Pharmacists' mental health support behaviours with simulated patients: a mixed-methods pilot study.

Background: Simulated mental health role-plays provide a safe and relevant learning experience for pharmacy students, improving confidence in and attitudes towards providing mental health support. Little research explores the use of mental health role-plays, enacted by trained actors, with pharmacists.

Objectives: This study aimed to pilot the adaptation of simulated patient (SP) role-plays, from the university classroom with students, to a workshop with pharmacists, and explore pharmacists' experiences.

Evaluation of Mental Health First Aid Training and Simulated Psychosis Care Role-Plays for Pharmacy Education.

Objective: This study explored the impact of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training and simulated psychosis care role-plays on pharmacy students' stigma, confidence, and behaviors when supporting people experiencing mental health symptoms or crises.

Methods: MHFA training was delivered to final year pharmacy students. Post-MHFA training, students were invited to participate in simulated psychosis care role-plays (co-designed and content validated with mental health stakeholders) with trained actors.

Identification of CDK4/6 Inhibitors as Small Molecule NLRP3 Inflammasome Activators that Facilitate IL-1β Secretion and T Cell Adjuvanticity.

Several FDA-approved adjuvants signal through the NLRP3 inflammasome and IL-1β release. Identifying small molecules that induce IL-1β release could allow targeted delivery and structure-function optimization, thereby improving safety and efficacy of next-generation adjuvants. In this work, we leverage our existing high throughput data set to identify small molecules that induce IL-1β release.

Promoted Hydrogen Peroxide Production from Pure Water on g-CN with Nitrogen Defects Constructed through Solvent-Precursor Interactions: Exploring a Complex Story in Piezo-Photocatalysis.

Hydrogen peroxide (HO) production via oxygen (O) reduction reaction (ORR) in pure water (HO) through graphitic carbon nitrides (g-CN)-based piezo-photocatalysts is an exciting approach in many current studies. However, the low Lewis-acid properties of g-CN limited the catalytic performance because of the low O adsorption efficacy. To overcome this challenge, the interaction of g-CN precursors with various solvents are utilized to synthesize g-CN, possessing multiple nitrogen-vacant species via thermal shocking polymerization.

High-throughput screen identifies non inflammatory small molecule inducers of trained immunity.

Trained immunity is characterized by epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming in response to specific stimuli. This rewiring can result in increased cytokine and effector responses to pathogenic challenges, providing nonspecific protection against disease. It may also improve immune responses to established immunotherapeutics and vaccines.

A Mechanically Resilient Soft Hydrogel Improves Drug Delivery for Treating Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis in Physically Active Joints.

Intra-articular delivery of disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs) is likely to be most effective in early post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) when symptoms are minimal and patients are physically active. DMOAD delivery systems therefore must withstand repeated mechanical loading without affecting the drug release kinetics. Although soft materials are preferred for DMOAD delivery, mechanical loading can compromise their structural integrity and disrupt drug release.

Simultaneously Utilizing Excited Holes and Electrons for Piezoelectric-Enhanced Photoproduction of HO from S-Scheme 2D S-Doped VO/g-CN Nanostructures.

2D/2D step-scheme (S-scheme) piezo-photocatalysts for the production of fine chemicals, such as hydrogen peroxide (HO), have attracted significant attention of global scientists owing to the efficiency in utilizing surface piezoelectric effects from 2D materials to overcome rapid charge recombination in photocatalytic processes. In this research, we reported the fabrication of 2D S-doped VO deposited on 2D g-CN to produce HO via the piezo-photocatalytic process with high production yields at 20.19 mmol g h, which was 1.

Development of TRIB3-Based Therapy as a Gene-Independent Approach to Treat Retinal Degenerative Disorders.

Inherited retinal degeneration (RD) constitutes a heterogeneous group of genetic retinal degenerative disorders. The molecular mechanisms underlying RD encompass a diverse spectrum of cellular signaling, with the unfolded protein response (UPR) identified as a common signaling pathway chronically activated in degenerating retinas. TRIB3 has been recognized as a key mediator of the PERK UPR arm, influencing various metabolic pathways, such as insulin signaling, lipid metabolism, and glucose homeostasis, by acting as an AKT pseudokinase that prevents the activation of the AKT → mTOR axis.

Refining the predictive value of preoperative apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) by whole-tumor analysis for facial nerve outcomes in vestibular schwannomas.

Background: Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in MRI has been shown to correlate with postoperative House-Brackmann (HB) scores in patients with vestibular schwannoma despite limited methodology. To rectify limitations of single region of interest (ROI) sampling, we hypothesize that whole-tumor ADC histogram analysis will refine the predictive value of this preoperative biomarker related to postoperative facial nerve function.

Methods: Of 155 patients who underwent resection of vestibular schwannoma (2014-2020), 125 patients were included with requisite clinical and radiographic data.

Immunocompetent isolated cerebral mucormycosis presenting with obstructive hydrocephalus: illustrative case.

Background: Isolated cerebral mucormycosis is rare in immunocompetent adults and is only sparsely reported to be associated with obstructive hydrocephalus.

Observations: Here, the authors report a case of obstructive hydrocephalus secondary to central nervous system mucormycosis without other systems or rhino-orbital involvement and its technical surgical management. A 23-year-old, incarcerated, immunocompetent patient with history of intravenous (IV) drug use presented with syncope.

FLUTE: A Python GUI for interactive phasor analysis of FLIM data.

Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) is a powerful technique used to probe the local environment of fluorophores. The fit-free phasor approach to FLIM data is increasingly being used due to its ease of interpretation. To date, no open-source graphical user interface (GUI) for phasor analysis of FLIM data is available in Python, thus limiting the widespread use of phasor analysis in biomedical research.

Emerging Functional Connections Between Metabolism and Epigenetic Remodeling in Neural Differentiation.

Stem cells possess extraordinary capacities for self-renewal and differentiation, making them highly valuable in regenerative medicine. Among these, neural stem cells (NSCs) play a fundamental role in neural development and repair processes. NSC characteristics and fate are intricately regulated by the microenvironment and intracellular signaling.

Label-free single-cell live imaging reveals fast metabolic switch in T lymphocytes.

T-cell activation induces a metabolic switch generating energy for proliferation, survival, and functions. We used noninvasive label-free two-photon fluorescence lifetime microscopy (2P-FLIM) to map the spatial and temporal dynamics of the metabolic NAD(P)H co-enzyme during T lymphocyte activation. This provides a readout of the OXPHOS and glycolysis rates at a single-cell level.

The Involvement of Unfolded Protein Response in the Mechanism of Nitrogen Mustard-Induced Ocular Toxicity.

Nitrogen mustard (NM) is a known surrogate of sulfur mustard, a chemical-warfare agent that causes a wide range of ocular symptoms, from a permanent reduction in visual acuity to blindness upon exposure. Although it has been proposed that the two blistering agents have a similar mechanism of toxicity, the mode of NM-induced cell death in ocular tissue has not been fully explored. Therefore, we hypothesized that direct ocular exposure to NM in mice leads to retinal tissue injury through chronic activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) PERK arm in corneal cells and VEGF secretion, eventually causing cell death.

Neurologic outcomes for adult spinal cord ependymomas stratified by tumor location: a retrospective cohort study and 2-year outlook.

Determine whether craniocaudal spinal cord tumor location affects long-term neurologic outcomes in adults diagnosed with spinal ependymomas (SE). A retrospective cohort analysis of patients aged ≥ 18 years who underwent surgical resection for SE over a ten-year period was conducted. Tumor location was classified as cervical, thoracic, or lumbar/conus.

Cell-targeted vaccines: implications for adaptive immunity.

Recent advancements in immunology and chemistry have facilitated advancements in targeted vaccine technology. Targeting specific cell types, tissue locations, or receptors can allow for modulation of the adaptive immune response to vaccines. This review provides an overview of cellular targets of vaccines, suggests methods of targeting and downstream effects on immune responses, and summarizes general trends in the literature.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Medically Refractory Trigeminal Neuralgia Secondary to Stroke: A Systematic Review and Clinical Case Presentation.

Background: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a paroxysmal, unilateral, brief, shock-like pain in ≥1 divisions of the trigeminal nerve. It can result from multiple causes; however, TN secondary to stroke is very rare.

Methods: We present the case of TN secondary to pontine infarction treated with incremental doses of neuropathic pain medication for >5 years before conservative management failed.

Co-designing psychosis simulated patient scenarios with mental health stakeholders for pharmacy curricula.

Background: Pharmacists need knowledge and confidence to support people living with mental illness. Evidence-based educational materials for pharmacy students to provide psychosis care is limited.

Aim: To co-design, content validate and pilot-test, with mental health stakeholders, simulated patient scenarios to educate and assess students in providing psychosis care.

Metastatic Lesions of the Brain and Spine.

Brain and spinal metastases are common in cancer patients and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Continued advancement in the systemic care of cancer has increased the life expectancy of patients, and consequently, the incidence of brain and spine metastasis has increased. There has been an increase in the understanding of oncogenic mutations, and research has also demonstrated spatial and temporal mutations in patients that may drive overall treatment resistance and failure.

The Use of Mental Health Simulation in Pharmacy Practice and Education: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: To explore how mental health simulation has been used in the context of pharmacy practice and education, specifically what types of simulation techniques have been used, and which mental health-related content has been simulated.

Findings: A literature search retrieved 449 reports, from which 26 articles pertaining to 23 studies were eligible for inclusion. Most studies were conducted in Australia.

Arrhenius-model-based degradable oligourethane hydrogels for controlled growth factor release.

Biodegradable hydrogels are growing in demand to enable the delivery of biomolecules (e.g. growth factors) for regenerative medicine.

Surgical outcomes in large vestibular schwannomas: should cerebellopontine edema be considered in the grading systems?

Purpose: Large (> 3 cm) vestibular schwannomas pose complexity in surgical management because of narrow working corridors and proximity to the cranial nerves, brainstem, and inner ear structures. With current vestibular schwannoma classifications limited in information regarding cerebellopontine edema, our retrospective series examined this radiographic feature relative to clinical outcomes and its possible role in preoperative scoring.

Methods: Of 230 patients who underwent surgical resection of vestibular schwannoma (2014-2020), we identified 107 patients with Koos grades 3 or 4 tumors for radiographic assessment of edema in the middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP), brainstem, or both.