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Each family approaches a cancer diagnosis differently. While some families pursue traditional treatments to the fullest extent, others attempt to refuse chemotherapy, often in favor of alternative medicines. When the patient is a minor, his or her parents have the authority to make medical decisions on their behalf, and this

Each family approaches a cancer diagnosis differently. While some families pursue traditional treatments to the fullest extent, others attempt to refuse chemotherapy, often in favor of alternative medicines. When the patient is a minor, his or her parents have the authority to make medical decisions on their behalf, and this authority is constitutionally protected and socially upheld. However, when the decision to forgo chemotherapy does not comply with minimum standard of care and puts the minor's life in danger, legal action can and has been taken to force the minor to undergo chemotherapy. Legal precedent and biomedical ethics principles guide the decision-making process of the physicians and judges involved, although there is no official framework by which to prioritize these principles. Neglect and abuse procedures, as well as capacity determinations, mature minor doctrines, and religious convictions, add complexity to each forced chemotherapy case. These complexities were explored through the context of four case studies: Cassandra Callendar, who was not granted mature minor status and was forced into treatment by the Connecticut Supreme court; Starchild Abraham Cherrix, who was allowed to pursue the alternative Hoxsey therapy with the consent of his parents and the local court; Dennis Lindberg, a 14-year-old Jehovah's Witness who was permitted to refuse blood transfusions under the Mature Minor Doctrine; and Daniel Hauser, a developmentally delayed teen who was forced to undergo therapy against his parents' religious convictions. In the analysis and comprehensive comparison of these cases, it was concluded that an attempt to establish a protocol by which to determine the ethics of forcing chemotherapy, while well-intended, would ultimately be ineffective and extremely complex. Thus, each forced chemotherapy case must be evaluated on an individual basis.
ContributorsNelson, Sarah Gabrielle (Author) / Hendrickson, Kirstin (Thesis director) / Lynch, John (Committee member) / Jaramillo, Andres (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
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Description
Chemotherapy refers to the use of chemical agents to inhibit or stop the growth of rapidly dividing cancer cells. There are many side effects of systemic chemotherapy, which are caused because the drug not only kills cancer cells but healthy cells as well (American Cancer Society, 2017). Common side effects

Chemotherapy refers to the use of chemical agents to inhibit or stop the growth of rapidly dividing cancer cells. There are many side effects of systemic chemotherapy, which are caused because the drug not only kills cancer cells but healthy cells as well (American Cancer Society, 2017). Common side effects include fatigue, hair loss, bruising/ bleeding, infection, anemia, nausea and vomiting, appetite changes, constipation, diarrhea, oral sores, nerve and muscle pain, dry skin and color change, kidney dysfunction, weight loss, cognitive difficulties, mood changes, sexual dysfunction, and fertility problems (American Cancer Society, 2017). Research shows that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) may help relieve some of the side effects of chemotherapy. Examples of CAM include herbal medicine, dietary supplements, acupuncture, yoga, Tai Chi, massage, electromagnetic therapy, meditation, biofeedback, music, dance, and guided imagery (Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2017). The aim of this creative project was to design a third-party website to provide information to patients undergoing chemotherapy and their family members regarding the use of CAM for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced side effects. Rationale for this project stemmed from a preliminary research step. We analyzed and coded for presence or absence of CAM-specific information on the websites of 20 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers across the United States. Fifty percent of websites were double-coded. Inter-rater reliabilities (kappa values) for coding of the presence or absence of specific CAM therapies ranged from 0.38 for acupuncture to 1.00 for exercise and yoga, expressive arts, and herbs (mean kappa = 0.75). Fourteen of the 20 websites mentioned meditation or mindfulness; 13 mentioned nutrition; 12 mentioned acupuncture; 11 mentioned exercise or yoga; 11 mentioned massage; 8 mentioned expressive arts; and 3 mentioned herbs. Frequencies for presence of either a description of the specific CAM therapy or an explanation of how the therapy works were lower. We then conducted a literature review using PUBMED to find peer-reviewed research on the efficacy of the previously described seven CAM therapies. The literature search focused on systematic reviews and meta-analyses published within the past 10 years. Based on the literature obtained, we created summaries of the scientific evidence for each CAM therapy. This information is now provided on our third-party website in tabular form with summative statements. The website describes in lay language: chemotherapy, chemotherapy side effects, CAM, seven specific CAM therapies, and evidence for the efficacy or lack thereof of each. Per the American Nurses Association (2015), it is our responsibility to advocate for our patients through education and holistic treatment. The role of the nurse is to educate the patient about treatment options; however, it is not within the nurse's scope of practice to prescribe a treatment. As such, this website should not be viewed as a prescription for CAM therapies, but instead as a user-friendly and easily accessible resource for informed decision-making regarding the adjunctive use of CAM therapies.
Created2017-12
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Description
As advanced as current cancer therapeutics are, there are still challenges that need to be addressed. One of them is the non-specific killing of normal cells in addition to cancerous cells. Ideal cancer therapeutics should be targeted specifically toward tumor cells. Due to the robust self-assembly and versatile addressability of

As advanced as current cancer therapeutics are, there are still challenges that need to be addressed. One of them is the non-specific killing of normal cells in addition to cancerous cells. Ideal cancer therapeutics should be targeted specifically toward tumor cells. Due to the robust self-assembly and versatile addressability of DNA-nanostructures, a DNA tetrahedron nanostructure was explored as a drug carrier. The nanostructure can be decorated with various molecules to either increase immunogenicity, toxicity, or affinity to a specific cell type. The efficiency of the specific binding and internalization of the chosen molecules was measured via flow cytometry. Using a murine B cell lymphoma as the model system, several targeting molecules have been evaluated for their specific binding and induced internalization of DNA nanostructures, including an anti-Igκ antibody, an idiotype-binding peptide, and a g-quadruplex nucleolin specific aptamer. It was found that adding the anti-Igκ antibody appeared to provide increased binding and facilitated cellular internalization. Also, it was found that the presence of CpG appeared to aid in the binding of nanostructures decorated with other molecules, as compared to nanostructures without CpG. The g-quadruplex aptamer thought to specifically bind cancer cells that overexpress nucleolin was tested and found to have better binding to cells when linked to the nanostructure than when alone. The drug doxorubicin was used to load the DNA-nanostructure and attempt to inhibit cancer cell growth. The DNA-nanostructure has the benefit of being self-assembled and customizable, and it has been shown to bind to and internalize into a cancer cell line. The next steps are to test the toxicity of the nanostructure as well as its specificity for cancerous cells compared to noncancerous cells. Furthermore, once those tests are completed the structure’s drug delivery capacity will be tested in tumor bearing mice. The DNA-nanostructure exhibits potential as a cancer specific therapeutic.
ContributorsGomez, Amber Marie (Author) / Chang, Yung (Thesis director) / Anderson, Karen (Committee member) / Liu, Xiaowei (Committee member) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description

I decided to combine my passion for music production/performance with my studies in Psychology to create this EP for my thesis project. I was able to write, record, and produce the project from my home using in-home recording equipment and software. The EP is comprised of five songs, each representing

I decided to combine my passion for music production/performance with my studies in Psychology to create this EP for my thesis project. I was able to write, record, and produce the project from my home using in-home recording equipment and software. The EP is comprised of five songs, each representing its own psychological disorder. The purpose of the project was to make conversations about mental health more accessible and to encourage the art community to address taboo topics through artistic mediums. Attached is the written portion of my thesis, the EP cover, and MP3's of the songs. The EP "Rocky" can be streamed on all streaming platforms under my artist name "Sydney Cramer". The track list is below: 1. Illusion- PTSD 2. Thunder- Bipolar I Disorder 3. Castle- Generalized Anxiety Disorder 4. Baby Blue- Postpartum Depression 5. Pity Party- Major Depressive Disorder

ContributorsCramer, Sydney (Author) / Dombrowski, Rosemarie (Thesis director) / Cavanaugh-Toft, Carolyn (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2023-05
ContributorsCramer, Sydney (Author) / Dombrowski, Rosemarie (Thesis director) / Cavanaugh-Toft, Carolyn (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2023-05
ContributorsCramer, Sydney (Author) / Dombrowski, Rosemarie (Thesis director) / Cavanaugh-Toft, Carolyn (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2023-05
Description

Director Wes Anderson enlisted the talents of composer Mark Mothersbaugh for his first four films (1996-2004), but suddenly decided to turn to composer Alexandre Desplat for the following five films (2009-2021). The question arises as to why this would be the case. In this paper I explore the career backgrounds

Director Wes Anderson enlisted the talents of composer Mark Mothersbaugh for his first four films (1996-2004), but suddenly decided to turn to composer Alexandre Desplat for the following five films (2009-2021). The question arises as to why this would be the case. In this paper I explore the career backgrounds of Mothersbaugh and Desplat including their musical influences and styles. I then examine Mothersbaugh’s music for The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and Desplat’s score for The French Dispatch. I analyze the use of music in these films and how it relates to the characters, their feelings, and their thoughts as well as how the music is intertwined with Anderson’s unique direction style. Part of this investigation will highlight the musical styles used, the mixture between composed and borrowed music, and the function of the music in the film to discover the similarities and differences between the two composers. With this paper I hope to fill a gap in the literature on film studies focused on the work of Anderson.

ContributorsReynolds, Margaret (Author) / Feisst, Sabine (Thesis director) / Busch, Ashlee (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Music, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor)
Created2023-05
ContributorsCramer, Sydney (Author) / Dombrowski, Rosemarie (Thesis director) / Cavanaugh-Toft, Carolyn (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2023-05
ContributorsCramer, Sydney (Author) / Dombrowski, Rosemarie (Thesis director) / Cavanaugh-Toft, Carolyn (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2023-05
ContributorsCramer, Sydney (Author) / Dombrowski, Rosemarie (Thesis director) / Cavanaugh-Toft, Carolyn (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2023-05