic cation and either an organic or inorganic anion. They have asymmetric structures, which means that the molecules don’t pack together as neatly as other salts do, therefore, they don’t crystallize as easily, and their melting points are lower. Ionic liquids have melting points below 100°C, and many are liquid at room temperature. Mechanistic studies reveal that the potency of ILs in enhancing transdermal …

Case Report: Epigastric Abdominal Pain From Beverage Ingestion Of Freshly Squeezed Juice Of The Hardy Orange Flying Dragon Plant (Poncirus Trifoliata), James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna, David Ho

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

We report the case of a 25 year old male who presented to the ED with epigastric abdominal pain after ingesting a freshly squeezed beverage form of Flying Dragon Hardy Orange plant (Poncirus trifoliata). Poison control was contacted and recommended symptomatic treatment only. The patient’s pain resolved while in the emergency department. Seed and rind preparations have been used as an herbal remedy in East Asia. Freshly squeezed Poncirus trifoliata can cause significant abdominal pain.

Use Of Pocus And Omt For Anterior Shoulder Reduction, David Ho, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna, Neeharika Bhatnagar

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Shoulder dislocations are very a common presentation in the emergency department. This represents about 50% of all joint dislocations presenting to the ER. Over 95% of the dislocations are anterior. Approximately 70% of shoulder dislocations occur in men and in both genders, the prevalence of shoulder dislocations occurs in a bimodal distribution in age in those younger than 20 and over 60 years old. Shoulder dislocation can occur anteriorly, posteriorly, and inferiorly. In an anterior dislocation, excessive force from external rotation and abduction causes a tear in the anterior ligamentous capsule3, causing the humeral head to dislocate from the glenoid …

Comparing The Relapse Rate Between Medication Assisted-Only Treatment And Medication-Assisted Treatment With An Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment Regimen In Patients With Musculoskeletal Pain, Karen Huang, Danielle Cooley

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Since the opioid crisis first began in 1991, opioid-related overdoses in the United States have continued to increase dramatically, killing nearly 47,000 people in 2018, and making it one of the most pressing issues in healthcare. The most reported reason for misuse of pain relievers was to relieve physical pain. The increase in opioid abuse has also led to an increase in patients seeking medication-assisted treatment (MAT).

Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) has been shown to have efficacy in relieving both chronic and acute pain. No current studies have investigated the use of OMT as an adjunct treatment to MAT for …

Improvement Of Memory Loss Through Dietary Intervention In The Assisted Living And Rehabilitative Settings, Alexander Swartz, Martin Forsberg

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

• The ketogenic diet is a popular, controversial diet that fuels the brain through beta-oxidation of fatty acids and production of ketone bodies, the most populous of which is betahydroxybutyrate (BHB).

• The ketogenic diet consists of 70-80% fats, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% carbohydrates.

• Medically, the ketogenic diet is utilized in patients with epilepsy and recommended by some physicians to improve general health through weight loss and insulin sensitivity.

• Key factors of neurodegeneration include glucose hypometabolism, oxidative damage, and neuroinflammation.

• Studies have shown that with ingestion of exogenous ketones alone, or endogenous ketonemia through a ketogenic diet, there is: …

Physical Activity As A Means Of Improving Quality Of Life In Individuals With Chronic Pain, Tracy Tauro

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Pharmacologic management of chronic pain has variable results, sometimes resorting to ineffective and dangerous opioids that can potentiate substance abuse in a vulnerable population.

Exercise is unique in its ability to positively impact both the molecular and psychological aspects of chronic pain. Its role in decreasing inflammation as well as improving mental health make it an excellent option for improving quality of life.

Physicians should work with their patients to develop a patient-centered exercise plan to manage chronic pain.

Omm As A Complementary Therapy For Chronic Shoulder Overuse Injury In A Division Iii Softball Pitcher, Drew Saltzman, Ruchir Nanavati, Taylor Parsons, Seungkyu Park, David Abend

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

At the height of the season, baseball and softball pitchers are playing 4-5 games a week and practicing on days without games. As a result, they put tremendous additive stress on their throwing shoulder and elbow joint.

This case utilized a novel, non-invasive osteopathic approach to improving shoulder mobility in a Division III athlete. If used on a regular basis, the shoulder mobility technique shows utility for athletes suffering from overuse injury. Our patient showed mild qualitative improvement, however they continue to use OMM as complementary treatment and describe a moderate qualitative improvement.

An Herbal Liver Effect: Ashwagandha-Induced Hepatotoxicity, Mohammad Rattu, Eric Maddock, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna, Neeharika Bhatnagar

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Ashwagandha is a popular Ayurvedic herb that is derived from the extracts of the roots of Withania somnifera, an evergreen shrub endemic to India and Southeast Asia. It is generally utilized as a tonic to increase one’s energy and reduce stress levels. Often referred to as “Indian ginseng”, it provides neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties that address stress, pain, and fatigue. Additionally, it may assist in dealing with rashes, diabetes, and arthritis. It has also been shown to counteract the effects of aging. Though these properties have not been shown in prospective studies, it has become a popular product among western …

Effect Of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment In Patients With Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (Pots): A Literature Review, Sidharth Sahni, Harrison Jordan, Binoy Desai, Danielle Cooley, Alexander King

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is characterized by autonomic dysregulation resulting in diminished blood flow and excessive tachycardia.

POTS has been scarcely studied in the clinical setting. A review of literature generated only four articles, only one of which met the established criteria.

A follow up study to evaluate the effect of OMT on the quality of life for patients with POTS is planned. The hypothesis is that osteopathic manipulation plays a role in the management of POTS, as patients should experience improvement in their symptoms and their overall quality of life.

Dietary And Behavioral Reflux Management, Adam M. Gehr, Deanna Britton

Student Research Symposium

Chronic gastroesophageal reflux is a common contributing factor to dysphagia. Consequently, dysphagia treatment often includes discussion and education regarding behavioral management strategies and dietary modification to prevent reflux, including the provision of written materials to encourage follow-through. The goal of the current project was to revise and update the existing evidence-based pamphlet of behavioral modifications to manage reflux being used at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), including the addition of non-pharmaceutical beverage and homeopathic alternatives to reduce reflux and soothe gastrointestinal (GI) tissues. A scoping literature search was conducted during the period from June 2021 to March 2022 via …

A Mixed Methods Study Of Cultural Competence Among Nursing Students In Kenya, Sylvia Waweru

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Significance and Background: Kenya has been experiencing an increase in cultural and ethnic diversity. As a result of cultural differences, health disparities among ethnic groups in Kenya are increasing. A component of patient centered care involves the incorporation of cultural aspects of health and illness in the delivery of nursing care. Understanding cultural competence of nursing students will provide guidance on educational needs related to cultural competence.

Purpose:. The purpose of this study was to assess nursing students’ cultural competence (CC) in the areas of cultural awareness, knowledge, sensitivity, skills, encounters and desire. Nursing students’ views on caring for …

Associations Of Lifestyle And Sociodemographic Factors With Dietary Supplement Use In College Students, Sydney Chratian

Senior Honors Projects

Background: Dietary supplement use has been shown to be significantly prevalent in the United States, especially among the young adult population. Studies have reported increasing use of dietary supplements among college students in the US. However, little research has investigated the sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics associated with dietary supplement use in this population.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of dietary supplement use and sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics associated with dietary supplement use in college students and examine the attitudes and beliefs of college students on dietary supplements.

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted …

Cytotoxic Activity Of Non-Specific Lipid Transfer Protein (Nsltp1) And Proteomic Evaluation Of Heparin-Binding Proteins From Ajwain (Trachyspermum Ammi) Seeds, Saud Alshammari

Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

Trachyspermum ammi, commonly known as ajwain, is a member of the Apiaceae family. It is a therapeutic herbal spice with diverse pharmacological properties, used in traditional medicine for various ailments. However, all previous studies were conducted using small molecule extracts, leaving the protein’s bioactivity undiscovered. The present study demonstrated the antiproliferative activity of ajwain nsLTP1 in MCF-7, AsPC-1, and MCF10A cell lines and its structural stability in human serum and high-temperature conditions. The antiproliferative activity of ajwain nsLTP1 was evaluated in MCF-7 and AsPC-1 cell lines using an MTT assay. Annexin V-FITC and PI staining were used to detect the …

Integration Of Medicinal Fungi Into The Heber W. Youngken Jr. Medicinal Garden, Anthony Makashov

Senior Honors Projects

The Heber W. Youngken Jr. Medicinal Garden is a one-of-a-kind resource that houses close to 300 medicinal plants and is filled to the brim with educational opportunities. For the College of Pharmacy, this garden has been the centerpiece of many classes taught here at the University of Rhode Island and has roots as a physical teaching space. While the garden contains a plethora of plant species, medicinal fungi have yet to have been included in the garden, despite their relevance as both sources of pharmaceutical drug discovery and as natural products with inherent physiological benefits themselves. The purpose of my …