The Role of Stigma in the Barriers to Mental Health Treatment in the Arab Culture.

Mental illness is a complex issue that affects individuals worldwide, including those in Arab culture. Unfortunately, mental illness stigma often prevents individuals from seeking help, leading to negative consequences. However, several approaches can be implemented to decrease the stigma of mental illness among Arabs. The stigma of mental illness in the Arab region is a persistent issue. This stigma can and often leads to barriers to treatment for individuals seeking treatment. The research found in this literature review supports the existence of multiple stigma related barriers of families, religion, and acculturation, that can make it particularly difficult for Arab individuals to seek help. The stigma associated with mental illness by the culture can be a major determiner of this being a leading cause in their region. This literature review found that mental health care providers, religious leaders, and the media, can spread awareness and education to reduce the stigma of mental illness among Arabs

Evaluation of Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Early Skin Cancers: Skin of all Color

Skin cancer is a common medical condition that can be encountered in a multitude of clinical settings. Early detection and prompt treatment are critical to optimize patient outcome and quality of life. It is important to keep in mind that people of all skin colors can suffer from malignant skin lesions. Due to the unique presentation of such lesions, it is necessary for all medical professionals to have the clinical ability to detect potentially dangerous neoplasms on all skin tones as early as possible

What to expect when your patient is expecting: Education, stress and pregnancy

Many pregnant women are plagued by the fear that peripartum stress actually has negative cognitive effects on their children. The research does indicate that there is some correlation between obstetric anxiety or depression and increased propensities toward childhood mental illness. Given this information, primary care providers should educate women about the risks unabated stress can have on their child, with a specific focus on stress reduction techniques and a frequent dialogue regarding mental well-being in the primary care setting. Policies can also be adopted to address mental health concerns by utilizing psychiatric midwives who can check on mothers more frequently than primary care providers can. Ultimately, greater awareness and education on the effects of peripartum stress on a child\u27s well-being can reduce some of the deleterious effects noted in early childhood

The Manifestation of Intra Gender Oppression in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale as Results From Intentional Patriarchal Power Structures

Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale has long been studied for its cautionary warnings about sexist ideologies that exist between men and women; seldom has it been analyzed for instances of intra gender oppression. Intra gender oppression, which this thesis seeks to define and highlight through the novel’s context, offers artificial forms of power to those in oppressed classes, enough to attract women themselves to participate in the indoctrination and policing of their own sex. This essay will highlight the ways in which Atwood’s dystopia parallels sexist beliefs held by societies past and present

Rashes; Dangerous or Benign

Certain rashes can be difficult to clinically diagnose early in their disease progression. Poor sensitivity and specificity with diagnostics also contribute to delayed or misdiagnosis. This ultimately can result in high mortality rates and poor patient outcomes. A provider must overcome those obstacles by ensuring a thorough, systematic approach is taken in regard to understanding patient history, and identifying any red flags and risk factors associated with the rash. In addition, this article outlines physical exam findings that are specific towards diagnosing certain rashes, as well as findings that warrant a more serious work-up and possibly, hospital admission

Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Monitoring in the Acute Period

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a dangerous and life-threatening condition with significant morbidity and mortality, with an incidence of aSAH of approximately 10-15 individuals per 100,000 annually in the United States. Understanding the etiology, pathophysiology, presentation, diagnosis, and treatment guidelines are critical to reducing the risk of severe complications such as vasospasm, delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), rebleeding, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, hydrocephalus, and elevated intracranial pressure. This article summarizes the key aspects of the diagnostic process in patients with aSAH and treatment options in the acute period post-hemorrhage

Navigating Femininity: Queen Elizabeth I and the Armada Portrait

By analyzing the iconographic program of the Armada Portrait, this essay demonstrates the various visual strategies that Queen Elizabeth I employed in order to navigate certain gendered, cultural barriers present in Early Modern England. I argue throughout this essay that Elizabeth was meticulous in her delicate dance of bolstering her individual authority, while not radically undermining the patriarchal dispensation in which she lived and ruled. In particular, I demonstrate that Queen Elizabeth I effectively utilized the visual arts to control the public perception of her reign in ways unique to female regnants, as she both confirmed and denied her femininity. Cognizant of cultural barriers experienced by women, the artist of the Armada Portrait employed iconography that acknowledged and challenged values that condemned women rulers who sought power and praised those who passively acknowledged their position. The attributes embedded within the composition of the Armada Portrait perform several functions, including allowing for ambiguous public perception of the Queen as both uniquely competent, yet also culturally complacent. The Armada Portrait demonstrates the capacity of the visual arts, and of Queen Elizabeth herself, to legitimize her reign, while simultaneously criticizing the regime of Mary– a parallel figure unusual in her degree of power as a female ruler. Together, these circumstances reveal that even during opportunities for female agency, as evidenced in the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, that there still existed cultural barriers for women, such as prevailing conjectures of their natural inferiority. Through the investigation of the Armada Portrait, I have expanded the scope for exploring the efficacy of portraiture as propaganda and a tool to navigate femininity in a sea of patriarchal systems

Applications of Psilocybin in the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders

Psilocybin is a natural chemical compound that can be found within a myriad of mushroom species such as the genera Psilocybe, Inocybe, Pluteus, Gymnopilus, and Pholiotina. It has been used for centuries for its hallucinogenic properties both recreationally and for religious rituals dating back to the Aztec Indians. In modern day, it has been theorized to produce psychoactive effects on the brain, making it a potential psychopharmaceutical modality to help amplify the effects of psychotherapy in the treatment of a myriad of psychological pathologies such as major depressive disorder (MDD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and more. This article seeks to summarize the proposed mechanism of action of psilocybin on the brain, discuss the psychosocial factors that go into psilocybin treatment and analyze the current research being done to investigate this promising new treatment for various mental health disorders

Enhancing Plant Care with Osmo: An Affordable, Modular System for Remote Soil Moisture Monitoring and Hydration Control Powered by Raspberry Pi

Osmo is an innovative, cost-effective modular system designed for efficient plant care through remote soil moisture monitoring and hydration management. Utilizing Raspberry Pi technology, Osmo\u27s integrated sensor network constantly measures soil moisture levels to ensure optimal plant growth. When moisture levels fall below the pre-determined threshold, the system automatically hydrates the soil, maintaining ideal moisture conditions. To facilitate easy access to vital plant information, Osmo transmits real-time soil moisture data and pump status updates to a user-friendly web app. This app also provides a live video feed of the plant, allowing users to monitor their plants\u27 health from any internet-connected device, including laptops and smartphones. With its affordable and accessible design, Osmo offers a comprehensive solution for those seeking a convenient method to manage and monitor plant care remotely

Effects of Duckweed on Mosquito Oviposition and Larval Survivorship

Invasive species are those non-natives to habitat and that negatively impact the environment or human health problems. Invasive mosquitoes threaten the environment and humans, as they transmit 17% of infectious diseases including malaria, West Nile virus and yellow fever. Aedes japonicas and Aedes albopictus are invasive mosquitoes that often deposit eggs in artificial containers. Chemical pesticides, such as Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI), utilizes endospores to release toxins into the larvae. However, BTI creates negative consequences for the environment and other species. Many plants are being examined to see if they can act as natural pesticides. Duckweeds are native to North America and commonly found in freshwater creeks and rivers. Duckweeds present unfavorable mechanisms for survival. It forms thick mats on the surface of the water, which decreases total sunlight and nutrient available for larvae. This study examined the effect of duckweeds (Spirodela polyrhiza and Lemna minor) on the oviposition and larval survivorship of invasive mosquitoes and the possibility of duckweeds being a natural method of mosquito population control. A total of 16,490 A. japonicas and A. albopictus with significantly more eggs laid in non-duckweed treatments (x̄= 419) versus those with duckweed (x̄= 124). Aedes mosquitoes tend to avoid sites with duckweed as these plants greatly decrease larval survivorship as 75% survivor in the control treatment compared to 10% in duckweed treatment. The presence of S. polyrhiza and L. minor also decreases oviposition and larval survivorship in other species. Duckweeds could act as a natural pesticide to better reduce invasive mosquito populations, and thus improving disease transmission to humans