INTERVENÇÕES COM ESTUDANTES UNIVERSITÁRIOS: EFEITOS SOBRE A ESPIRITUALIDADE

The high incidence of mental health disorders in academic students has alarmed both universities and government agencies. Most studies on mental health demonstrate their positive association with spirituality-related constructs. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether two intervention programs focusing on life quality influenced the levels of spirituality in college students. There were 107 participants in the “Life Skills Program” and 48 in the “Interculturality and Mindfulness Program”. A sociodemographic questionnaire and the “Spirituality Scale in Health Contexts” were used with pre- and post-test measures. There was an increase in spirituality in both intervention programs. It demonstrates the tendency of programs based on the quality of life promotion raising levels of spirituality.   Keywords: Spirituality, College Students, Intervention.A elevada incidência de transtornos mentais em estudantes acadêmicos tem alarmado tanto as universidades quanto órgãos governamentais. A maioria dos estudos sobre a saúde mental demonstra sua associação positiva com construtos relacionados à espiritualidade. Objetivou-se avaliar se dois programas de intervenção com enfoque na qualidade de vida influenciam nos níveis de espiritualidade em estudantes universitários em Portugal. No “Programa de Competências para a Vida” participaram 107 estudantes, enquanto no “Programa de Interculturalidade e Mindfulness” participaram 48. Utilizou-se um questionário sociodemográfico e a Escala de Espiritualidade em Contextos de Saúde, com medidas pré e pós-teste. Houve um aumento da espiritualidade em ambos os programas de intervenção. Esse resultado demonstra a tendência de que programas baseados na promoção de qualidade de vida elevam os níveis de espiritualidade.   Palavras-Chave: Espiritualidade, Estudantes Universitários, Intervençã

Effects of the Interculturality and Mindfulness Program (PIM) on university students: a quasi-experimental study

Rates of mental health issues have been increasing among university students. This study investigates the effects of the Interculturality and Mindfulness Program (PIM) on academic students on mindfulness, emotional regulation, depression, anxiety, stress, life satisfaction, optimism, positive solitude, and loneliness. A quasi-experimental research was conducted, with pre- and post-test comparative measurements in three groups: in-person (IG), synchronous online (OG), and passive control (CG). A diverse group of students (n = 150; mean age = 25.4 ± 8.31) participated from two universities in Portugal. When compared to the CG, both active groups (IG and OG) demonstrated a beneficial interaction effect in acceptance, positive solitude, optimism, and mindfulness. The IG demonstrated a positive interaction effect in awareness and satisfaction with life, whereas the OG indicated a favorable interaction effect in impulse. When analyzing the intra-group effects, both active groups presented a significant improvement in stress, emotion regulation, mindfulness, positive solitude, and optimism. The OG demonstrated an improvement in awareness and loneliness. The main limitations of this research are that students were not randomly assigned, and groups were heterogeneous in nationality, education level, and sex. Nonetheless, PIM has indicated beneficial results in both IG and OG, and is a promising intervention for the prevention of mental health issues (e.g., stress, difficulties in emotional regulation, and loneliness), as well as for the promotion of well-being (e.g., positive solitude, mindfulness, life satisfaction, and optimism).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Neurodevelopmental disorders and development of project of life in a lifespan perspective: between habilitation and quality of life

AbstractFor some years, the term “project of life” has become widely used in the field of neurodevelopmentaldisorders, and, at the same time, it has begun to make its way in many socialand health planning documents. However, beyond its relatively widespread use, this termdoes not yet possess an adequate and shared frame of the main underlying decision-makingprocesses. In particular, there is a need to identify the crucial questions for orientingthe choice of goals within the adolescent transition, which represents the complex hingebetween childhood and adulthood. Moreover, adulthood, which is often completely devoidof culturally and socially shared references, is still critical precisely because of thelack of future direction prompts usually represented by the stages of development. In thiscase, the themes of quality of life functioning as a guiding compass appear pertinent andmuch more relevant. The present contribution is, therefore, an attempt to present, in aunitary manner, the decision-making processes and questions at the basis of a constructof “project of life” shared within the scientific and associative communities

Stress and wellbeing among professionals working with people with neurodevelopmental disorders. Review and intervention perspectives

AbstractSupporting individuals with NDD is extremely demanding, with significant exposure tocritical contexts and events, and painful ongoing experiences. Stress and burnout conditionis a main concern with growing interest in research, despite the lack of consensus ontheoretical explanatory models and modification standards.The paper provides an up-to-date review of risk factors and involved processes, and presentsevidence-based procedures and protocols to implement effective preventive actionsaddressing both organizational and individual factors. The aim is to offer a global understandingof the subject and offer examples of practical plans to increase the impact onthe quality of life of clients and staff members

Effects of a brief mindfulness-based intervention on emotional regulation and levels of mindfulness in senior students

Mindfulness-based interventions have been applied in diverse populations and achieved mental health benefits. This study examined the effects of a brief mindfulness program for emotional regulation and levels of mindfulness on senior students in Brazil. The intervention consisted of six weekly meetings attended by 30 participants. It is a pre-experimental research, with pre- and post-test comparative and correlation measurements. The preliminary results, which relied on parametrical and non-parametrical tests, revealed a reduction in total emotional regulation difficulties (p = 0.0001; r = − 0.55). Also, there was an increase in the levels of mindfulness in the subtests for both dimensions under evaluation: “Awareness” (p = 0.0001; d = 0.77) and “Acceptance” (p = 0.048; d = 0.37). By associating the amount of meditative practices performed by students with the variables, a significant positive correlation was found with the mindfulness dimension “Awareness” (rP = 0.422; p = 0.020), and there was a significant negative correlation with Difficulties in emotion regulation (rS = − 0.478; p = 0.008) and with its respective subscales “Non-acceptance” (rS = − 0.654; p = 0.0001) and “Clarity” (rS = − 0.463; p = 0.010). In conclusion, the application of a brief mindfulness-based intervention is promising in Brazilian university contexts; moreover, it can bring benefits to students, e.g., an increase in emotion regulation as well as in levels of mindfulness. We suggest that further research should use an experimental design and follow-up.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Mindfulness e solitude: um estudo com estudantes deslocados

Elevados índices de problemas de saúde mental em universitários tem alarmado os órgãos governamentais. Torna-se fundamental um investimento em programas de prevenção e promoção da saúde mental neste contexto. Esta tese de doutoramento tem como principais objetivos avaliar os efeitos de uma intervenção baseada em mindfulness (IBM) adaptada para estudantes acadêmicos, além de validar uma escala psicométrica que utilize o construto solitude, que denota a capacidade de um indivíduo ficar consigo mesmo de forma positiva. As práticas formais de mindfulness estão relacionadas à solitude, pois são experiências essencialmente individuais e solitárias. Esta tese é composta por cinco estudos complementares: 1) IBMs em alunos de graduação: uma revisão sistemática; 2) Programa de Interculturalidade e Mindfulness (PIM): relato do protocolo de uma intervenção com estudantes universitários; 3) Escala de Solidão e Solitude Positiva (ESSP): Qual é a sensação de estar a sós? Uma validação de escala portuguesa; 4) Efeitos do PIM em mindfulness, regulação emocional, depressão, ansiedade, estresse, satisfação com a vida, otimismo, solitude positiva e solidão em estudantes universitários: um estudo quase-experimental; e 5) Comparação entre uma IBM presencial e uma IBM online síncrona: um estudo quase-experimental. Os principais resultados indicaram um crescimento visível de publicações científicas com IBMs em alunos de licenciatura nos últimos anos; indicadores psicométricos adequados para a ESSP; um impacto benéfico sobre os participantes em ambos os formatos PIM (presencial e online síncrono); e uma superioridade predominante da intervenção síncrona online sobre a intervenção presencial nos efeitos do PIM ao analisar os resultados dos testes ocorridos 3 meses após a intervenção. Recomenda-se que pesquisas futuras utilizem medidas concorrentes para examinar as dimensões de solidão e solitude positiva na ESSP e que os efeitos do PIM sejam investigados em amostras aleatórias e homogêneas.The high incidence of mental health problems among academic students has alarmed government agencies. Investing in the psychological support sector, as well as in mental health promotion programs is fundamental. The main objectives of this thesis are to evaluate the effects of a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) adapted for university students, and to validate a psychometric scale that utilizes the solitude construct, which denotes an ability to spend time by oneself in a positive way. Formal mindfulness practices are related to solitude, as they are essentially individual and solitary experiences. This investigation is structured in five studies: 1) MBIs in Undergraduate Students: a Systematic Review; 2) Interculturality and Mindfulness Program: a protocol report of an intervention with university students; 3) Loneliness and Positive Solitude Scale (LPSS): How does it feel to be alone with yourself? A Portuguese scale validation; 4) Effects of the Interculturality and Mindfulness Program (PIM) on mindfulness, emotional regulation, depression, anxiety, stress, life satisfaction, optimism, positive solitude, and loneliness in university students: a quasi-experimental study; and 5) Comparison between an in-person and a synchronous online MBI: a quasi-experimental study. PIM, a program that combines intrapersonal (mindfulness) with interpersonal skills (interculturality) was developed and implemented. Similarly, the LPSS was designed and assesses how often someone interprets his/her solitary moment as something beneficial (positive solitude) or unsatisfactory (loneliness). Major results indicated a visible growth of scientific publications with MBIs in undergraduate students in the past years; adequate psychometric indicators for the LPSS; beneficial impact on participants in both PIM formats (in-person and synchronous online); a predominant superiority of the synchronous online intervention over the in-person intervention on PIM effects when analyzing the 3-month followup outcomes. It is recommended future research utilize concurrent measures to examine LPSS’ loneliness and positive solitude dimensions and employ a randomized sample to investigate PIM effects

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) in cancer: FGF traps as a new therapeutic approach

Originally characterized as angiogenic factors, fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are pleiotropic factors that exert autocrine and paracrine functions on tumor and stromal cells. Thus, they may represent key players in the complex crosstalk among angiogenesis, inflammation, tumor growth, and drug resistance, all contributing to tumor progression. Given the multiple activities of FGFs, inhibitors of the FGF/FGFR system may act as "two compartment" targeting drugs able to exert a deep impact on the growth of FGF/FGFR-driven tumors. To date, the discovery of drugs targeting the FGF/FGFR system has focused mainly on the development of selective and non-selective tyrosine kinase FGFR inhibitors. Recently, a different approach has been emerging, aimed at the development of extracellular "FGF ligand traps" able to bind and sequester FGFs, thus preventing their interaction with cognate signaling receptors. This approach is based on the identification of natural FGF ligands followed by the development of small molecule mimetics endowed with a significant FGF binding/neutralizing capacity. Aim of this review is to provide an overview of the role of the FGF/FGFR system in cancer and a comprehensive analysis of the process, based on the study of the FGF interactome, which has led to the identification and characterization of FGF ligand traps. This approach has allowed the development of promising FGF-targeting molecules with potential implications for the therapy of FGF-driven tumors

Mindfulness-based interventions in undergraduate students: a systematic review

Objective: To describe how mindfulness-based intervention (MBIs) are held with undergraduate students, systematize the outcomes of these interventions and indicate possible limitations. Method: Systematic searches were performed in seven databases in January 2019 with the following descriptors: ("mindfulness intervention" AND ("undergraduate" OR "college" OR "students"). Results: A total of 510 articles were found, and 19 articles fully met the inclusion criteria. The searches showed a visible growth in this field of research as articles publications increased in the past years. Regardless of intervention's length, most studies reported beneficial effects. The examination of Anxiety, Stress, and Depression constructs have shown to be predominant. Even though study designs were mostly randomized controlled trials (RCT), it was noticed a shortage use of physiological measures and follow-up assessments. Conclusions: Nonetheless, MBIs have shown to be promising interventions to promote mental health in academic settings.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Caveolin-1 enhances metastasis formation in a human model of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma through Erk signaling cooperation

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a pediatric soft tissue tumor classified in two major subtypes namely embryonal and alveolar, which have distinctive histopathological and genetic signatures and worse outcomes in the presence of metastases. Here, in order to evaluate the role of Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) in embryonal RMS dissemination, we employed an experimental in vivo metastasis assay using immunodeficient NOD/SCID mice. We found that the intravenous injection of human RD cells engineered for Cav-1 overexpression promoted the formation of lung metastases compared to parental cells. The arisen metastases were isolated and cultured in vitro to establish two derivative lines that showed greater metastatic capacity, as detected by performing in vivo metastasis and tumor spheroid invasion assays. Compared to parental cells, all metastatic lines were characterized by an increase in cell proliferation, migration and invasiveness that were downregulated by synthetic inhibition of Erk pathway. The metastatic cells showed a marked cell apoptosis induced by nutrient deprivation and consistent loss of differentiation characterized by depletion of MyoD and Myogenin factors. Furthermore, they showed marked changes in cell size, a re-organization of the three-dimensional cytoskeleton characterized by an increased actin stress fiber content, and increased adhesion and angiogenic properties. Collectively, these data provide new insights into Cav-1-driven metastatic process of embryonal RMS through cooperation of the Erk signaling pathway. Furthermore, our derivative metastatic lines represent useful tools for identifying genes or molecular pathways that regulate the metastatic progression of embryonal RMS