Recent Biblical and Oriental Archaeology

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Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate a Self-Guided, Web-Based Mindfulness Program for Stress Reduction and Wellbeing Promotion

University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. August 2015. Major: Nursing. Advisor: Linda Halcón. 1 computer file (PDF); xiv, 122 pages.Background: Stress is a public health issue that has costly personal and societal effects. Stress-reduction interventions, such as those integrating mindfulness practices, have demonstrated significant improvements for stress and wellbeing outcomes when delivered to small, in-person groups. The effectiveness of self-guided, web-based mindfulness programs to address barriers of in-person programs deserves more attention. Objective: The purpose of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to determine the effectiveness of a self-guided, web-based mindfulness program ("Sherman Project"�) in reducing perceived stress and improving wellbeing for a group of University students, staff, and faculty. Method: A randomized controlled trial was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a self-guided, web-based mindfulness program. Students, staff, and faculty from a large University were recruited to participate. Results: 192 participants were randomized to either the intervention group or the waitlist control. Participants were predominantly Caucasian females. The study was powered to detect statistically significant differences in PSS scores at the mid-assessment point. Compared to the waitlist control, the intervention group demonstrated significantly improved PSS scores at both the mid and post-assessments. The intervention group also demonstrated improved wellbeing when compared to the waitlist. Intervention participants engaged in the 7-week program for roughly 120 total minutes. A small, but non-significant association between program engagement and PSS scores was found, suggesting that as individuals engaged more in the program, perceived stress may slightly decrease. Conclusions: This RCT demonstrated effectiveness for the use of Sherman Project, a self-guided, web-based mindfulness program, to reduce perceived stress for a sample of University students, staff, and faculty. Wellbeing also showed tendency for improvement for the intervention group. Results may support the use of low-intensity, web-based mindfulness interventions as an effective option to address common access barriers of in-person services and as an efficient component of public health initiatives for stress reduction and wellbeing-promotion

Diagnosis and treatment of Graves’ disease with particular emphasis on appropriate techniques in nuclear medicine. General state of knowledge

Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disease. It accounts for 50–80% of cases of hyperthyroidism. Antibodies against the TSH receptor (TRAb) are responsible for hyperthyroidism (TRAB). The key role in monitoring and diagnosis of Graves’ disease plays the level of hormones of free thyroxine and triiodothyronine. Helpful is an ultrasound of the thyroid scintigraphy which due to its functional character is both a valuable addition to morphological studies as well as plays an important role in the diagnosis and therapy in patients with Graves’ disease. There is no perfect treatment for Graves’ disease. The reason for this is the lack of therapy directed against primary pathogenic mechanisms. Currently available treatments need to be thoroughly discussed during the first visit as the patient’s understanding of the choice of a treatment constitutes a vital role in the success of therapy. Graves’ disease treatment is based on three types of therapies that have been carried out for decades including: pharmacological treatment anti-thyroid drugs, I131 therapy and radical treatment — thyroidectomy. The purpose of the treatment is to control symptoms and patient to return to euthyreosis. Treatment of Graves’ disease is of great importance because if left untreated, it can lead to long-term harmful effects on the heart, bone and mental well-being of patients

Comparison of anti-angiogenic properties of pristine carbon nanoparticles

Angiogenesis is vital for tumour formation, development and metastasis. Recent reports show that carbon nanomaterials inhibit various angiogenic signalling pathways and, therefore, can be potentially used in anti-angiogenic therapy. In the present study, we compared the effect of different carbon nanomaterials on blood vessel development. Diamond nanoparticles, graphite nanoparticles, graphene nanosheets, multi-wall nanotubes and C60 fullerenes were evaluated for their angiogenic activities using the in ovo chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane model. Diamond nanoparticles and multi-wall nanotubes showed the greatest anti-angiogenic properties. Interestingly, fullerene exhibited the opposite effect, increasing blood vessel development, while graphite nanoparticles and graphene had no effect. Subsequently, protein levels of pro-angiogenic growth factor receptors were analysed, showing that diamond nanoparticles decreased the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor. These results provide new insights into the biological activity of carbon nanomaterials and emphasise the potential use of multi-wall nanotubes and diamond nanoparticles in anti-angiogenic tumour therapy

Voltammetric Sensor for Direct Insulin Detection

AbstractThis work covers an area of planar electrochemical sensors for fast and reliable detection of species in environment under field conditions or in vitro/vivo biodetection. In this work, there were fabricated several planar carbon working electrodes using standard thick film technology which were modified with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to promote the electrochemical oxidation of insulin. These standalone planar working electrodes were successfully used for direct detection of insulin using cyclic voltammetry in electrochemical cell against conventional Ag/AgCl reference electrode and platinum auxiliary electrode

In vitro evaluation of the effects of graphene platelets on glioblastoma multiforme cells

Graphene is a single atom-thick material with exciting potential. It can be used in many fields, from electronics to biomedicine. However, little is known about its toxicity and biocompatibility. Herein, we report a study on the toxicity of graphene platelets (GPs) by examining the influence of GPs on the morphology, mortality, viability, membrane integrity, and type of cell death of U87 and U118 glioma cells. It was found that graphene is toxic to glioma cells, but it activated apoptosis only in the U118 cell line, without inducing necrosis, indicating the potential applicability of GP in anticancer therapy

Carbon nanoparticles downregulate expression of basic fibroblast growth factor in the heart during embryogenesis

Carbon nanoparticles, with their high biocompatibility and low toxicity, have recently been considered for biomedical applications, including antiangiogenic therapy. Critical to normal development and tumor formation, angiogenesis is the process of forming capillary blood vessels from preexisting vessels. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of diamond and graphite nanoparticles on the development of chicken embryos, as well as vascularization of the chorioallantoic membrane and heart at the morphological and molecular level. Nanoparticles did not affect either body/heart weight or serum indices of the embryos’ health. However, vascularization of the heart and the density of branched vessels were significantly reduced after treatment with diamond nanoparticles and, to a lesser extent, graphite nanoparticles. Application of nanoparticles significantly downregulated gene and protein expression of the proangiogenic basic fibroblast growth factor, indicating that both diamond and graphite nanoparticles inhibit angiogenesis