Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment Commons^™

(Re)Claiming Homeplace: Dance As Embodied Resistance & Healing For Health & Spatial Justice, Preeya G. Kannan

University Honors Theses

This thesis argues that dance functions as both an upstream public health intervention and a form of radical spatial resistance; creating healing, agency, and belonging among historically marginalized communities. Drawing on bell hooks' concept of homeplace, Jasbir Puar's assemblage theory, Nancy Krieger's eco-social theory, and Katherine McKittrick's Black geographies, I position the body as both an ecological and political landscape shaped by histories of colonialism, racial capitalism, displacement, and resilience.

Through this community-based participatory research study, Homeplace, I explore dance as a form of social prescription that centers liberation rather than pathology. Movement is often reduced in public health discourse …

Chatbot Therapy - Help Or Hindrance, Kadi Rae Smith

Anthós

Introduction

Generative artificial intelligence (Gen-AI) chatbots are complex computer programs designed to mimic human conversations using programming that incorporates large language models (LLM) and natural language models (NLM) to simulate human interactions that are being rapidly integrated into everyday life across an increasing amount of online platforms. This article explores the applications and efficacy of chatbots for mental healthcare, from self-directed chatbot interactions to clinician-supervised implementation of chatbot-based therapeutic tools, weighing the benefits and limitations of this ever-expanding technology.

Methodology/Taxonomy

A literature review was conducted primarily using Web of Science, accessed through Portland State University, and Google Scholar, with specifications …

Biofluid Biomarkers Aid In Diagnosing And Developing Improved Treatments For People With Alzheimer's Disease, Jonatan A. Lopez

University Honors Theses

Dementia is a disease in which daily life is disrupted by a loss of cognitive function. Late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common dementia that largely begins to affect individuals in their mid 60s or older. AD was selected as the focus of this paper because it is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 50-70% of dementia cases. A typical diagnostic approach used by physicians starts with a simple clinical test, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), when cognitive decline is suspected in a patient. Then if there is enough evidence to suggest AD, a physician would order …

Revising And Consolidating The Dsm-5 And Icd-11 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders Into A Dimensional Spectrum-Based Disorder: A Literature Review, Samuel Milton Shatsky

University Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the clinical, cultural, and theoretical implications of replacing the current DSM-5 and ICD-11 categorical diagnoses of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) with a unified dimensional framework: trauma spectrum disorder (TSD). The proposed TSD model addresses ongoing concerns around diagnostic inflation, treatment misalignment, and clinical confusion stemming from binary trauma categorizations. This thesis explores whether adopting a dimensional diagnostic model to replace DSM-5 and ICD-11's current PTSD and CPTSD designations could lead to improved treatment outcomes and diagnostic clarity.

Methodology consisted of an extensive literature review of the field's current research. Using the …

Surveying Management Strategies For Pediatric Autoimmune Hepatitis, Lillie Baca

University Honors Theses

Pediatric autoimmune hepatitis (PAIH) is a long-term condition that requires ongoing treatment and regular monitoring. It is characterized by its elevation of liver enzymes, interface hepatitis, and the specific presence of circulating autoantibodies. There is a general lack of consensus on appropriate measures of diagnostic criteria, treatment medication, and beneficial practices for monitoring the disease. The existing literature contains several subtle discrepancies that challenge a practitioner's judgement for care management of children with autoimmune hepatitis. This study is a retrospective chart review aimed at understanding the current diagnostics, treatment, and long-term management strategies of PAIH at a single center. Also, …

Quantitative Analysis Using Mri Of Patients That Are High Risk For Pancreatic Cancer, Aqsa Tarik

University Honors Theses

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a cancer that is detected in its later stages, causing its five-year survival rate of 2-9% (3). The majority of patients who develop PDAC unfortunately deal with a low survival rate due to the progression of the tumor in the body. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can assess the structure of the tissue within organs in the body. These scans can also be used in order to detect and diagnose tumors, allowing them to be a generator of cancer biomarkers. PDAC isn’t distinguishable on conventional images, as the pancreas will appear normal, allowing the tumor progress …

Characterizing The Influence Of Metabolism On Steady State Water Exchange In Yeast As A Potential Mri Diagnostic Biomarker, Samantha Mumford

Dissertations and Theses

Under conditions of ionic equilibrium with the environment a cell maintains a constant volume yet rapidly exchanges water molecules with the extracellular space. The rate constant for steady state water efflux, k_io, can be measured using contrast enhanced magnetic resonance (CE-MR). The active water cycling (AWC) hypothesis is puts forward that k_io is primarily influenced by cellular ATP levels and H⁺ ATPase activity at the cell membrane. Due to the correlation between k_io and ATP levels, k_io is thought to be a probable MRI biomarker for metabolic diseases such as cancer. Yet, the molecular …

Examining Benefits Of Early Intervention In Cases Of Pediatric Chronic Hypoxia, Kendra Stefan

University Honors Theses

There is a strong foundation of evidence and consensus in the literature that hypoxia has adverse impacts on brain function. Recent research has broadened the field in two directions. One is the treatment for acute hypoxic injuries, and the second is regarding the accumulative impact of intermittent or chronic hypoxia. Historically, in cases of acute hypoxia, action is taken to remedy the source of hypoxia. Physical and cognitive rehabilitation has typically been provided as needed depending on the severity of the injury. While cases of intermittent or chronic hypoxia may not demonstrate an acute urgency for treatment and rehabilitation, current …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On The Treatment Of Opioid Use Disorder In Carceral Facilities: A Cross-Sectional Study, Elizabeth C. Saunders, Milan F. Satcher, Laura B. Monico, Ryan D. Mcdonald, Sandra A. Springer, David Farabee, Jan Gryczynski, Amesika Nyaku, Elizabeth Needham Waddell, Multiple Additional Authors

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

While the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted healthcare delivery everywhere, persons with carceral system involvement and opioid use disorder (OUD) were disproportionately impacted and vulnerable to severe COVID-associated illness. Carceral settings and community treatment programs (CTPs) rapidly developed protocols to sustain healthcare delivery while reducing risk of COVID-19 transmission. This survey study assessed changes to OUD treatment, telemedicine use, and re-entry support services among carceral and CTPs participating in the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)-funded study, Long-Acting Buprenorphine vs. Naltrexone Opioid Treatments in Criminal Justice System-Involved Adults (EXIT-CJS) study. In December 2020, carceral sites (n = 6; median pre-COVID 2020 …

Multicolor Fluorescence Guided Surgery For Head And Neck Cancer, Dani Szafran-Reeder

University Honors Theses

This project aims to take a novel, NIR nerve-specific fluorophore LGW05-75⁴ and test its compatibility with a tumor-targeting affibody molecule, ABY-029⁶ that has been labeled with IRDye800CW. The overall goal is to show that these two molecules can be co-administered to show the nerves and tumor cells in real-time to better assist surgeons in a full resection while avoiding iatrogenic nerve damage.

Chinese Herbal Medicine To Reduce Radiation-Induced Oral Mucositis In Head And Neck Cancer Patients: Evidence From Population-Based Health Claims, Hsin-Hua Li, Hanoch Livneh, Wei-Jen Chen, Ming-Chi Lu, Wen-Yen Chiou, Shih-Kai Hung, Chia-Chou Yeh, Tzung-Yi Tsai

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Subjects with head and neck cancer (HNC) often experience post-treatment side effects, particularly radiation-induced oral mucositis (RIOM). This study aimed to explore the association of Chinese herbal medicine use with the sequent risk of RIOM among them.

Methods: This cohort study used a nationwide health insurance database to identify subjects newly diagnosed with HNC, aged 20 to 60 years, who received treatment between 2000 and 2007. Among them, a total of 561 cases received CHM after HNC onset (CHM users); the remaining 2395 cases were non-CHM users. All patients were followed to the end of 2012 to …

Impacts Of Covid-19 On Rural Medical Business Models, Kendra L. Stefan

Anthós

This paper is concerned with the question of how COVID-19 impacts the medical delivery system in a rural community. It presents findings from interviews of medical professionals participating in an isolated rural community and public health officials that coordinate preparedness planning. This paper reviews barriers of access to healthcare in an already constricted system. Then looks at the implications of COVID-19 as an additional strain. Interviews of professionals will survey preparedness, regulatory impacts, repercussions to the business model, impact on service capacity, and opportunities for improvement. Interested parties would include patient advocates, patients, healthcare workers, politicians, and employers.

A Novel In Vitro Method For Pelvic Floor Dysfunction In Pcos Women, Ruben Vila

University Honors Theses

Background:

Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction are reproductive diseases with comorbidities whose novel relationship deserves further investigation.

Methods:

Levator Ani Muscle/Paravaginal Attachment was dissected from female Rhesus Macaque and subjected to tissue dissociation. Cells were treated with serum level hormones E2, T, and DHT. PCR, ICC, and IHC were used, followed by statistical analysis.

Results:

RNA analysis show differences in relative expression for endpoints ER, PR, AR, Ki-67, Col1A, and Vimentin. IHC along with ICC showed expression and localization in vivo.

Conclusions:

A novel in vitro model was created from macaque Levator Ani Muscle/Paravaginal Attachment for Pelvic …

The Usage Of Resveratrol For Eye Pain After Refractive Surgery, Dennis Nguyen

University Honors Theses

LASEK and PRK are common laser corrective eye procedures that aim to correct the refractive errors of the eye, although these procedures do carry the potential of post-operation complications of dry eye and symptoms of pain and photophobia as a result of corneal innervation damage. Resveratrol was tested on the surface of the cornea to see if the drug would be effective at attenuating post-corrective eye pain. Male and female rats underwent a unilateral corneal abrasion surgery that aimed to mimic the post-op symptoms of PRK. The rats either received the resveratrol drug treatment or a vehicle formulation. The Rat …

Soft Lithographic Replication Of High Length-Scale Micropillars From Laser-Ablated Fused-Silica Templates, Jason Pitts

University Honors Theses

Soft lithography is a well-established route to wafer-scale reproduction of micro- and nanoscale features in a wide variety of materials. Nevertheless, micron length scales have yet to be explored, despite the potential utility of such structures. Here, polymer micropillars of 6-12 μm length, approximately 0.5-1.5 μm wide at 10 μm spacing are reproduced from a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mold made from patterned cellulose acetate (CA). The patterned CA was cast from a rigid fused silica template machined by a pulsed femtosecond laser. Pore topographic features were successfully reproduced in Norland Optical Adhesive (NOA), polycaprolactone (PCL), Nafion, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and …

Expression And Function Of Transcription Factors Foxa1, Hoxb13 And Cdx2 In Prostate Cancer, Hamsat B. Anwar

University Honors Theses

Prostate cancer (PC) is the second leading cause of death in men, affecting around 190 thousand patients in 2020 alone (National Institute of Cancer, 2020). Much of the current research focuses on treatments for advanced PC, which is problematic due to the rapid evolution of tumors and development of treatment resistance. Cancer early detection presents a better approach to control and treat patients before they acquire an incurable disease. Earlier diagnosis of patients leads to better prognosis and a more comfortable treatment process (Etzioni et al., 2003). However, we currently lack molecular markers to stratify PC during its early stages. …

Improving Access To Rare Disease Clinical Trials Through Telemedicine, Dylan Haynes, Christina Topham, Teri Greiling

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Introduction: Rare diseases affect nearly 400 million individuals worldwide. The geographic density of any single disease, however, can prohibit access to care and research efforts. Telemedicine has improved access barriers in the clinical setting, though its application in rare disease trials has not been evaluated.

Objective: To assess the impact on access to care of videoconferencing in a rare disease clinical trial.

Materials and Methods: Preliminary analysis was performed on the first five participants to complete our ongoing trial (NCT03485976) evaluating the efficacy of ixekizumab for the treatment of pityriasis rubra pilaris. Participants were required to travel to Oregon Health …

A Cyber-Physical System Framework For Early Detection Of Paroxysmal Diseases, Zuxing Gu, Yu Jiang, Min Zhou, Xiaoyu Song, Lui Sha

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Paroxysmal diseases of inpatients are globally recognized as one of the top challenges in medicine. Poor clinical outcomes are primarily caused by delayed recognition, especially due to diverse clinical diagnostic criteria with complex manifestations, irregular episodes, and already overloaded clinical activities. With the proliferation of measuring devices and increased computational capabilities, cyber-physical characterization plays an increasingly important role in many domains to provide enabling technologies. This paper presents a cyber-physical system (CPS) framework to assist physicians in making earlier diagnoses of paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity based on existing medical knowledge. We propose a configurable diagnostic knowledge model to characterize clinical criteria …

Intensity Inhomogeneity Correction Of Sd-Oct Data Using Macular Flatspace, Andrew Lang, Aaron Carass, Bruno M. Jedynak, Sharon D. Solomon, Peter A. Calabresi, Jerry L. Prince

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Images of the retina acquired using optical coherence tomography (OCT) often suffer from intensity inhomogeneity problems that degrade both the quality of the images and the performance of automated algorithms utilized to measure structural changes. This intensity variation has many causes, including off-axis acquisition, signal attenuation, multi-frame averaging, and vignetting, making it difficult to correct the data in a fundamental way. This paper presents a method for inhomogeneity correction by acting to reduce the variability of intensities within each layer. In particular, the N3 algorithm, which is popular in neuroimage analysis, is adapted to work for OCT data. N3 works …

Investigations Into The Effects Of Water Exchange And The Structure Of Lanthanide Chelates, Katherine Marie Payne

Dissertations and Theses

Lanthanide chelates are effective agents for improving contrast in MR images. Optimizing the relaxation of inner sphere water molecules is a common focus of research in this field. However, the efforts to design an optimal contrast agent have commonly over-looked the relationship of water position and water exchange kinetics. This work explores structural conformation, the impact of very fast water exchange kinetics on hydration, and differing tumbling rates for regioisomers of a number of lanthanide chelates. We have grown crystals of LnDOTMA and obtained structural data by X-ray diffraction that provide a picture of the chelate during water exchange and …

To What Extent Did Blood Transfusion Systems And Technologies Modernize During World War Ii?, Hannah J. Leblanc

Young Historians Conference

This investigation will explore changes in blood transfusion during World War II (1939-1945). Medical technology and collection systems for whole blood and blood plasma in particular will be examined. The focus of this investigation will be the United States, but Great Britain will also be mentioned due to its close blood transfusion-related interactions with the United States during this period. Additionally, blood transfusion prior to World War II and in modern times will also be considered in this investigation to provide context and to allow assessment of modernization during the war. However, artificial blood substitutes will not be considered, nor …

Investigation In To The Effect Of Spin Locking On Contrast Agent Relaxivity, Julian Saunders Haigh

Dissertations and Theses

The current trend in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is towards higher external magnetic field strengths (B₀) to take advantage of increased sensitivity and signal to noise ratio (SNR). Unfortunately, as (B₀) increases the effectiveness (relaxivity) of clinical gadolinium (Gd³⁺⁾-based contrast agents (CAs) administered to enhance image contrast is significantly reduced. Excellent soft tissue contrast can be generated with current agents despite their non-optimum relaxivities but necessitates large doses. The limits of detection of a CA at high B₀ fields can be lowered by recovering the lost relaxivity and is a pre-requisite to the …

A Study To Evaluate The Maximal Dose Administration At Two Different Locations In Two Different Vdr4 High Frequency Percussive Ventilator (Hpfv) Circuits, Jeff L. Heltborg, Bethany S. Kobza, Ace Nilson

Student Research Symposium

The purpose of this study was to determine if the positioning of a nebulizer at two different locations in the VDR4, a specialty ventilator, would result in differing dose administrations of a bronchodilator, Albuterol Sulfate. We hypothesized that placement near the endotracheal tube will provide greater dose deposition. The ventilator was set up to mimic the normal adult patient. Administration was done through the nebulizer placed in the ventilator circuit either before the humidifier or between the endotracheal tube and the VDR 4’s Phasitron. Three trials were performed using a standard dose of Albuterol for each trial. The mass of …

Facile Methods For The Analysis Of Lysophosphatidic Acids In Human Plasma, Jialu Wang

Dissertations and Theses

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) influences many physiological processes, such as brain and vascular development. It is associated with several diseases including ovarian cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, multiple myeloma atherosclerotic diseases, cardiovascular diseases, pulmonary inflammatory diseases and renal diseases. LPA plasma and serum levels have been reported to be important values in diagnosing ovarian cancer and other diseases. However, the extraction and quantification of LPA in plasma are very challenging because of the low physiological concentration and similar structures of LPA to other phospholipids. Many previous studies have not described the separation of LPA from other phospholipids, …

Selective Indicators For Optical Determination Of Disease Biomarkers, Lovemore Hakuna

Dissertations and Theses

The most abundant biological thiols, homocysteine (Hcy), cysteine (Cys) and glutathione (GSH) have been the subject of intense research due to their association with a wide range of diseases. They play a key role in maintaining the redox status of biological systems. Selective detection methods for these thiols are challenging due to their similar structures and properties. Current commercially available detection methods use separations, fragile and expensive enzymatic or immunogenic materials and complex instrumentation. This has led to a global effort towards developing simple and inexpensive optical probes and indicators selective for specific biological thiols.

Highly selective chemical probes and …

Detection Of Homocysteine With Bridged Viologen Chemical Probes, Davin Rautiola

Dissertations and Theses

Increased blood plasma concentrations of the aminothiol homocysteine (Hcy) are associated with a variety of disease states including those which cause impaired renal function, many forms of cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. Therefore, Hcy has the potential to be a significant diagnostic biomarker. Routine monitoring of Hcy plasma concentration is encumbered by the time and resources required to quantify Hcy using currently accepted instrumental analysis methods. As part of the continuing effort to develop a quick, reliable, inexpensive, and user-friendly test to quantify Hcy at the point of care, we have designed a series of novel colorimetric …

A Qualitative Study Of Rural Primary Care Clinician Views On Remote Monitoring Technologies, Melinda M. Davis, Jillian M. Currey, Sonya Howk, Molly R. Desordi, Linda Boise, Lyle J. Fagnan, Nancy Vuckovic

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose: Remote monitoring technologies (RMTs) may improve the quality of care, reduce access barriers, and help control medical costs. Despite the role of primary care clinicians as potential key users of RMTs, few studies explore their views. This study explores rural primary care clinician interest and the resources necessary to incorporate RMTs into routine practice.

Methods: We conducted 15 in-depth interviews with rural primary care clinician members of the Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network (ORPRN) from November 2011 to April 2012. Our multidisciplinary team used thematic analysis to identify emergent themes and a cross-case comparative analysis to explore variation by …

Bismuth Nanoparticles As Medical X-Ray Contrast Agents: Synthesis, Characterization And Applications, Anna Laura Brown

Dissertations and Theses

Bismuth based nanomaterials have recently attracted attention as heavy element X-ray contrast agents because of the high atomic number and predicted biological compatibility of bismuth. Nanoparticle X-ray contrast agents may enable a number of novel medical imaging applications, including blood pool and site-directed imaging. However these hypothetical applications are hindered by lack of suitable synthetic methods for production of imaging agents. This dissertation describes synthesis of a novel class of bismuth nanoparticles that are aqueously stabilized using poly and monosaccharides. These particles are synthesized using highly biologically compatible reagents and are oxidatively stable in water and in moderately basic buffered …

Investigation Of The Structure And Dynamics Of Regioisomeric Eu³⁺ And Gd³⁺ Chelates Of Nb-Dotma: Implications For Mri Contrast Agent Design, Benjamin Charles Webber

Dissertations and Theses

The detection of disease and abnormal pathology by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been aided significantly by the use of gadolinium (Gd³⁺)-based contrast agents (CAs) over the past three decades. MRI and MRI CAs play a critical role in diagnosing tumors and diseases of the central nervous system. The agents used clinically have been shown to safely increase MRI contrast despite the toxicity of Gd³⁺, owing to the high kinetic and thermodynamic stability of these chelates. However, current CAs enhance contrast at a small fraction of what is theoretically possible. This leads to the necessity of …

Automated Channel Assessment For Single Chip Medradio Transceivers, Mark Alexander Hillig

Dissertations and Theses

Modern implantable and body worn medical devices leverage wireless telemetry to improve patient experience and expand therapeutic options. Wireless medical devices are subject to a unique set of regulations in which monitoring of the available frequency spectrum is a requirement. To this end, implants use software protocols to assess the in-band activity to determine which channel should be used. These software protocols take valuable processing time and possibly degrade the operational lifetime of the battery. Implantable medical devices often take advantage of a single chip transceiver as the physical layer for wireless communications. Embedding the channel assessment task in the …