Ritual, Music, Sociability and Censure: Making a Film on Sufi \u27dhikr\u27 in Egypt

The author describes her experiences attending and filming the Sufi ritual of communal dhikr in order to create an educational videotape approximately a half-hour in length that would include commentary and translation of some of the lyrics and could convey Sufi dhikr as ritual, art (in the form of music and poetry), and social event. Dhikr is the remembrance of God through concentrated repetition of some of his Beautiful Names, accompanied by stylized movements of the body such as bowing or swinging from side to side, often employing methods of breath control and done in some countries (Egypt included) to musical accompaniment

Influence of Assigned Reading on Senior Medical Student Clinical Performance

Objective: This Institutional Review Board-approved, prospective, observational study compared the clinical performance of senior medical students in an emergency medicine (EM) clerkship using a clinical behavioral evaluation tool in which one group had mandatory, topic specific readings and the other did not.Methods: The study took place in an urban, tertiary referral center emergency department treating 43,000 patients annually and supporting medical student clerkships and an EM residency. The grades of two groups of senior medical students participating in an elective EM clerkship were compared. Those students during the 2002-2004 academic years were not assigned mandatory, topic-specific reading for the clerkship, while those during the 2004-2007 academic years were. The groups were compared on baseline demographic information, prior academic performance, and EM clerkship grade distributions using appropriate statistical techniques, including multinomial logistic regression, chi-square tests, and Fisher’s Exact tests.Results: The control and experimental groups each had 83 subjects and were similar in baseline characteristics, except for the control group performing better than the experimental group during the basic science training of medical school (years 1-2; p=0.01). The experimental group had statistically significant more members in the EM Interest Group (EMIG; p=0.0001) and more members who went on to match in an EM residency (p=0.0007). The difference in grade distributions between the control group and experimental group was not statistically significant (p=0.40). Of note, those student members of the EMIG (p=0.0005) and those later matching to an emergency medicine residency (p<0.0001) were more likely to earn a grade of “honors” for the clerkship.Conclusion: The addition of uniform, topic-specific reading assignments to an EM senior medical student curriculum does not improve the overall clinical performance of those students as measured using a clinical behavioral evaluation tool.[WestJEM. 2009;10:23-29.

Trends in western Kentucky ceramic assemblages

Thesis (B.A.) in Liberal Arts and Sciences -- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1988.Bibliography: leaves 25-30.Microfiche of typescript. [Urbana, Ill.]: Photographic Services, University of Illinois, U of I Library, [1988]. 1 microfiche (38 frames): negative

A Therapist-guided Smartphone App for Major Depression in Young Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Meru Health Program (MHP) is a therapist-guided, 8-week intervention for depression delivered via smartphone. The aim was to test its efficacy in patients with clinical depression in a Finnish university student health service. Methods: Patients (n=124, women 72.6%, mean age 25y) were stratified based on antidepressant status, and randomized into intervention group receiving MHP plus treatment as usual (TAU), and control group receiving TAU only. Depression, measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale, was the primary outcome. After baseline (T0), follow-ups were at mid-intervention (T4), immediately post-intervention (T8); 3 months (T20), and 6 months (T32) post-intervention. Results: The intervention group and control group did not have significant differences in depression outcomes throughout end of treatment and follow-up. Among secondary outcomes, increase in resilience (d=0.32, p=0.03) and mindfulness (d=0.57, p=0.002), and reduction in perceived stress (d=-0.52, p=0.008) were greater in MHP+TAU versus TAU at T32; no differences were found in anxiety, sleep disturbances, and quality of life between groups. Post-hoc comparisons of patients on antidepressants showed significantly greater reduction in depression at T32 for MHP+TAU versus TAU (d=-0.73, p=0.01); patients not on antidepressants showed no between-group differences. Limitations: Limitations include unknown characteristics of TAU, potential bias from patients and providers not being blinded to treatment group, and failure to specify examination of differences by antidepressant status in the protocol. Conclusions: Most outcomes, including depression, did not significantly differ between MHP+TAU and TAU. Exploratory analysis revealed intervention effect at the end of the 6-month follow-up among patients on antidepressant medication.Background: Meru Health Program (MHP) is a therapist-guided, 8-week intervention for depression delivered via smartphone. The aim was to test its efficacy in patients with clinical depression in a Finnish university student health service.& nbsp; Methods: Patients (n=124, women 72.6%, mean age 25y) were stratified based on antidepressant status, and randomized into intervention group receiving MHP plus treatment as usual (TAU), and control group receiving TAU only. Depression, measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale, was the primary outcome. After baseline (T0), follow-ups were at mid-intervention (T4), immediately post-intervention (T8); 3 months (T20), and 6 months (T32) post-intervention.& nbsp; Results: The intervention group and control group did not have significant differences in depression outcomes throughout end of treatment and follow-up. Among secondary outcomes, increase in resilience (d=0.32, p=0.03) and mindfulness (d=0.57, p=0.002), and reduction in perceived stress (d=-0.52, p=0.008) were greater in MHP+TAU versus TAU at T32; no differences were found in anxiety, sleep disturbances, and quality of life between groups. Post-hoc comparisons of patients on antidepressants showed significantly greater reduction in depression at T32 for MHP+TAU versus TAU (d=-0.73, p=0.01); patients not on antidepressants showed no between-group differences.& nbsp; Limitations: Limitations include unknown characteristics of TAU, potential bias from patients and providers not being blinded to treatment group, and failure to specify examination of differences by antidepressant status in the protocol.& nbsp; & nbsp;Conclusions: Most outcomes, including depression, did not significantly differ between MHP+TAU and TAU. Exploratory analysis revealed intervention effect at the end of the 6-month follow-up among patients on anti-depressant medication.Peer reviewe

Long-Term Outcomes of a Therapist-Supported, Smartphone-Based Intervention for Elevated Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety : Quasiexperimental, Pre-Postintervention Study

Background: Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders and severely impacts one's physical, psychological, and social functioning. To address access barriers to care, we developed Ascend-a smartphone-delivered, therapist-supported, 8-week intervention based on several evidence-based psychological treatments for depression and anxiety. A previous feasibility study with 102 adults with elevated depression reported that Ascend is associated with a postintervention reduction in depression symptoms. Objective: We aimed to examine whether Ascend is associated with a reduction in symptoms of anxiety, and importantly, whether reductions in symptoms of depression and anxiety are maintained up to 12-months postintervention. Methods: We assessed whether the previously reported, end-of-treatment improvements seen in the 102 adults with elevated symptoms of depression extended up to 12 months posttreatment for depression symptoms (measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9]) and up to 6 months posttreatment for anxiety symptoms (added to the intervention later and measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 [GAD-7] scale). We used linear mixed effects models with Tukey contrasts to compare time points and reported intention-to-treat statistics with a sensitivity analysis. Results: The intervention was associated with reductions in symptoms of depression that were maintained 12 months after the program (6.67-point reduction in PHQ-9 score, 95% CI 5.59-7.75; P= 10) reported clinically significant improvement at the 12-month follow-up (at least 50% reduction in PHQ-9 score and postprogram score Conclusions: There is limited evidence on whether outcomes associated with smartphone-based interventions for common mental health problems are maintained posttreatment. Participants who enrolled in Ascend experienced clinically significant reductions in symptoms of depression and anxiety that were maintained for up to 1 year and 6 months after the intervention, respectively. Future randomized trials are warranted to test Ascend as a scalable solution to the treatment of depression and anxiety.Peer reviewe

Production and optimization of 198/199 gold nanoparticles for potential use in cancer therapy [abstract]

Abstract only availableRadiopharmaceuticals are used to diagnose and treat a number of diseases such as bone cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. A radiopharmaceutical typically consists of a targeting molecule that selectively targets certain tumors. The targeting molecule is labeled with a radioactive atom(s) that delivers a dose of radiation to the tumor. The radioactive properties of Au-198 ([beta]- = 0.96 MeV; [gamma] = 411 KeV) and Au-199 ([beta]- = 0.45 MeV; [gamma] = 158 KeV) with their beta (therapeutic) and gamma (imaging) emission make them valuable candidates for both therapeutic and imaging applications. Gold nanoparticles have several properties that make them particularly interesting for use in radiopharmaceuticals. They are stable in vivo, have multiple atoms per particle and are small enough in size to deliver a radioactive dose directly to cancer cells. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the binding properties of the nanoparticles with reducing and stabilizing agents. This knowledge will aid in future attempts to label the particles with various antibodies and peptides for tumor targeted delivery of the drug. Next, investigate the relationship between particle size and the amount of reducing agent used was studied with varying amounts and types of carbohydrate stabilizers. Our goal is to establish a library of nanoparticles with varying sizes that can be conjugated with different biomolecules that are selective for receptors over expressed by the diseased tissue. In future studies we also plan to pursue an indirect method of preparing radioactive Au-199 nanoparticles at carrier free levels from beta decay of Pt-199.Life Sciences Undergraduate Research Opportunity Progra

Feasibility and Efficacy of the Addition of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback to a Remote Digital Health Intervention for Depression

A rise in the prevalence of depression underscores the need for accessible and effective interventions. The objectives of this study were to determine if the addition of a treatment component showing promise in treating depression, heart rate variability-biofeedback (HRV-B), to our original smartphone-based, 8-week digital intervention was feasible and whether patients in the HRV-B ("enhanced") intervention were more likely to experience clinically significant improvements in depressive symptoms than patients in our original ("standard") intervention. We used a quasi-experimental, non-equivalent (matched) groups design to compare changes in symptoms of depression in the enhanced group (n = 48) to historical outcome data from the standard group (n = 48). Patients in the enhanced group completed a total average of 3.86 h of HRV-B practice across 25.8 sessions, and were more likely to report a clinically significant improvement in depressive symptom score post-intervention than participants in the standard group, even after adjusting for differences in demographics and engagement between groups (adjusted OR 3.44, 95% CI [1.28-9.26], P = .015). Our findings suggest that adding HRV-B to an app-based, smartphone-delivered, remote intervention for depression is feasible and may enhance treatment outcomes.Peer reviewe

Screening for Major Depressive Disorder in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is common among children and adolescents and is associated with functional impairment and suicide. PURPOSE: To update the 2009 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) systematic review on screening for and treatment of MDD in children and adolescents in primary care settings. DATA SOURCES: Several electronic searches (May 2007 to February 2015) and searches of reference lists of published literature. STUDY SELECTION: Trials and recent systematic reviews of treatment, test-retest studies of screening, and trials and large cohort studies for harms. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were abstracted by 1 investigator and checked by another; 2 investigators independently assessed study quality. DATA SYNTHESIS: Limited evidence from 5 studies showed that such tools as the Beck Depression Inventory and Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents had reasonable accuracy for identifying MDD among adolescents in primary care settings. Six trials evaluated treatment. Several individual fair- and good-quality studies of fluoxetine, combined fluoxetine and cognitive behavioral therapy, escitalopram, and collaborative care demonstrated benefits of treatment among adolescents, with no associated harms. LIMITATION: The review included only English-language studies, narrow inclusion criteria focused only on MDD, high thresholds for quality, potential publication bias, limited data on harms, and sparse evidence on long-term outcomes of screening and treatment among children younger than 12 years. CONCLUSION: No evidence was found of a direct link between screening children and adolescents for MDD in primary care or similar settings and depression or other health-related outcomes. Evidence showed that some screening tools are accurate and some treatments are beneficial among adolescents (but not younger children), with no evidence of associated harms. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

The Grizzly, September 28, 2016

Campus Safety Takes Safety Initiatives • Poet Comes to UC • ESL Program Promotes Community Between Students and Staff • New Club Aims to Get Money Out of Politics • Shakespeare in the Summer of Love • Family Day Branches Out • Opinions: Let\u27s (Finally) Talk About Sex Addiction; Frank Ocean\u27s Blonde was Worth Waiting For • Ursinus Men\u27s and Women\u27s Cross Country Team Off to a Hot Start • Rare Breed: The Two-Sport Athletehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1650/thumbnail.jp