Being and Becoming a U.S. Iraq War Veteran: An Exploration of the Social Construction of an Emerging Identity

Background: Traditional perspectives of veteran mental health are grounded in physiological and psychological principles of trauma response and recovery. An alternative perspective is needed for the provision of culturally relevant healthcare to our nation\u27s newest veterans. Research Question: Based on the premise that each veteran cohort has a characteristically identifiable cultural form and process of cultural identification and negotiated development, the research question guiding this study was, What is the culture of the Iraq War veteran? Study Aim: The purpose of this study was to describe, from social constructivist perspective, Operation Iraqi Freedom [OIF] veteran cultural identity development. Study Design and Method: A qualitative, explorative, ethnographic research method was utilized. Veterans participated in one of three participation options: Medical chart review only, Focus group only, or Medical chart review and Focus groups. Eleven veterans participated in the focus group and medical chart review option; one veteran participated in the medical chart review, only, option. A structured interview guide was used to prompt veteran narrative. Data Analysis: Content analysis of medical chart documentation, including mental health, behavioral health, and psychotherapy documentation, and constant comparison data analysis of verbatim transcription of focus group discussion. Results: A conceptual model of Iraq War veteran cultural identity development, based on five dynamic processes of identity resolution, is proposed. The five concepts of the model are: (1) Societal Visitation, (2) Awareness of Permanent Displacement, (3) Dilemma of Transfigured Purpose, (4) Reevaluation of Belongingness, and (5) Identity Confluence. Nursing Implications: Understanding the culture of the Iraq War veteran is an essential foundation for socially-invested and culturally appropriate nursing and interdisciplinary provider responsiveness in addressing the healthcare needs of Iraq War veterans and their families. To promote a relationship of reciprocal involvement with its Iraq War veterans, study findings and the proposed conceptual model can be used by Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and non-VA clinicians to describe and further investigate the contextual and consensual processes of Iraq War veteran cultural identity development

Strategie konstruowania własnej przyszłości i orientacja życiowa a planowanie perspektywy zawodowej u progu dorosłości

Decisions concerning education and professional development constitute the majority of young people’s independently taken decisions. These choices are significantly influenced by planning one’s future and life orientation – understood as dispositional optimism or pessimism. The aim of this study is to show the relationship between future planning strategies, life orientation and educational and occupational decisions of young people, as well as to find factors influencing these decisions. The sample consisted of 134 students of the final high school grades (81 participants were female, 53 participants were male). Future Constructing Strategies Questionnaire, Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) and a survey were administered. The results indicate that students prefer to construct their future using realistic strategy. They perceive education as a means of getting a well-paid job. Difficulties with finding a job in their field and high competition in the labor market are their most common concerns related to professional development.Decyzje dotyczące edukacji i rozwoju zawodowego stanowią większość podejmowanych przez młodzież samodzielnie decyzji. Zauważa się, iż istotny wpływ ma na nie konstruowanie przyszłości oraz orientacja życiowa, rozumiana jako dyspozycyjny optymizm bądź pesymizm. Celem pracy jest ukazanie związku strategii konstruowania przyszłości i orientacji życiowej oraz decyzji edukacyjnych i zawodowych osób u progu dorosłości, a także sprawdzenie, jakie czynniki wpływają na wybory edukacyjne młodych ludzi. Badani uczniowie klas maturalnych liceów ogólnokształcących (134 osoby, w tym 81 kobiet i 53 mężczyzn). Zastosowano ankietę własnego autorstwa, Test Orientacji Życiowej LOT-R oraz Kwestionariusz Strategii Konstruowania Przyszłości (KSKP) Celiny Timoszyk-Tomczak. Uzyskane wyniki wskazują, że osoby u progu dorosłości wybierają realistyczną strategię konstruowania przyszłości. W wykształceniu młodzi ludzie upatrują szansy na zdobycie dobrze płatnej pracy. Wśród obaw związanych z rozwojem zawodowym pojawiają się trudności w znalezieniu zajęcia zgodnego z wykształceniem oraz duża konkurencja na rynku pracy

A highly sensitive electrochemical genosensor based on Co-porphyrin-labelled DNA

We report the use of Co-porphyrins as electrochemical tags for a highly sensitive and selective genosensor. An avian influenza virus-based DNA sequence characteristic of H5N1 was detected at femtomolar levels from competing non-complementary sequences through hybridisation with the labeled DNA

Antibody response to DNA vaccine against H5N1 avian influenza virus in broilers immunized according to three schedules.

Broiler type chickens were immunized intramuscularly with a DNA vaccine encoding hemagglutinin (HA) from H5N1 avian influenza virus. The chickens were divided into four groups: control group which was not immunized, a group which obtained only one dose, and two groups which were immunized twice, one group with a boost two weeks after the priming and the other four weeks. Blood samples were collected at several time points and the dynamics of the humoral response to the vaccine was studied. High level of anti-HA antibodies was detected only in the last two groups, that is in chickens immunized according to the prime-boost strategy, regardless of the schedule. An additional interesting observation of this study was detection of the cross-reactivity of an anti-H5 HA positive serum with H5N2 and H1N1 viruses, suggesting that the DNA vaccine tested can induce antibodies of a broad specificity

Immunogenicity of DNA Vaccine against H5N1 Containing Extended Kappa B Site: In Vivo Study in Mice and Chickens

Influenza is one of the most important illnesses in the modern world, causing great public health losses each year due to the lack of medication and broadly protective, long-lasting vaccines. The development of highly immunogenic and safe vaccines is currently one of the major problems encountered in efficient influenza prevention. DNA vaccines represent a novel and powerful alternative to the conventional vaccine approaches. To improve the efficacy of the DNA vaccine against influenza H5N1, we inserted three repeated kappa B (κB) motifs, separated by a 5-bp nucleotide spacer, upstream of the cytomegalovirus promoter and downstream of the SV40 late polyadenylation signal. The κB motif is a specific DNA element (10pb-long) recognized by one of the most important transcription factors NFκB. NFκB is present in almost all animal cell types and upon cell stimulation under a variety of pathogenic conditions. NFκB is released from IκB and translocates to the nucleus and binds to κB sites, thereby leading to enhanced transcription and expression of downstream genes. We tested the variants of DNA vaccine with κB sites flanking the antigen expression cassette and without such sites in two animal models: chickens (broilers and layers) and mice (BALB/c). In chickens, the variant with κB sites stimulated stronger humoral response against the target antigen. In mice, the differences in humoral response were less apparent. Instead, it was possible to spot several gene expression differences in the spleens isolated from mice immunized with both variants. The results of our study indicate that modification of the sequence outside of the sequence encoding the antigen might enhance the immune response to the target but understanding the mechanisms responsible for this process requires further analysis

Electrochemical genosensor based on disc and screen printed goldelectrodes for detection of specific DNA and RNA sequences derivedfrom Avian Influenza Virus H5N1

tThe genosensors based on thiolated ssDNA probe deposited on the two types of gold electrodes: screen-printed (miniaturized) and disc electrodes destined for determination of specific sequences of DNA andRNA derived from Avian Influenza Virus H5N1 have been proposed. The working principle of genosensor isbased on the ion-channel mechanism. The analytical signals generated upon hybridization processes wererecorded using electrochemical technique – Osteryoung square wave voltammetry in the presence of aredox active marker [Fe(CN)6]3−/4−in the sample solution. The miniaturized genosensor based on screenprinted gold electrodes was able to detect the 20-mer complementary DNA oligonucleotide sequence aswell as ∼280-mer RNA sequences containing the complementary 20-mer sequence in various positions:at 3�-terminus, at 5�-terminus and in the middle of the RNA transcript at the 1 pM concentration. Themeasuring systems were selective. Non-complementary 20-mer oligonucleotide sequence as well asRNA transcript without complementary region generated weak response. The RNA transcripts were alsotested with gold disc electrodes modified in the same manner. This device was able to detect ∼280-mer RNA sequences, but at higher concentration of 10 pM. The good discrimination of the position ofcomplementary part in the ∼280-mer RNA sequences was observed with using both types of modifiedelectrodes

Response to a DNA vaccine against the H5N1 virus depending on the chicken line and number of doses

Background Avian influenza virus infections cause significant economic losses on poultry farms and pose the threat of a possible pandemic outbreak. Routine vaccination of poultry against avian influenza is not recommended in Europe, however it has been ordered in some other countries, and more countries are considering use of the avian influenza vaccine as a component of their control strategy. Although a variety of such vaccines have been tested, most research has concentrated on specific antibodies and challenge experiments. Methods We monitored the transcriptomic response to a DNA vaccine encoding hemagglutinin from the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus in the spleens of broiler and layer chickens. Moreover, in layer chickens the response to one and two doses of the vaccine was compared. Results All groups of birds immunized with two doses of the vaccine responded at the humoral level by producing specific anti-hemagglutinin antibodies. A response to the vaccine was also detected in the spleen transcriptomes. Differential expression of many genes encoding noncoding RNA and proteins functionally connected to the neuroendocrine-immune system was observed in different immunized groups

Marketing mix w działalności gospodarstw agroturystycznych południowego Podlasi

Marketing mix to jedna z dominujących idei współczesnego marketingu. Stanowi ona kombinację kilku narzędzi, którymi posługuje się firma aby osiągnąć pożądane cele na rynku docelowym. Cel: Głównym celem pracy jest identyfikacja i prezentacja narzędzi marketingowych, marketingu mix w działalności właścicieli gospodarstw agroturystycznych w powiecie bialskopodlaskim. W badaniach wzięło udział 14 gospodarstw agroturystycznych należących do Podlaskiego Stowarzyszenia Agroturystycznego. W pracy wykorzystano metodę sondażu diagnostycznego z zastosowaniem autorskiej ankiety na temat narzędzi marketingu mix w gospodarstwach agroturystycznych. Wyniki badań: Uzyskane wyniki ukazują najważniejsze wymagania klientów i mocne strony produktu agroturystycznego, oraz sposób doboru oferty. Prezentują sposoby kształtowania cen oferty, oraz sposoby informowania i niej klientów oraz rodzaje zachęt promocyjnych. Najważniejsze wymaganie klientów to czyste środowisko przyrodnicze, najmocniejsza strona oferty to piękna okolica, a w kształtowaniu oferty najważniejsze są sugestie klientów. Największe znaczenie w agroturystycznym marketingu mix ma element cenowy, a działania promocyjne skutecznie decydują o atrakcyjności oferty

Ultrasensitive electrochemical genosensor for direct detection of specific RNA sequences derived from avian influenza viruses present in biological samples

An electrochemical genosensor based on an epoxyphenanthroline–Fe(III)–NH2-ssDNA layer for the detection of RNA derived from Avian Influenza is presented. The biosensor preparation consists of: (I) modification of gold electrodes with aminoethanethiol, (II) modification of the self-assembled monolayer of aminoethanethiol with 5,6-epoxy-5,6-dihydro-[1,10]-phenanthroline using “click” chemistry, (III) a first step of complexation of Fe(III) by 5,6-epoxy-5,6-dihydro-[1,10]-phenanthroline, (IV) a second step of complexation of Fe(III) by 5,6-epoxy-5,6-dihydro-[1,10]-phenanthroline, (V) immobilization of the single stranded amino-DNA probe via “click” chemistry between epoxy and amino groups. The interactions between the ssDNA probe and RNA targets were explored with Osteryoung Square Wave Voltammetry. The genosensor showed a remarkable detection limit of 3 copies/μL (5 aM) for RNA extracted from A/swan/Poland/305/06 (H5N1) containing a fully complementary sequence. A linear dynamic range for this sequence was observed from 3.0×103 to 3.0×105 [copies/μl]. RNA extracted from A/mallard/Poland/446/09 (H7N7), containing a non-complementary sequence, generated a much weaker response. Moreover, the developed genosensor allows to distinguish RNA present in biological samples having 2, 3 and 4 mismatches. This biosensing approach can become a potential alternative tool for detecting RNA samples in biomedical research and early clinical diagnosis of avian influenza viruses