Conectar
Medication administration errors are high-risk patient safety issues that could potentially cause harm to patients, thereby delaying recovery and increasing length of hospital stay with additional healthcare costs. Nurses are pivotal to the medication administration process and are considered to be in the position to recognize and prevent these errors. However, the effectiveness of interventions implemented by nurses to reduce medication administration errors in acute hospital settings is less reported.
To identify and quantify the effectiveness of interventions by nurses in reducing medication administration errors in adults' inpatient acute hospital.
A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted up to 03/24. Six databases were searched. Study methodology quality assessment was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools, and data extraction was conducted. Meta-analysis was performed to combine effect sizes from the studies, and synthesis without meta-analysis was adopted for studies that were not included in the meta-analysis to aggregate and re-examine results from studies.
Searches identified 878 articles with 26 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Five types of interventions were identified: (1) educational program, (2) workflow smart technologies, (3) protocolised improvement strategy, (4) low resource ward-based interventions, and (5) electronic medication management. The overall results from 14 studies included in meta-analysis showed interventions implemented by nurses are effective in reducing medication administration errors (Z = 2.15 (p = 0.03); odds ratio = 95% CI 0.70 [0.51, 0.97], I 2 = 94%). Sub-group analysis showed workflow smart technologies to be the most effective intervention compared to usual care. Findings demonstrate that nurse-led interventions can significantly reduce medication administration errors compared to usual care. The effectiveness of individual interventions varied, suggesting a bundle approach may be more beneficial. This provides valuable insights for clinical practice, emphasizing the importance of tailored, evidence-based approaches to improving medication safety.
PRISMA guided the review and JBI critical appraisal tools were used for quality appraisal of included studies.
To explore aspects of interpersonal relationships in palliative care nursing, focusing on confidential conversations between patients and registered nurses (RN).
A qualitative study employing focused ethnography.
Data were collected through unstructured participant observations, field notes and interviews with patients and RN in specialist palliative care. Data were analysed using reflective thematic analysis.
Confidential conversations in palliative care are founded on trust that is fragile and develops dynamically through consistent interactions. Small talk, presence and silence are essential for initiating and maintaining trust and the interpersonal relationship. The environment, patient condition and RN emotional presence and competence shape these conversations. As the relationship evolves, conversations adapt to the patient's changing needs. Missed signals or interruptions can disrupt flow, but the potential for repair remains, allowing for restoration and strengthening of trust and connection.
Confidential conversations in palliative care are grounded in fragile, dynamic trust, necessitating ongoing presence, sensitivity and adaptability from RN. To support these interactions, healthcare environments must prioritise privacy, relational continuity and communication training. Future research should investigate how organisational structures and clinical settings influence confidential conversations.
Healthcare environments should facilitate confidential conversations by ensuring relational continuity and minimising distractions. Communication training that emphasises presence and management of silence can strengthen nurse–patient relationships, enhancing patient care and emotional support.
This study explores key aspects of confidential conversations in palliative care, emphasising trust and emotional sensitivity. It addresses a research gap in palliative care using rare observational methods to deepen understanding of nursing relational aspects. The findings offer practical guidance for enhancing communication and relational skills, informing training and policy development and ultimately, improving emotional support and care.
Findings are reported in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research guidelines.
This study did not involve patient or public participation in its design, conduct or reporting.
To critically synthesise current literature on the nurses' experiences in providing care for people presenting with mental health issues to the emergency department (ED).
Mental health-related presentations to EDs are increasing. Understanding nurses' experiences of providing care for this patient group will inform future strategies to enhance the care delivered in the ED.
CINAHL, MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo and Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection were searched from 2009 to 2024 for peer-reviewed qualitative papers exploring emergency nurses' perspectives of providing care for people with mental health issues, published in the English language. Quality was appraised using the JBI Critical Appraisal tool. This review follows the PRISMA checklist for reporting.
Nine papers, reporting eight studies, were included in the review. Three themes emerged: attitudes towards mental illness, education limitations impacting confidence and structural barriers impacting care quality. The review reveals a disconnect between nurses' compassionate intentions and barriers such as unconscious stigma and prioritising physical illness over mental health concerns. The findings highlight the need for targeted mental health education to enhance ED nurses' confidence and competence. Inadequate local mental health policies also impact care delivery, contributing to suboptimal patient outcomes.
This review provides a deeper understanding of ED nurses' experiences of caring for people with mental health issues. A need to implement a multifaceted approach to mental health education, clear policies to guide care delivery and systems that promote prioritisation of patients presenting with mental health concerns was identified.
Insights into nurses' experiences can shape future ED practices and enhance outcomes for patients. Building ED nurses' capacity to deliver high-quality mental health care is critical.
As a review paper, no patient or public consultation took place.
To identify distinct social network types among young-old adults based on the characteristics of social network structure and to explore the relationship between different types, socio-demographic characteristics and subjective cognitive decline.
A cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2022 to October 2023.
A total of 652 young-old adults aged 60–74 years completed the sociodemographic questionnaire, the subjective cognitive decline questionnaire-9 and the self-designed egocentric social network questionnaire. The types of social networks were identified by latent profile analysis. Univariate analysis and binary logistic regression were used to analyse the influencing factors of subjective cognitive decline.
The incidence of subjective cognitive decline was 38%. Social networks of young-old adults tended to be large, predominantly family-centred and characterised by strong contact strength, high density and significant demographic heterogeneity among network members. Four social network types were identified: diverse-moderate, family-dense, family-strong and friend-loose. Young-old adults embedded in the family-dense and family-strong types were more likely to develop subjective cognitive decline than those in the diverse-moderate type. Additionally, age, education level, previous occupation, daily sleep duration and exercise were related to the incidence of subjective cognitive decline.
The findings highlight the relatively high incidence of subjective cognitive decline in young-old adults that is notably influenced by the type of social network they are embedded in. More attention needs to be paid to identifying and supporting young-old adults at high risk of subjective cognitive decline, especially to promote their social integration and friend network building, to improve their subjective cognitive function.
The findings emphasise the importance of considering the structure and composition of social networks when addressing subjective cognitive decline among young-old adults. A diversified social network incorporating both familial and friendship ties may provide enhanced cognitive protection. Therefore, interventions targeting subjective cognitive decline should promote the expansion of friendship-based relationships and foster the development of more heterogeneous and multi-source networks.
STROBE checklist.
Not applicable.
To examine the personal characteristics, promoting factors and organisational barriers to the professional realisation of diabetes nurse practitioners in Israel.
A descriptive study using quantitative and qualitative data.
The participants self-completed an electronic questionnaire, which included questions on demographic and professional characteristics and a self-realisation questionnaire constructed by the authors. Researcher-led focus groups were conducted, guided by a semi-structured guide. The discussions were recorded, transcribed and analysed by qualitative methods.
Forty-one diabetes nurse practitioners (median age 50 years, 98% females) participated in the study. On average, the participants reported a relatively high self-realisation of their professional role, especially those who have been working in this role for many years. While some of them work independently and are supported by their organisation, their managers and other healthcare team members, specifically physicians, many feel that there are barriers to the full implementation of the role and achieving professional realisation. These include multitasking challenges and insufficient remuneration. Self-realisation was viewed by the participants as an opportunity to provide excellent care to patients as well as being professional beyond caring for patients. They wanted to expand their knowledge as well as guide and teach. Furthermore, they also associated self-realisation with the autonomy to carry out procedures and make decisions independently of physicians. Internal motivation was perceived as an important factor for personal self-realisation, which stems from personal creativity, aspiration for excellence, a subjective sense of freedom, self-guidance, desire for self-development and aspiration for personal growth at the highest levels.
Recognition and fostering of diabetes nurse practitioners' role contribute to nurses' self-realisation and professional growth.
Personal and organisational factors should be aligned to support diabetes nurse practitioners in delivering high-quality care to patients with diabetes.
COREQ (COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research).
No patient or public contribution.
Interprofessional socialisation can contribute to collaborative patient care. Although there is research regarding interprofessional socialisation of healthcare students and frontline staff, there is limited literature regarding healthcare educators in practice settings. Our aim was to examine interprofessional socialisation of healthcare educators in the practice setting following an interprofessional simulation facilitator training programme.
Explanatory sequential mixed methods study.
Quantitative provincial simulation programme evaluation data from 2022 and 2023 (n = 87) were analysed and used to inform qualitative interviews (n = 17). Qualitative and quantitative data were integrated following independent analysis.
There was a statistically significant increase in attitudes toward interprofessional socialisation following the simulation facilitator training programme. Qualitative findings revealed themes regarding interprofessional socialisation: (a) benefits gained through interprofessional socialisation, (b) interprofessional, uniprofessional or both, (c) facilitators to interprofessional socialisation, (d) barriers to interprofessional socialisation and (e) opportunities to strengthen interprofessional socialisation.
Despite positive views of interprofessional socialisation, socialisation behaviours may not be consistent in a variety of contexts. Interprofessional education may increase interprofessional socialisation among educators.
It is important to provide interprofessional socialisation opportunities for educators to promote more interprofessional education initiatives.
The findings of this study provided insights into how to foster interprofessional socialisation in existing structures and how new pathways might be built to connect educators.
This study is reported in congruence with the Journal Article Reporting Standards—Mixed Methods, Quantitative, and Qualitative Standards provided on the Equator Network.
Members of the provincial simulation team were consulted regarding study design and data collection to optimise participation.
To identify research gaps by mapping what is known about the barriers and enablers to pre-registration nursing students identifying signs of suicidal distress in healthcare consumers and providing clear pathways of support.
Scoping review.
This scoping review was conducted using Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) five stage framework and the Levec et al. (2010) extensions of this framework.
The Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) Complete and Ovid MEDLINE databases were searched to identify relevant articles, keywords and search terms to inform the full search strategy for CINAHL. This search strategy was then adapted for Scopus, PsychInfo, Emcare, Medline and ERIC, searched in November 2024.
Studies eligible for inclusion (N = 28) represented research from 14 countries; most (53.5%, n = 15) used a quantitative design, 11 (39.3%) were qualitative and two (7.1%) used a mixed-methods design. Barriers found from the scoping review included a low level of knowledge of suicidality, stigma preventing students from assessing and acting on suicidal ideation, and a lack of confidence in providing care to healthcare consumers expressing suicidality. Enablers included lived experience, exposure to individuals expressing suicidal ideation and education, simulation and role play. This review also contributes to the existing literature about the relationship of nursing to existing suicide prevention frameworks and suggests revision of these frameworks to address staff attitudes and beliefs, as well as lived and living experience.
Nurses are ideally placed to assess and respond to suicidality among healthcare consumers, and preparation should begin during pre-registration studies. Our scoping review indicates that further research work is needed to address the barriers to working with healthcare consumers expressing suicidality and to enhance the enablers to provide safe care.
Addressing the barriers and enablers to pre-registration nursing students providing safe care for healthcare consumers expressing suicidality is essential. Further research is required to address the barriers and enhance the enablers identified in this scoping review.
What problem did the study address? This scoping review summarised the literature on pre-registration student ability to work with healthcare consumers expressing suicidality, identifying barriers and enablers. What were the main findings? Barriers include poor knowledge of suicidality, stigma, fear and a lack of confidence in working with healthcare consumers expressing suicidality. Enablers include lived experience, exposure to clinical settings where healthcare consumers express suicidality and simulation and education. Where and on whom will the research have an impact? The research will have an impact on providers of pre-registration nursing degrees, where the inclusion of content addressing suicidality and exposure to settings where individuals express suicidal ideation is shown to improve attitudes and knowledge of suicidality assessment.
PRISMA checklist for scoping reviews.
This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct or reporting.
This study aimed to describe the types of psychological and physical symptoms experienced by healthcare professionals who became second victims after a patient safety incident and the impact of the incident on their social and professional lives.
Scoping review.
JBI methodology for scoping reviews and PRISMA-ScR for reporting were followed.
The search was conducted on June 13, 2024, using the CINAHL (EBSCO), Scopus, PubMed (Medline), Medic and PsycInfo (EBSCO) databases. A grey literature search was also conducted.
A total of 96 papers were included. Healthcare professionals experienced psychological symptoms such as anger, sadness and guilt after a safety incident. Physical symptoms were reported, including symptoms related to sleep and gastrointestinal symptoms. At the professional and social levels, the incident affected their work, relationships and well-being. Positive impacts were also noted.
This study provides a comprehensive overview of healthcare professionals' experiences after safety incidents. In addition, this study also captured the positive impacts of safety incidents, such as learning from mistakes.
By recognising the symptoms and impacts associated with the second victim syndrome, appropriate support can be provided for healthcare professionals.
The findings of this study can be used to identify the relevant harm to professionals after a safety incident, which could help to improve the well-being of these workers.
No patient or public contribution.
Open Science Framework, https://archive.org/details/osf-registrations-5cdmu-v1
More than 12% of women worldwide are affected by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), whose symptoms are similar to those of puberty, often leading to delayed diagnosis and missing the opportunity for early intervention. This not only puts PCOS women under physical and mental stress but also reduces their trust in doctors and makes them dissatisfied with the healthcare they receive, which in turn affects their quality of life. Therefore, to improve the doctor-patient relationship and promote health, it is essential to investigate and understand the healthcare experiences that women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) receive.
To explore the experiences of women with PCOS when they receive healthcare.
Qualitative systematic review.
Data were collected and screened using the systematic review management system Covidence, based on the established inclusion criteria. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Checklist was used for critical appraisal, and thematic analysis was used for data analysis.
The databases searched included CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Scopus. The search was limited to studies published in English between 2002 and May 2024.
Seven studies were selected for final inclusion. Three themes were identified: (1) responsive care from healthcare practitioners, (2) managing polycystic ovarian syndrome, and (3) polycystic ovary syndrome and its impact on self-image.
The development of a multidisciplinary PCOS clinic, the establishment of online support groups, and the creation of comprehensive patient-centered treatment plans are vital to enhancing the health outcomes of women with PCOS.
Multidisciplinary PCOS clinics, online support groups, and comprehensive patient-centered treatment plans can improve health outcomes for women with PCOS.
The EQUATOR guidelines for PRISMA have been utilised.
No patient or public contribution.
Although healthcare infrastructure has improved in recent years, the preoperative journey of patients is often accompanied by anxiety. Allowing patients to walk to the operating theatre is a simple, yet underexplored strategy that may enhance their sense of autonomy and reduce anxiety. As patient-centred care gains importance, evaluating the effects of this approach on patient-reported outcomes may be more relevant than widely assumed.
In this scoping review, we aim to analyse the published literature on preoperative walking into the operating theatre and patient-reported outcomes, such as anxiety and satisfaction.
This study was a scoping review that followed the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, Scoping Review extension guidelines.
Inclusion criteria were adult patients undergoing elective surgery and walking to the operating theatre. Data were extracted using a standardised form, and critical appraisal was performed by using ROBINS-I V2.0, RoB2 and ROB-E tools.
Embase, MEDLINE, Cochrane databases (OVID) and CINAHL (EBSCOhost) were searched up to 31st January 2025.
Our search identified 958 articles, with seven trials included in the final analysis. The studies, published between 1994 and 2022, involved 3001 patients from North America, Asia and Europe. The interventions varied, but most patients reported improved satisfaction and reduced anxiety when walking to the operating theatre. No adverse events were reported, although patient preferences varied, with younger patients more likely to prefer walking.
Walking to the theatre positively impacts patient satisfaction and autonomy. However, patient selection is key, as not all individuals are physically or mentally prepared for walking. Future research could explore unaccompanied walking and its effects on hospital resource utilisation. Preoperative walking is a beneficial intervention that enhances patient satisfaction and reduces anxiety, providing a feasible alternative to bed transport for many elective surgical patients.
No patient or public involvement.
This review explores the roles, competencies, and scope of practice of APNs in critical care based on international literature. It also derives implications for the development of advanced nursing roles in Austria.
Integrative review.
The research team conducted a systematic search of PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science to identify relevant peer-reviewed publications from 2007 to 2023.
A systematic search of electronic databases was undertaken, following Whittemore and Knafl's five-step methodology. The included publications met the defined inclusion criteria and were appraised for quality using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklists. Relevant data were extracted and thematically analysed.
The analysis of 14 international studies revealed recurring themes related to APN core competencies and scope of practice in critical care. These were structured according to Hamric's model. However, Austria faces several challenges, including limited legal frameworks, missing educational structures, and a lack of role clarity. These factors hinder the implementation of APN roles.
Internationally, APNs demonstrate advanced clinical skills, provide leadership in team-based care, and integrate evidence-based practice. These attributes enhance patient outcomes and system efficiency. In Austria, restrictive regulations, limited education, and unclear roles hinder these competencies. Reform is needed to align with international standards, and further research should explore their implementation in Austria.
A gap exists between internationally demonstrated APN competencies and the current state of advanced nursing practice in Austria. This highlights the need for clearer role definitions, regulatory frameworks, and educational strategies. Addressing this gap would strengthen APN roles and improve healthcare quality. This study highlights the need to bridge this disparity.
This review follows the PRISMA 2020 guidelines for systematic reviews Page et al. (2021).
No patient or public contribution.
This study was an investigation of the key factors influencing nurse retention and attrition focusing on the perspectives of current and former nurses within the context of the ongoing nursing shortage exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This descriptive, cross-sectional study was designed to explore the complex dynamics of nurse retention and attrition in a rural and northern academic hospital in northwestern Ontario.
An online survey was administered to current and former nurses to compare the perspectives of those with no intention of leaving the organisation, those contemplating departure within the next year, and those who had reduced their work hours in the past 5 years.
Of the 288 respondents, 47% indicated no intention to leave and 17% reported having already left the organisation. The primary reasons for attrition included excessive workload demands, challenges maintaining a healthy work-life balance and dissatisfaction with management practices and organisational support. Respondents recommended improving leadership effectiveness, increasing staffing levels and implementing retention-focused initiatives to enhance job satisfaction and reduce turnover.
This study underscored the urgent need for strategic interventions tailored to retain nursing staff, particularly in rural and northern communities already facing significant recruitment and retention challenges. By addressing workload pressures, enhancing work-life balance, strengthening leadership and offering retention initiatives, health care organisations can improve job satisfaction and reduce attrition. System-level changes are essential to creating a sustainable and supportive environment for nursing professionals.
The findings highlight the critical need for immediate action to address the nursing crisis in rural and northern health care settings. They emphasise the importance of systemic interventions aimed at improving staffing levels, leadership practices and overall work conditions to safeguard the future of nursing in these underserved regions.
No patient or public contribution.
This research will contribute to the extant literature on the retention and attrition levels of nursing by offering a unique perspective from a rural and northern academ. The findings may help to guide hospital administrators to develop targeted strategies to enhance nurse retention rates within their organisations. By prioritising nurse satisfaction, these efforts will foster positive nurse–patient interactions and improve overall care outcomes.
This study is reported according to STROBE guidelines.
To explore healthcare professionals', patients', and family members' experiences of managing regular medications across the perioperative pathway in a specialist cancer hospital in Melbourne.
An exploratory qualitative study using a descriptive-interpretive approach.
Interviews were conducted with 11 patients and seven family members, and focus groups with 10 anaesthetists, seven surgeons, four nurses, and 10 pharmacists (N = 49) between October 2024 and April 2025. Transcripts were analysed using Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic approach and mapped into the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) 2.0 human factors framework.
Three interrelated themes were constructed: (1) Work system elements shaping perioperative medication management, encompassing medication and surgical contexts, documentation gaps, reliable medication information, communication infrastructures, roles and responsibilities, and perioperative area resources; (2) Processes influencing medication management practice, characterised by continuity of care at transition points and flagging processes, interdisciplinary collaboration and role interpretation in medication management, patient involvement, family member involvement, and healthcare professional perspectives; and (3) Outcomes of medication management, including patient and organisational outcomes, such as workflow inefficiencies, procedure cancellations, and unplanned readmissions.
Findings indicated that addressing the complexity of perioperative medication safety demands coordinated contributions across multiple professional disciplines. Strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration, clarifying shared responsibilities, embedding structured reconciliation processes at transitions of care, standardizing communication protocols, and involving patients and families are all critical strategies.
This study highlights the need for interdisciplinary coordination and clear role definitions, with nurses as the key contributor, to support collaborative medication decisions in perioperative cancer care.
This study explored challenges in managing regular medications during cancer surgery, offering insights to guide safer practices for perioperative teams, patients, and families in cancer care settings.
COREQ (Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research) guidelines.
None.
This study aimed to examine the level of vicarious posttraumatic growth among intensive care unit nurses in China and explore the mediating role of death coping ability in the relationship between moral resilience and vicarious posttraumatic growth.
A multicentre, cross-sectional study was conducted in accordance with the STROBE guidelines.
Between January and March 2025, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 666 intensive care unit nurses from nine tertiary Grade A hospitals across five provinces in China. Participants completed three standardised instruments: the Rushton Moral Resilience Scale, the Coping with Death Scale–Short Version, and the Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. We used IBM SPSS 27.0 for descriptive statistics, univariate analyses, and correlation analyses, and employed AMOS 27.0 to perform structural equation modelling for testing mediation effects.
Intensive care unit nurses demonstrated a moderate level of vicarious posttraumatic growth. Moral resilience was positively associated with both death coping ability and vicarious posttraumatic growth. Death coping ability was found to play a partial mediating role in the relationship between moral resilience and vicarious posttraumatic growth.
Moral resilience and death coping ability are key factors associated with vicarious posttraumatic growth among intensive care unit nurses. Nurses with stronger moral resilience are more likely to cope constructively with death-related stress, which may support psychological growth in trauma-intensive environments.
This study highlights the need to enhance intensive care unit nurses' moral and emotional capacities through ethics education, emotional coping training, and institutional support strategies. Strengthening these competencies may foster professional development and mental wellbeing in critical care settings.
by Megan Wiggins, Marie Varughese, Ellen Rafferty, Sasha van Katwyk, Christopher McCabe, Jeff Round, Erin Kirwin
BackgroundDuring public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, decision-makers relied on infectious disease models to evaluate policy options. Often, there is a high degree of uncertainty in the evidence base underpinning these models. When there is increased uncertainty, the risk of selecting a policy option that does not align with the intended policy objective also increases; we term this decision risk. Even when models adequately capture uncertainty, the tools used to communicate their outcomes, underlying uncertainty, and associated decision risk have often been insufficient. Our aim is to support infectious disease modellers and decision-makers in interpreting and communicating decision risk when evaluating multiple policy options.
MethodsWe developed the Decision Uncertainty Toolkit by adapting methods from health economics and infectious disease modelling to improve the interpretation and communication of uncertainty. Specifically, we developed a quantitative measure of decision risk as well as a suite of risk visualizations. We refined the toolkit contents based on feedback from early dissemination through conferences and workshops.
ResultsThe Decision Uncertainty Toolkit: (i) adapts and extends existing health economics methods for characterization, estimation, and communication of uncertainty to infectious disease modelling, (ii) introduces a novel risk measure that quantitatively captures the downside risk of policy alternatives, (iii) provides visual outputs for dissemination and communication of uncertainty and decision risk, and (iv) includes instructions on how to use the toolkit, standard text descriptions and examples for each component. The use of the toolkit is demonstrated through a hypothetical example.
ConclusionThe Decision Uncertainty Toolkit improves existing methods for communicating infectious disease model results by providing additional information regarding uncertainty and decision risk associated with policy alternatives. This empowers decision-makers to consider and evaluate decision risk more effectively when making policy decisions. Improved understanding of decision risk can improve outcomes in future public health crises.
by Siobhán O’Connor, Sandra M. Malone, Joseph Firnhaber, Sinéad O’Keeffe, John McNamara, Anna Donnla O’Hagan
While mental health literacy is an important component to successful help-seeking, rural populations often face gaps in both knowledge and service provision. Informed by the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Self-Efficacy Theory, we designed the ‘Skills for Resilience’ as a brief, once-off, community-based educational intervention to increase Irish farmers’ mental health literacy and help-seeking intentions. We adopted a quasi-experimental between (group: intervention and control) and within-group design (time: baseline [T1], immediately post-intervention [T2], and ≥ 1 month post-intervention [T3]). A total of 72 participants (intervention n = 37; control n = 35) were recruited from knowledge-sharing discussion groups. Although recruitment was also open to women, all discussion groups consisted of men. A trained facilitator delivered a discussion lasting between 30 and 90 minutes. Five intervention participants also participated in a qualitative interview after T3. Our results identified intervention participants’ mental health literacy increased significantly at T2 and T3 compared to T1, but did not increase between T2 and T3. Mental health literacy was also significantly greater in the intervention group compared to the control group at T2 and T3. Help-seeking intentions and self-efficacy in seeking mental healthcare also increased significantly at T2 compared to T1, but did not increase between T1 and T3 or T2 and T3. There were no significant changes in outcome measures for the control group at any time point. Through reflexive thematic analysis we identified that the intervention also addressed stigma against mental health (Theme 1) and provided important resources for participants and their community’s present and future coping (Theme 2). At T3, 100% of participants enjoyed the discussion and would recommend the intervention to other farmers. This intervention provides a successful example of integrating the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Self-Efficacy Theory to improve mental health literacy in farmers using a brief, educational intervention.
by Zhizhong Wang, Sen Xu, Ailong Lin, Chunxian Wei, Zhiyong Li, Yingchun Chen, Bizhou Bie, Ling Liu
Vascular dementia (VaD), a neurodegenerative disease driven by vascular pathology, requires multi-targeted therapeutic strategies. This study employs an integrated in silico approach to evaluate the neuroprotective potential of natural ligands against key proteins implicated in VaD pathogenesis. Using molecular docking and normal mode analysis (NMA), four natural compounds (Galangin, Resveratrol, Curcumin, and Licocumarone) were assessed for their binding affinity and structural influence on six target proteins: APLP1, APOE, CLDN5, SOD1, MMP9, and MTHFR. Docking analysis revealed that galangin exhibited the highest binding affinity to APLP1 (−8.5 kcal/mol), resveratrol to MTHFR (−8.1 kcal/mol), and curcumin showed dual efficacy toward APOE (−7.2 kcal/mol) and MMP9 (−8.0 kcal/mol). Licocumarone demonstrated notable stabilization of CLDN5 and SOD1. The NMA results indicated ligand-induced stabilization of protein cores and enhanced flexibility in loop regions, which may impact amyloid aggregation, oxidative stress, and blood-brain barrier integrity. Pathway enrichment using the KEGG and Reactome databases identified significant involvement of the IL-17 and TNF signaling pathways, along with leukocyte transendothelial migration, linking inflammation with vascular dysfunction. APOE emerged as a central node within the protein-protein interaction network, highlighting its regulatory importance. This study highlights the therapeutic relevance of natural ligands as cost-effective modulators of multiple VaD-associated pathways. The combined use of molecular docking, protein dynamics, and enrichment analyses provides a comprehensive computational framework for early-stage drug discovery. These findings warrant further experimental validation to advance the development of targeted, mechanism-driven interventions for vascular dementia.
by David Robert Grimes
BackgroundThe advent of mass-market Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) has seen considerable interest in potential dermatological applications of LED light photobiomodulation (PBM) for a range of conditions, with a thriving market for direct-to-consumer LED treatments, including red light, blue light, and yellow light wavelengths. Evidence of efficacy is however mixed, and studies report a wide range of irradiances and wavelengths as well as outcome measures, rendering interpretation, comparison, and even efficacy evaluation prohibitive and impeding evidence synthesis.
MethodsThis work establishes a model for comparing patient received doses, applying this to existent studies to ascertain potential inhomogeneity in reported doses and wavelengths employed. Patient doses were contrasted to equivalent solar exposure time needed to achieve fluences reported at specified wavelengths in the red light (RL), blue light (BL), and yellow light (YL) portion of the spectrum, yielding a comparison of reported doses to typical solar irradiance at the Earth’s surface. Methodological aspects including dose validation, blinding, and bias were also analysed.
Results27 relevant studies for dermatological conditions including acne vulgaris (n=9, 33.3%), wrinkle-reduction (n=5, 18.5%), wound-healing (n=3, 11.1%), psoriasis severity (n=3, 11.1%), and erythemal index (n=7, 25.9%) were assessed. Outcome measures were highly heterogeneous between studies, with total patients ranging from 14 – 105 (median: 26). Fluences and wavelengths used in treatment differed over three orders of magnitude across studies even for the same conditions (0.1 J cm−2−126 J cm−2, median: 40.5 J cm−2). Derived equivalent solar time ranged from 0.01-19.35 hours (median: 3.3 hours), with central wavelengths between 405nm (BL) - 660nm (RL). No studies reported any dose validation, 10 (37.0%) were sponsored by the device manufacturer with a further 3 (11.1%) conducted by commercial dermatology practices offering the therapy under investigation. Assessors were unblinded to the treatment/ control groups in 33.3% (n=9), while a further 9 (33.3%) did not have any non-light control group, leaving only 33.3% (n=9) with both control group and blinded outcome assessment.
ConclusionsResults of this analysis suggest that fluences, wavelengths, and effective dose vary inconsistently between studies with often scant biological justification. This analysis suggests that better dose quantification and understanding of the underlying biophysics as well as plausible biological justifications for various wavelengths and fluences are imperative if LED therapy studies for dermatology are to be informative and research replicability improved.
by Andrea C. Aplasca, Peter B. Johantgen, Christopher Madden, Kilmer Soares, Randall E. Junge, Vanessa L. Hale, Mark Flint
Amphibian skin is integral to promoting normal physiological processes in the body and promotes both innate and adaptive immunity against pathogens. The amphibian skin microbiota is comprised of a complex assemblage of microbes and is shaped by internal host characteristics and external influences. Skin disease is a significant source of morbidity and mortality in amphibians, and increasing research has shown that the amphibian skin microbiota is an important component in host health. The Eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) is a giant salamander declining in many parts of its range, and captive-rearing programs are important to hellbender recovery efforts. Survival rates of juvenile hellbenders in captive-rearing programs are highly variable, and mortality rates are overall poorly understood. Deceased juvenile hellbenders often present with low body condition and skin abnormalities. To investigate potential links between the skin microbiota and body condition, we collected skin swab samples from 116 juvenile hellbenders and water samples from two holding tanks in a captive-rearing program. We used 16s rRNA gene sequencing to characterize the skin and water microbiota and observed significant differences in the skin microbiota by weight class and tank. The skin microbiota of hellbenders that were housed in tanks in close proximity were generally more similar than those housed physically distant. A single taxa, Parcubacteria, was differentially abundant by weight class only and observed in higher abundance in low weight hellbenders. These results suggest a specific association between this taxa and Low weight hellbenders. Additional research is needed to investigate how husbandry factors and potential pathogenic organisms, such as Parcubacteria, impact the skin microbiota of hellbenders and ultimately morbidity and mortality in the species.
by Claudia Castro, Jacquelyn Badillo, Melissa Tumen-Velasquez, Adam M. Guss, Thomas S. Collins, Frank Harmon, Devin Coleman-Derr
Recent wildfires near vineyards in the Pacific United States have caused devastating financial losses due to smoke taint in wine. When wine grapes (Vitis vinifera) are exposed to wildfire smoke, their berries absorb volatile phenols derived from the lignin of burning plant material. Volatile phenols are released during the winemaking process giving the finished wine an unpleasant, smokey, and ashy taste known as smoke taint. Bacteria are capable of undergoing a wide variety of metabolic processes and therefore present great potential for bioremediation applications in many industries. In this study, we identify two strains of the same species that colonize the grape phyllosphere and are able to degrade guaiacol, a main volatile phenol responsible for smoke taint in wine. We identify the suite of genes that enable guaiacol degradation in Gordonia alkanivorans via RNAseq of cells growing on guaiacol as a sole carbon source. Additionally, we knockout guaA, a cytochrome P450 gene involved in the conversion of guaiacol to catechol; ΔguaA cells cannot catabolize guaiacol in vitro, providing evidence that GuaA is necessary for this process. Furthermore, we analyze the microbiome of berries and leaves exposed to smoke in the vineyard to investigate the impact of smoke on the grape microbial community. We found smoke has a significant but small effect on the microbial community, leading to an enrichment of several genera belonging to the Bacilli class. Collectively, this research shows that studying microbes and their enzymes has the potential to identify novel tools for alleviating smoke taint.
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