Frontline experiences of delivering remote mental health supports during the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland: innovations, insights and lessons learned from mental health workers.

COVID-19 restrictions drove rapid adaptations to service delivery and new ways of working within Scotland's mental health sector. This study explores mental health workers' (MHWs') experiences of delivering their services remotely. Twenty participants, who had worked in mental health professions in the National Health Service (NHS) in Scotland throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, took part in online semi-structured interviews.

Functionalized gold nanoparticle-enhanced competitive assay for sensitive small-molecule metabolite detection using surface plasmon resonance.

The development of sensing systems for the measurement of small molecules is an active area of research. A sensor based approach for the measurement of metabolites can potentially provide the simplicity and portability required for widespread use. Rapid detection and quantitation of small-molecule metabolites can potentially emerge as an effective way to link the metabolite profile to the disease state.

Shaking alone induces de novo conversion of recombinant prion proteins to β-sheet rich oligomers and fibrils.

The formation of β-sheet rich prion oligomers and fibrils from native prion protein (PrP) is thought to be a key step in the development of prion diseases. Many methods are available to convert recombinant prion protein into β-sheet rich fibrils using various chemical denaturants (urea, SDS, GdnHCl), high temperature, phospholipids, or mildly acidic conditions (pH 4). Many of these methods also require shaking or another form of agitation to complete the conversion process.