Typology of employers offering line manager training for mental health.

BACKGROUND: Mental ill health has a high economic impact on society and employers. National and international policy advocates line manager (LM) training in mental health as a key intervention, but little is known about employer training provisions. AIMS: To explore the prevalence and characteristics of organizations that offer LM training in mental health. METHODS: Secondary analysis of existing longitudinal anonymised organizational-level survey data derived from computer-assisted telephone interview surveys collected in four waves (2020:1900 firms, 2021:1551, 2022:1904, 2023:1902) in England, before, during and after a global pandemic. RESULTS: The proportion of organizations offering LM training in mental health increased pre- to post-pandemic (2020:50%, 2023:59%) but 41% do not currently provide it. Logistic regression confirmed that LM training is more likely to be offered by large-sized enterprises, organizations with a larger proportion of employees who are younger (aged 25-49), female, disabled and from ethnic minority communities. Sector patterns were inconsistent, but in 2023, organizations from the 'Hospitality' and 'Business Services' sectors were more likely to provide LM training than other sectors. CONCLUSIONS: Continued efforts are needed to increase the proportion of employers offering LM training in mental health, particularly small- to medium-sized enterprises, and organizations with predominantly male, White and/or older workforces.

Line manager training and organizational approaches to supporting well-being.

BACKGROUND: Employee mental health and well-being (MH&WB) is critical to the productivity and success of organizations. Training line managers (LMs) in mental health plays an important role in protecting and enhancing employee well-being, but its relationship with other MH&WB practices is under-researched. AIMS: To determine whether organizations offering LM training in mental health differ in the adoption of workplace- (i.e. primary/prevention-focused) and worker-directed (including both secondary/resiliency-focused and tertiary/remedial-focused) interventions to those organizations not offering LM training and to explore changes in the proportions of activities offered over time. METHODS: Secondary analysis of enterprise data from computer-assisted telephone interview surveys. The analysis included data from organizations in England across 4 years (2020: n = 1900; 2021: n = 1551; 2022: n = 1904; 2023: n = 1902). RESULTS: Offering LM training in mental health was associated with organizations' uptake of primary-, secondary-, and tertiary-level MH&WB activities across all 4 years. The proportion of organizations offering primary-, secondary- and tertiary-level interventions increased over time. On average, tertiary-level activities were most adopted (2020: 80%; 2021: 81%; 2022: 84%; 2023: 84%), followed by primary-level activities (2020: 66%; 2021: 72%; 2022: 72%; 2023: 73%) and secondary-level activities (2020: 62%; 2021: 60%; 2022: 61%; 2023: 67%). CONCLUSIONS: Offering LM training in mental health is associated with the adoption of other MH&WB practices by organizations. Suggesting that organizations that are committed to the mental health agenda are more likely to take a holistic approach (including both worker and workplace strategies) to promoting workforce mental health, rather than providing LM training in isolation.

Snapshots reflecting the lives of siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders.

BACKGROUND: Past research focused on the effects of raising a child with autism spectrum disorder on families. However, most research examined parents' perspectives rather than siblings' perspectives. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative descriptive design was to use photo elicitation to capture perspectives of siblings living with a child with autism spectrum disorder. METHODS: Fourteen siblings (nine male) of 13 children with autism spectrum disorder received disposable cameras with 24-27 colour exposures, and were asked to photograph what was important to them within 2 weeks. After developing snapshots, investigators interviewed siblings about their photographs, and used open, axial and selective coding to determine photograph categories and subcategories. RESULTS: Two major categories were found: people (family members, non-family members) and non-people (personal items/objects, animals, buildings, scenery). Interviews about photographs reflected experiences siblings had with people/non-people in the snapshots and their normal everyday activities. Most photographs revealed family life and activities any sibling would experience whether or not they lived in a family raising a child with autism spectrum disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Photo elicitation facilitates communication between children and health-care professionals, and provides information about living with a child with autism spectrum disorder from the sibling's perspective. This information contributes to our knowledge base and allows development of specific intervention plans for siblings of these children.

Regenerative impulses in taste cells.

Taste cells and nongustatory epithelial cells in the isolated lingual mucosa from the mud puppy Necturus maculosus were impaled with microelectrodes. The taste cells, but not surrounding epithelial cells, were electrically excitable when directly stimulated with current passed through the recording electrode. Action potentials produced by taste cells had both a sodium and a calcium component.

Impulse blockade in frog cardiac ganglion does not resemble partial denervation in changing synaptic organization.

Partial denervation of parasympathetic neurons in the frog heart by surgical section of one vagus nerve results in a marked reorganization of functional synaptic connections made by the remaining vagus nerve. These changes are not simply due to a lack of impulse activity per se in the sectioned nerve because blockage of impulses in one vagus with tetrodotoxin-impregnated cuffs did not cause similar changes in the innervation pattern of the ganglion. Furthermore, tetrodotoxin-blocked vagal fibers retain their ability to sprout and can form new synapses on denervated neurons.

Taste receptor cells that discriminate between bitter stimuli.

Recent studies showing that single taste bud cells express multiple bitter taste receptors have reignited a long-standing controversy over whether single gustatory receptor cells respond selectively or broadly to tastants. We examined calcium responses of rat taste receptor cells in situ to a panel of bitter compounds to determine whether individual cells distinguish between bitter stimuli. Most bitter-responsive taste cells were activated by only one out of five compounds tested. In taste cells that responded to multiple stimuli, there were no significant associations between any two stimuli. Bitter sensation does not appear to occur through the activation of a homogeneous population of broadly tuned bitter-sensitive taste cells. Instead, different bitter stimuli may activate different subpopulations of bitter-sensitive taste cells.

Mediation of responses to calcium in taste cells by modulation of a potassium conductance.

Calcium salts are strong taste stimuli in vertebrate animals. However, the chemosensory transduction mechanisms for calcium are not known. In taste buds of Necturus maculosus (mud puppy), calcium evokes depolarizing receptor potentials by acting extracellularly on the apical ends of taste cells to block a resting potassium conductance. Therefore, divalent cations elicit receptor potentials in taste cells by modulating a potassium conductance rather than by permeating the cell membrane, the mechanism utilized by monovalent cations such as sodium and potassium ions.

Daily stressors and coping responses of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Youth with type 1 diabetes cope with a variety of stressors related to daily life and disease management. While previous studies have focused on diabetes-related stressors, little research has examined daily stressors. METHODS: In this qualitative descriptive study, daily stressors and coping responses of 19 children and 33 adolescents with type 1 diabetes (65% are female) were investigated. Participants recorded their own stressors and coping responses in daily diaries for 2-3 weeks. RESULTS: Five broad themes of daily stressors emerged: people, self, context, no stressor and ambiguous. Coping responses included three general themes: submission, personal responsibility and ambiguous. Younger children reported more stressors related to friends/peers and siblings (people), and adolescents described more stressors related to self, parents (people) and school (context). Younger children used more coping that involved choosing an alternate activity, helping others and an emotional response (taking personal responsibility), whereas adolescents used more coping that involved persistence, alternate thinking and talking things over (taking personal responsibility). CONCLUSIONS: Youth with diabetes did not report stressors related to diabetes and its management as major themes in their daily lives. Clinical interventions based on perceptions of how youth understand and cope with stress are explored.

Proton currents through amiloride-sensitive Na+ channels in isolated hamster taste cells: enhancement by vasopressin and cAMP.

Amiloride has been suggested to inhibit responses to a variety of taste stimuli, including salty, sweet, and sour (acid). To test for the involvement of amiloride-sensitive Na+ channels in the transduction of acid stimuli, fungiform taste receptor cells were examined using patch-clamp techniques. Approximately one-half of all cells had amiloride-sensitive Na+ currents (INa) with a Ki value near 0.2 microM amiloride. After blocking voltage-gated conductances, cells having amiloride sensitivity were tested for responses to acid stimuli. Over three-fourths of cells showed an inward proton current (IH+) with an extrapolated reversal potential near approximately +150 mV, which was completely blocked by amiloride (30 microM). Treatment of isolated taste cells with arginine8-vasopressin caused equivalent increases in both INa and IH+; each effect was mimicked by 8-Br-cAMP. Taken together, these results indicate that protons permeate amiloride-sensitive Na+ channels in hamster fungiform taste cells and contribute to acid transduction.

A metabotropic glutamate receptor variant functions as a taste receptor.

Sensory transduction for many taste stimuli such as sugars, some bitter compounds and amino acids is thought to be mediated via G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), although no such receptors that respond to taste stimuli are yet identified. Monosodium L-glutamate (L-MSG), a natural component of many foods, is an important gustatory stimulus believed to signal dietary protein. We describe a GPCR cloned from rat taste buds and functionally expressed in CHO cells. The receptor couples negatively to a cAMP cascade and shows an unusual concentration-response relationship. The similarity of its properties to MSG taste suggests that this receptor is a taste receptor for glutamate.

[Multicystic kidney disease in a segment of horseshoe kidney: an uncommon combination of malformations]. / Displasia renal multiquística en un segmento de un riñón ''en herradura'': una asociación de malformaciones poco usual.

Multicystic dysplasia is the most common type of renal cystic disease, and it is one of the most common causes of an abdominal mass in infants. The contralateral system is also frequently abnormal. The most commonly associated anomalies are contralateral ureteropelvic junction obstruction and contralateral vesicoureteral reflux. In a few cases, multicystic dysplasia involves a horseshoe kidney or one pole of a duplex kidney. We present a female patient diagnosed with this condition at 9 years old, when she was being studied due to recurrent abdominal pain. The renal function was normal.

Automatization of nanotomography.

An approach for automated nanotomography, a layer-by-layer imaging technique based on scanning probe microscopy (SPM), is presented. Stepwise etching and imaging is done in situ in a liquid cell of an SPM. The flow of etching and rinsing solutions after each etching step is controlled with solenoid valves which allow for an automated measuring protocol. The thermal drift and the drift of the piezo scanner is corrected by applying offsets calculated from the cross correlation coefficients between successive images. As an example, we have imaged human bone with approximately 10 nm resolution using tapping mode SPM and successive etching with hydrochloric acid.

Reduced inhibition in an animal model of cortical dysplasia.

Cortical dysplasia has a strong association with epilepsy in humans, but the underlying mechanisms for this are poorly understood. In utero irradiation of rats produces diffuse cortical dysplasia and neuronal heterotopia in the neocortex and hippocampus. Using in vitro neocortical slices, whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were obtained from pyramidal neurons in dysplastic cortex and control neocortex. Spontaneous IPSCs were reduced in amplitude (35%) and frequency (70%) in pyramidal cells from dysplastic cortex. Miniature IPSCs were reduced in frequency (66%) in dysplastic cortex. Two additional measures of cortical inhibition, monosynaptic evoked IPSCs and paired pulse depression of evoked EPSCs, were also impaired in dysplastic cortex. Spontaneous EPSCs were increased in amplitude (42%) and frequency (77%) in dysplastic cortex, but miniature EPSCs were not different between the two groups. These data demonstrate significant physiological impairment in inhibitory synaptic transmission in experimental cortical dysplasia. This supports previous immunohistochemical findings in this model and observations in humans of a reduction in the density of inhibitory interneurons in dysplastic cortex.

In situ Ca2+ imaging reveals neurotransmitter receptors for glutamate in taste receptor cells.

The neurotransmitters at synapses in taste buds are not yet known with confidence. Here we report a new calcium-imaging technique for taste buds that allowed us to test for the presence of glutamate receptors (GluRs) in living isolated tissue preparations. Taste cells of rat foliate papillae were loaded with calcium green dextran (CaGD). Lingual slices containing CaGD-labeled taste cells were imaged with a scanning confocal microscope and superfused with glutamate (30 micromter to 1 mm), kainate (30 and 100 micrometer), AMPA (30 and 100 micrometer), or NMDA (100 micrometer). Responses were observed in 26% of the cells that were tested with 300 micrometer glutamate. Responses to glutamate were localized to the basal processes and cell bodies, which are synaptic regions of taste cells. Glutamate responses were dose-dependent and were induced by concentrations as low as 30 microm. The non-NMDA receptor antagonists CNQX and GYKI 52466 reversibly blocked responses to glutamate. Kainate, but not AMPA, also elicited Ca(2+) responses. NMDA stimulated increases in [Ca(2+)](i) when the bath medium was modified to optimize for NMDA receptor activation. The subset of cells that responded to glutamate was either NMDA-unresponsive (54%) or NMDA-responsive (46%), suggesting that there are presumably two populations of glutamate-sensitive taste cells-one with NMDA receptors and the other without NMDA receptors. The function of GluRs in taste buds is not yet known, but the data suggest that glutamate is a neurotransmitter there. GluRs in taste cells might be presynaptic autoreceptors or postsynaptic receptors at afferent or efferent synapses.

Membrane properties of isolated mudpuppy taste cells.

The voltage-dependent currents of isolated Necturus lingual cells were studied using the whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique. Nongustatory surface epithelial cells had only passive membrane properties. Small, spherical cells resembling basal cells responded to depolarizing voltage steps with predominantly outward K+ currents. Taste receptor cells generated both outward and inward currents in response to depolarizing voltage steps. Outward K+ currents activated at approximately 0 mV and increased almost linearly with increasing depolarization. The K+ current did not inactivate and was partially Ca++ dependent. One inward current activated at -40 mV, reached a peak at -20 mV, and rapidly inactivated. This transient inward current was blocked by tetrodotoxin (TTX), which indicates that it is an Na+ current. The other inward current activated at 0 mV, peaked at 30 mV, and slowly inactivated. This more sustained inward current had the kinetic and pharmacological properties of a slow Ca++ current. In addition, most taste cells had inwardly rectifying K+ currents. Sour taste stimuli (weak acids) decreased outward K+ currents and slightly reduced inward currents; bitter taste stimuli (quinine) reduced inward currents to a greater extent than outward currents. It is concluded that sour and bitter taste stimuli produce depolarizing receptor potentials, at least in part, by reducing the voltage-dependent K+ conductance.

Identification of electrophysiologically distinct cell subpopulations in Necturus taste buds.

We used the patch clamp technique to record from taste cells in thin transverse slices of lingual epithelium from Necturus maculosus. In this preparation, the epithelial polarity and the cellular organization of the taste buds, as well as the interrelationships among cells within the taste bud, were preserved. Whole-cell recording, combined with cell identification using Lucifer yellow, allowed us to identify distinct subpopulations of taste cells based on their electrophysiological properties. Receptor cells could be divided in two groups: one group was characterized by the presence of voltage-gated Na+, K+, and Ca2+ currents; the other group was characterized by the presence of K+ currents only. Therefore, receptor cells in the first group would be expected to be capable of generating action potentials, whereas receptor cells in the second group would not. Basal taste cells could also be divided into two different groups. Some basal cells possessed voltage-gated Na+, K+, and Ca2+ conductances, whereas other basal cells only had K+ conductance. In addition to single taste cells, we were able to identify electrically coupled taste cells. We monitored cell-cell coupling by measuring membrane capacitance and by observing Lucifer yellow dye coupling. Electrical coupling in pairs of dye-coupled taste receptor cells was strong, as indicated by experiments with the uncoupling agent 1-octanol. Electrically coupled receptor cells possessed voltage-gated currents, including Na+ and K+ currents. The electrophysiological differentiation among taste cells presumably is related to functional diversifications, such as different chemosensitivities.

Estimation of the junctional resistance between electrically coupled receptor cells in Necturus taste buds.

Junctional resistance between coupled receptor cells in Necturus taste buds was estimated by modeling the results from single patch pipette voltage clamp studies on lingual slices. The membrane capacitance and input resistance of coupled taste receptor cells were measured to monitor electrical coupling and the results compared with those calculated by a simple model of electrically coupled taste cells. Coupled receptor cells were modeled by two identical receptor cells connected via a junctional resistance. On average, the junctional resistance was approximately 200-300 M omega. This was consistent with the electrophysiological recordings. A junctional resistance of 200-300 M omega is close to the threshold for Lucifer yellow dye-coupling detection (approximately 500 M omega). Therefore, the true extent of coupling in taste buds might be somewhat greater than that predicted from Lucifer yellow dye coupling. Due to the high input resistance of single taste receptor cells (> 1 G omega), a junctional resistance of 200-300 M omega assures a substantial electrical communication between coupled taste cells, suggesting that the electrical activity of coupled cells might be synchronized.

Proton currents through amiloride-sensitive Na channels in hamster taste cells. Role in acid transduction.

The activity of taste cells maintained in the intact hamster tongue was monitored in response to acid stimulation by recording action currents from taste receptor cells with an extracellular "macro" patch pipette: a glass pipette was pressed over the taste pore of fungiform papillae and perfused with citric acid, hydrochloric acid, or NaCl. Because this technique restricted stimulus application to the small surface area of the apical membranes of the taste cells, many nonspecific, and potentially detrimental, effects of acid stimulation could be avoided. Acid stimulation reliably elicited fast transient currents (action currents of average amplitude, 9 pA) which were consistently smaller than those elicited by NaCl (29 pA). The frequency of action currents elicited by acid stimuli increased in a dose-dependent manner with decreasing pH from a threshold of about pH 5.0. Acid-elicited responses were independent of K+, Na+, Cl-, or Ca2+ at physiological (salivary) concentrations, and were unaffected by anthracene-9-carboxylic acid, tetraethylammonium bromide, diisothiocyanate-stilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid, vanadate, or Cd2+. In contrast, amiloride (< or = 30 microM) fully and reversibly suppressed acid-evoked action currents. At submaximal amiloride concentrations, the frequency and amplitude of the action currents were reduced, indicating a reduction of the taste cell apical conductance concomitant with a decrease in cell excitation. Exposure to low pH elicited, in addition to transient currents, an amiloride-sensitive sustained d.c. current. This current is apparently carried by protons instead of Na+ through amiloride-sensitive channels. When citric acid was applied while the taste bud was stimulated by NaCl, the action currents became smaller and the response resembled that produced by acid alone. Because of the strong interdependence of the acid and salt (NaCl) responses when both stimuli are applied simultaneously, and because of the similarity in the concentration dependence of amiloride block, we conclude that amiloride-sensitive Na+ channels on hamster taste receptor cells are permeable to protons and may play a role in acid (sour) taste.

Using biosensors to detect the release of serotonin from taste buds during taste stimulation.

CHO cells transfected with high-affinity 5HT receptors were used to detect and identify the release of serotonin from taste buds. Taste cells release 5HT when depolarized or when stimulated with bitter, sweet, or sour tastants. Sour- and depolarization-evoked release of 5HT from taste buds is triggered by Ca2+ influx from the extracellular fluid. In contrast, bitter- and sweet-evoked release of 5HT is triggered by Ca2+ derived from intracellular stores.

White matter neuronal heterotopia in temporal lobe epilepsy: a morphometric and immunohistochemical study.

A frequent abnormality in temporal lobes (TL) resected for pharmacoresistant epilepsy is the presence of heterotopic neurons within white matter (WM). We compared heterotopic neuron density in 22 TLs surgically resected from epilepsy patients with TLs from 22 non-neurologic cases obtained at autopsies. Neuronal density was assessed on LFB-PAS-stained and parallel sections immunoreacted for microtubule-associated-protein-2 (MAP-2). The white matter area was outlined by an image analysis system. Neurons, identified by morphologic features, were counted within the marked area. Results are expressed as mean +/- SD neurons/mm2. LFB/PAS sections: Epilepsy cases 4.11 +/- 1.86 Autopsy (normal) 2.35 +/- 0.96; MAP-2 sections: Epilepsy cases 4.08 +/- 1.22, autopsy (normal) 1.68 +/-0.92 (significant at 0.05 level by Wilcoxon's Rank Sums test). The lower number of MAP-2-immunopositive neurons in the control group as compared with the histologically identified group is most likely the result of antigen degradation resulting from an increased postmortem interval. These results indicate that normal TLWM contains a heterotopic population of neurons, and that this neuronal density is significantly higher in epilepsy patients. It is felt that this increased neuronal density is an epiphenomenon rather than the cause of seizures, and may be the result of decreased white matter either secondary to disruption of myelination, or loss of neurons as part of mesial temporal sclerosis.