The feasibility and impact of a brief behavioural intervention for anxiety in later life: perceptions of general practice nurses.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety is prevalent in older people and is associated with adverse health outcomes. Early detection and intervention are imperative, yet clinically significant anxiety in older people is often under-diagnosed. When diagnosed, pharmacotherapy is often the initial treatment, but resistance due to stigma, polypharmacy concerns, and side effects are common among the elderly. Non-pharmacological interventions such as deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation may offer more acceptable and cost-effective options to managing anxiety. While primary care is ideal for addressing anxiety in older adults, it is important to assess the feasibility and acceptability of nurse-led interventions in general practice. OBJECTIVE: To explore the perspectives of General Practice Nurses (GPNs) on the feasibility and acceptability of implementing a guided relaxation intervention for older people living with symptoms of anxiety, in Australian metropolitan and regional settings. METHODS: GPNs were trained and then administered a guided relaxation intervention to older people at three metropolitan general practices and one large rural practice encompassing four sites. Subsequently, five GPNs participated in semi-structured interviews exploring the acceptability and feasibility of implementing the intervention. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and findings were mapped to four key domains of interest: "Screening", "Training and Delivery", "Perceived impact of the Intervention" and "Barriers to the intervention". RESULTS: Overall, GPNs reported that the intervention was easy to implement, was well received, helped build relationships and enabled conversations about mental health and well-being. They noted broader applicability of acquired knowledge and skills with other clients. CONCLUSION: The intervention shows promise in promoting and supporting healthcare capabilities in primary care. GPNs are ideally placed to detect clinical symptoms of anxiety among older people and deliver brief well-being initiatives. However, to sustain and scale well-being interventions structured skill development, commitment from general practices, and policy shifts such as government rebates for GPNs are required.

The use of humour in nursing education: An integrative review of research literature.

OBJECTIVES: Humour is an integral part of communication and often used in education to support learning, build relationships, lessen stress, and create a positive environment. This paper presents results from an integrative review of literature that aimed to explore how humour is used in nursing education. DESIGN: Integrative literature review. DATA SOURCES: CINAHL, INFORMIT, Medline and Proquest education. REVIEW METHODS: An integrative review of published research was conducted in the above-mentioned databases during March to June 2022. A hand search in reference lists of published articles was also conducted. Search terms followed PEO (population, exposure and outcome) and included 'Faculty, Nursing', 'Nurse* Student*', 'Baccalaureate', 'Humo?r', 'Laugh*', 'Wit', 'Fun*', 'Comedy', 'Educat*', 'Teach*', 'Learn*' and 'Curricul*'. Inclusion criteria stated articles must have a research component investigating how humour is used and received by students in nursing education. The articles were peer reviewed and published after 2001. Conference abstracts, editorials and articles describing the use of humour in nursing education without research evidence were excluded. Grey literature was not included. RESULTS: The search yielded two hundred and one articles, 10 of which met the inclusion criteria. Studies were primarily qualitative (n = 9) with 1 quantitative study. Five themes were found among the articles (1) Humour builds social relationships (2) Humour aids learning/critical thinking (3) Humour and stress relief (4) Humour to focus attention and (5) Negative use of humour. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that the use of humour in nursing education lowers stress, improves attention, increases focus and improved information retention. However, findings also conclude that negative humour is not conducive to learning. Research is needed to explore the use of humour in nurse education in order to develop teaching approaches that include culturally sensitive humour to enhance the student learning experience and reduce stress.

Scientist Spotlights in Secondary Schools: Student Shifts in Multiple Measures Related to Science Identity after Receiving Written Assignments.

Based on theoretical frameworks of scientist stereotypes, possible selves, and science identity, written assignments were developed to teach science content through biographies and research of counter-stereotypical scientists-Scientist Spotlights (www.scientistspotlights.org). Previous studies on Scientist Spotlight assignments showed significant shifts in how college-level biology students relate to and describe scientists and in their performance in biology courses. However, the outcomes of Scientist Spotlight assignments in secondary schools were yet to be explored. In collaboration with 18 science teachers from 12 schools, this study assessed the impacts of Scientist Spotlight assignments for secondary school students. We used published assessment tools: Relatability prompt; Stereotypes prompt; and Performance/Competence, Interest, and Recognition (PCIR) instrument. Statistical analyses compared students' responses before and after receiving at least three Scientist Spotlight assignments. We observed significant shifts in students' relatability to and descriptions of scientists as well as other science identity measures. Importantly, disaggregating classes by implementation strategies revealed that students' relatability shifts were significant for teachers reporting in-class discussions and not significant for teachers reporting no discussions. Our findings raise questions about contextual and pedagogical influences shaping student outcomes with Scientist Spotlight assignments, like how noncontent Instructor Talk might foster student shifts in aspects of science identity.

Circulating Extracellular Vesicles: The Missing Link between Physical Exercise and Depression Management?

Depression is associated with an increased risk of aging-related diseases. It is also seemingly a common psychological reaction to pandemic outbreaks with forced quarantines and lockdowns. Thus, depression represents, now more than ever, a major global health burden with therapeutic management challenges. Clinical data highlights that physical exercise is gaining momentum as a non-pharmacological intervention in depressive disorders. Although it may contribute to the reduction of systemic inflammation associated with depression, the mechanisms underlying the beneficial physical exercise effects in emotional behavior remain to be elucidated. Current investigations indicate that a rapid release of extracellular vesicles into the circulation might be the signaling mediators of systemic adaptations to physical exercise. These biological entities are now well-established intercellular communicators, playing a major role in relevant physiological and pathophysiological functions, including brain cell-cell communication. We also reviewed emerging evidence correlating depression with modified circulating extracellular vesicle surfaces and cargo signatures (e.g., microRNAs and proteins), envisioned as potential biomarkers for diagnosis, efficient disease stratification and appropriate therapeutic management. Accordingly, the clinical data summarized in the present review prompted us to hypothesize that physical exercise-related circulating extracellular vesicles contribute to its antidepressant effects, particularly through the modulation of inflammation. This review sheds light on the triad "physical exercise-extracellular vesicles-depression" and suggests new avenues in this novel emerging field.

The impact of suicide prevention education programmes for nursing students: A systematic review.

The purpose of this systematic review was to locate and synthesize peer-reviewed evidence regarding the effectiveness of providing suicide prevention education to nursing students. Systematic searches were conducted in seven databases (EMBASE, EmCare, Joanna Briggs, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science). Results were screened in duplicate at two stages: title and abstract, and full text. Critical appraisal and data extraction were also completed in duplicate. Initial database searching yielded 303 results. Following the addition of seven records from relevant reference lists, and the removal of duplicates, a total of 118 results were included for screening. Eight articles were deemed eligible for inclusion in this review; most (n = 5) were quantitative. While all were conducted within university settings, half were stand-alone education sessions, while the remaining were integrated with existing programmes/courses. The types of education programmes varied considerably across studies, with only three being established, evidence-based programmes. The studies explore a range of outcomes, which have been narratively categorized as enhanced skills, abilities, and self-confidence; development of positive attitudes and beliefs; acquisition of knowledge; and programme experience and evaluation. While there is a small body of evidence indicating that suicide prevention education programmes contribute to improvements in skills, abilities, self-confidence, and attitudes among nursing students, the variability in educational interventions and outcomes, coupled with short-term evaluation time frames, makes it difficult to fully understand the impact of this important suicide prevention strategy.

Single Low Dose of Cocaine-Structural Brain Injury Without Metabolic and Behavioral Changes.

Chronic cocaine use has been shown to lead to neurotoxicity in rodents and humans, being associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. However, recreational use, which may lead to addictive behavior, is often neglected. This occurs, in part, due to the belief that exposure to low doses of cocaine comes with no brain damage risk. Cocaine addicts have shown glucose metabolism changes related to dopamine brain activity and reduced volume of striatal gray matter. This work aims to evaluate the morphological brain changes underlying metabolic and locomotor behavioral outcome, in response to a single low dose of cocaine in a pre-clinical study. In this context, a Balb-c mouse model has been chosen, and animals were injected with a single dose of cocaine (0.5 mg/kg). Control animals were injected with saline. A behavioral test, positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, and anatomopathological studies were conducted with this low dose of cocaine, to study functional, metabolic, and morphological brain changes, respectively. Animals exposed to this cocaine dose showed similar open field activity and brain metabolic activity as compared with controls. However, histological analysis showed alterations in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of mice exposed to cocaine. For the first time, it has been demonstrated that a single low dose of cocaine, which can cause no locomotor behavioral and brain metabolic changes, can induce structural damage. These brain changes must always be considered regardless of the dosage used. It is essential to alert the population even against the consumption of low doses of cocaine.

Recent major advances in cardiovascular pharmacotherapy.

The field of cardiovascular pharmacotherapy remains extremely active. The aim of this review is to summarize the recent major advances in cardiovascular pharmacotherapy, with a focus on (1) the new approved drug for treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction-sacubitril/valsartan; (2) proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors; (3) the novel reversal agents for non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs); and finally, (4) new evidence on pharmacological treatment of coronary artery disease.

The Effectiveness of Suicide Prevention Education Programs for Nurses.

BACKGROUND: Education to improve health professionals' responses to suicide is considered an important suicide prevention strategy. However, the effectiveness of this approach for nurses is unclear. AIM: To systematically review the peer-reviewed literature regarding the effectiveness of suicide prevention education programs for nurses. METHOD: Nine academic databases (CINAHL, Cochrane Reviews & Trials, Embase, Informit Health Collection, Joanna Briggs Institute, Medline, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched in November 2016, utilizing search terms related to suicide, education, and nurses, with no limits placed on publication date or study design. RESULTS: The search yielded 5,456 identified articles, 11 of which met the inclusion criteria. Studies were primarily quantitative (RCTs n = 3; quasi-experimental n = 6; qualitative n = 2), and involved nurses (range = 16-561) working in a diversity of settings, particularly hospitals (n = 9). Studies revealed positive changes in nurses' competence, knowledge, and attitudes associated with training over the short term. LIMITATIONS: The heterogeneity of education programs and methodological weaknesses of included studies limit the conclusions drawn. CONCLUSION: There is a moderate body of evidence to support the effectiveness of suicide prevention education programs for nurses. Future research should examine longer-term changes in clinical practice and strategies for continuing education, with more rigorous study designs.