Synthesis and Characterization of Nanoparticle-Coupled Proteins in Human Serum Albumin

Recently, cancer has become an ever-growing issue and has led to many researchers attempt to unravel the mystery of the disease. This research has led to a promising field of treatment: nanotechnology-coupled pharmaceuticals. Nanoparticles act as a whole unit when in conjugation with other molecules and add to the carrier molecule, most often proteins, benefits the nanoparticles themselves possess. One such carrier protein that can be conjugated with nanoparticles is Human Serum Albumin (HSA). Albumin is of interest in cancer research for two reasons: it is native to the human vasculature so it does not elicit immunological reactions, and it has tumor specificity. HSA made its main debut in cancer treatment when it was used to encapsulate Paclitaxel, an FDA approved cancer drug, to improve the drug delivery capabilities to hypoxic tumor cores via poly-nitroxylated nanoparticles. The primary goal of this study was to modify nitroxyl-decorated human serum albumin to stabilize Paclitaxel in order to synthesize a spin-albumin-stabilized Paclitaxel nanoparticle that will act as a cancer carrying protein with improved targeting of hypoxic tumor cores for cancer drug delivery while also having the nanoparticles add additional therapeutic properties to the drug complex: namely acting as an antioxidant and vasodilator. Data obtained from High Pressure Liquid Homogenization indicated that Paclitaxel was successfully loaded into nitroxyl-decorated HSA and nanoparticles formed in the correct size range of 100-200nm. Electron Spin Resonance data and spectroscopy data also confirmed the loading of Paclitaxel and allowed for the quantification of the number of loaded drug molecules

The Royal Lykaian Altar Shall Bear Witness: History and Religion in Southwestern Arcadia

THE ROYAL LYKAIAN ALTAR SHALL BEAR WITNESS: HISTORY AND RELIGION IN SOUTHWESTERN ARCADIA Kyle W. Mahoney Jeremy McInerney This dissertation surveys the history of the sanctuary of Zeus on Mt. Lykaion and its environment, from the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1600-1100 B.C.) to the Roman imperial period (ca. A.D. 200). I begin with a review of the myth traditions attached to the landscape, suggesting that these were familiar to Greek speakers all over the Mediterranean from early times. We can see their influence in our earliest poets, Homer and Hesiod, who indirectly acknowledge the birth of Zeus on Mt. Lykaion and other local myths. The remainder of Chapter 1 discusses Mt. Lykaion through a comparative mythological and linguistic lens. In Chapter 2, I argue that during the Bronze and Early Iron Ages Mt. Lykaion was closely connected to the mountainous area defined by the Alpheios, Neda, and Pamisos rivers. This fact is evidenced by shared cults and toponymy, conventions which are documented as early as the Pylian Linear B documents (ca. 1200 B.C.). From here I survey Mt. Lykaion in the Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods. I argue that Sparta’s incursions into northern Messenia, Arcadia, and Kynouria during the Archaic period pushed Mt. Lykaion into the orbit of the eastern Arcadian cities. The myths and heroic genealogies of the two regions were eventually fused, and by the mid-fourth century B.C. the traditions of Lykaion came to predominate. Chapter 3 concludes with a discussion of the relationship between the Arcadian League and the sanctuary of Zeus Lykaios. Chapter 4 is a history of the Lykaian Games from ca. 600-200 B.C. All literary and epigraphical sources documenting the festival are reviewed, and I maintain that it was held every four years in April or early May of the fourth Olympiad year. Chapter 5 investigates the relationship between Mt. Lykaion and Rome. I argue that around A.D. 1/2 the Lykaia were supplemented by games in honor of the Roman emperor (the Kaisareia) based upon the mythical pedigree of the Roman festival of the Lupercalia, which was said to have been a reproduction of the Lykaia

Searching for Satan in the Pre-War Devil Blues

While many scholars have aimed to address the devil as he appears in the lyrics of the blues, scholars have yet to directly address Satan as he appears in the blues. This paper aims to fill that gap in the existing literature, seeking answers to why devil appears so much more frequently than Satan. In reviewing the singular pre-war blues song which does mention Satan by name, Robert Johnson\u27s Me and the Devil Blues, the ways in which Satan and devil are used in the lyrics of other forms of African American music like the spiritual, and the cultural contexts from which this music emerged, this paper aims to note the possible different intentions behind each word\u27s use. The prominent divide in the sacred and secular use of Satan in the lyrics of pre-war African American music indicates that Johnson\u27s use was likely pointed, with Me and the Devil Blues demonstrating the generational tension of the interwar era. In beginning to understand the differences in the use of devil and Satan, this paper addresses a topic not yet prominently acknowledged in the field

Health-related behaviours of nurses and other healthcare professionals: a cross-sectional study using the Scottish health survey

Aims: To estimate the prevalence and co-occurrence of health-related behaviours among nurses in Scotland relative to other healthcare workers and those in non-healthcare occupations. Design: Secondary analysis of nationally representative cross-sectional data, reported following STROBE guidelines. Methods: Five rounds (2008-2012) of the Scottish Health Survey were aggregated to estimate the prevalence and co-occurrence of health-related behaviours (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, fruit/vegetable intake). The weighted sample (n=18,820) included 471 nurses (3%), 433 other healthcare professionals (2%), 813 unregistered care workers (4%), and 17,103 in non-healthcare occupations (91%). Logistic regression models compared prevalence of specific health-related behaviours and principal component analysis assessed co-occurrence of health-related behaviours between occupational groups. Results: Nurses reported significantly better health-related behaviours relative to the general working population for smoking, fruit/vegetable intake, and physical activity. No significant difference was found for alcohol consumption between occupational groups. Nurses reported lower levels of harmful co-occurring behaviours (tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption) and higher levels of preventative behaviours (physical activity and fruit/vegetable intake) compared to the general working population. Other healthcare professionals had the lowest level of harmful health behaviours and highest level of preventative health behaviours. Health-related behaviours were poorest among unregistered care workers. Conclusion: Nurses’ health-related behaviours were better than the general population but non-adherence to public health guidelines was concerning. Impact: Nurses play an important role in health promotion through patient advice and role-modelling effects. To maximise their impact healthcare providers should prioritise increasing access to healthy food, alcohol awareness and smoking cessation programmes

Wearable activity trackers for nurses' health: A qualitative acceptability study.

This is the final version. Available from Wiley via the DOI in this record. DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT: The data for this study are not publicly available. Kyle, Mahoney, Hoyle and Van Splunter confirm that they had full access to all the data in the study, and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.AIM: To assess the practical, social and ethical acceptability of the use of a POLAR® H7 chest-strap wearable device to influence health behaviours among pre-registered nurses. DESIGN: Qualitative acceptability study including a simulated test of use reported using COREQ guidelines. METHODS: Pre-registered nurses simulated nine nursing tasks while wearing the chest strap in a clinical simulation facility in a Scottish university in 2016. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted to assess technology acceptance with participants who did and did not participate in the simulated nursing tasks. Focus groups and interviews were transcribed and analysed thematically guided by a theoretical model of technology acceptance. RESULTS: Pre-registered nurses thought the use of chest-strap devices to monitor their own health in real-time was acceptable. However, participants shared that it was important that the use of technology was inclusive and supportive of nurses' health and cautioned against misuse of data from wearable devices for individual performance management or stigmatisation

Strategies to promote nurses ' health: A qualitative study with student nurses

Developing strategies to support student nurses' health is a global priority for healthcare organisations and governments. This is because emerging international evidence indicates that improvements in student nurses' health are required to increase the longevity of careers and reduce the loss of time, skill and financial cost of sickness absence and workforce exit. However, we do not know what intervention strategies student nurses think would support their health. The study aim was to explore student nurses' views on factors that influence health-related behaviours and strategies that could improve health. Data were collected through participatory activities during focus groups with student nurses in Scotland. Analysis was theoretically informed and involved mapping to the Behaviour Change Wheel framework. Students identified several factors that influenced health-related behaviours. Four were ranked most important: knowledge, culture, time constraints, and stress. Strategies student nurses thought should be prioritised to improve nurses' health-related behaviours were: stimulating a health-promoting environment by reviewing shift work, improving workplace support, increasing staffing levels, subsidising and role-modelling of healthy food and exercise; and creating applied health-promoting curricula by integrating time and stress management training and lifestyle advice into nursing education. Educational and environmental interventions are needed to support student nurses’ health

Obesity prevalence among healthcare professionals in England: a cross-sectional study using the Health Survey for England

Objective: To estimate obesity prevalence among healthcare professionals in England and compare prevalence to those working outside of the health services.Design: Cross-sectional study based on data from five years (2008-2012) of the nationally representative Health Survey for England.Setting: England.Participants: 20,103 adults aged 17-65 indicating they were economically active at the time of survey classified into four occupational groups: nurses (n=422), other healthcare professionals (n=412), unregistered care workers (n=736) and individuals employed in non-health related occupations (n=18,533). Outcome measure: Prevalence of obesity defined as Body Mass Index 30.0 with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and weighted to reflect the population.Results: Obesity prevalence was high across all occupational groups including: among nurses (25.1% 95% CI 20.9, 29.4); other healthcare professionals (14.4% CI 11.0, 17.8); non-health related occupations (23.5% CI 22.9, 24.1); and unregistered care workers, who had the highest prevalence of obesity (31.9%, CI 28.4, 35.3). A logistic regression model adjusted for socio-demographic composition and survey year indicated that, compared to nurses, the odds of being obese were significantly lower for other health care professionals (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] 0.52, CI 0.37, 0.75) and higher for unregistered care workers (aOR 1.46 CI 1.11, 1.93). There was no significant difference in obesity prevalence between nurses and people working in non-health related occupations (aOR 0.94 CI 0.74, 1.18).Conclusions: High obesity prevalence among nurses and unregistered care workers is concerning as it increases the risks of musculoskeletal conditions and mental health conditions which are the main causes of sickness-absence in health services. Further research is required to better understand the reasons for high obesity prevalence among healthcare professionals in England to inform interventions to support individuals to achieve and maintain a healthy weight

Wearable activity trackers for nurses' health: A qualitative acceptability study

Aim: To assess the practical, social and ethical acceptability of the use of a POLAR® H7 chest‐strap wearable device to influence health behaviours among pre‐registered nurses. Design: Qualitative acceptability study including a simulated test of use reported using COREQ guidelines. Methods: Pre‐registered nurses simulated nine nursing tasks while wearing the chest strap in a clinical simulation facility in a Scottish university in 2016. Focus groups and semi‐structured interviews were conducted to assess technology acceptance with participants who did and did not participate in the simulated nursing tasks. Focus groups and interviews were transcribed and analysed thematically guided by a theoretical model of technology acceptance. Results: Pre‐registered nurses thought the use of chest‐strap devices to monitor their own health in real‐time was acceptable. However, participants shared that it was important that the use of technology was inclusive and supportive of nurses' health and cautioned against misuse of data from wearable devices for individual performance management or stigmatisation

Competencies and standards in nurse education: The irresolvable tensions

This paper explores the inherent contradiction between the purpose of nurse education – to produce critical thinking, autonomous and accountable future nurses – and the prescription of standards and competencies to realize this goal. Drawing on examples from the United Kingdom's Nursing and Midwifery Council's (NMC) ‘Future Nurse’ standards, we argue that standards and competencies offer little more than a veneer of protection to the public and that, fundamentally, educational approaches based on ‘dot point’ formulations are antithetical to conditions in which genuinely critical-thinking, autonomous and accountable practitioners can develop. The purpose of this paper is to raise debate about the hegemony of competencies and standards. For the sake of academic health and the future of the nursing profession, the ubiquity of competency-based education must be critiqued and challenged

Effects of student-led drama on nursing students' attitudes to interprofessional working and nursing advocacy: A pre-test post-test educational intervention study

This is the final version. Available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record. Background: Nursing educators need to equip students to work in interprofessional teams and advocate for patients in increasingly integrated health and social care settings. Drama-based education has been used in nursing to help students understand complex concepts and practices, including communication, empathy, and patient safety. However, few studies have evaluated drama-based education to promote understanding of interprofessional care and advocacy, and none have involved student-led drama where students create dramatic performances to support learning. Objectives: To examine the effects of student-led drama on student nurses’ attitudes to interprofessional working and advocacy. Design: Pre-test post-test educational intervention study. Settings: Public university in Scotland. Participants: 400 undergraduate student nurses enrolled on a 15-week module focussed on health and social care integration and interprofessional working. Methods: Students completed paper questionnaires at the start (n = 274, response rate: 80.1 %) and end (n = 175, 63.9 %) of the module. Outcome measures were the validated Attitudes Towards Healthcare Teams Scale (ATHCTS) and Protective Nursing Advocacy Scale (PNAS). Change in mean ATHCTS and PNAS scores were assessed using paired samples t-tests, with Cohen’s d to estimate effect size. Results: ATHCTS scores significantly increased from 3.87 to 4.19 (p < 0.001, d = 0.52). PNAS scores increased from 3.58 to 3.81 (p < 0.001, d = 0.79), with significant improvements in the ‘acting as an advocate’ (4.18 to 4.51, p < 0.001, d = 0.81) and ‘environmental and educational influences’ subscales (3.79 to 4.13, p < 0.001, d = 0.75). Statements focussed on promoting holistic, dignified care and enabling health professionals to be responsive to emotional and financial needs of patients, showed greatest change. Conclusions: Education based on plays created and performed by student nurses led to significant improvements in student nurses’ attitudes towards interprofessional working and nursing advocacy. Student-led drama should be embedded in nursing curricula to enable students to understand the realities and complexities of health and social care integration and interprofessional workingEconomic and Social Research CouncilEdinburgh Napier Universit