Limited access to health services and overwhelmed healthcare systems created a challenging environment for those in need of mental health support during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the pandemic impacted suicide risk in several ways.

The present study aimed to analyse how the quality of the health security systems in 12 countries affected suicide crisis syndrome (SCS) during the pandemic. We hypothesised that countries with robust health systems were better able to respond to the increased demand for (mental) health support, resulting in fewer cases of SCS.

From June 2020 to September 2021, 11 848 participants from 12 different countries took part in an online survey. Besides asking about sociodemographic information, the survey assessed the severity of SCS with the Suicide Crisis Inventory (SCI). The Global Health Security Index and the Legatum Prosperity Health Index were used to operationalise the quality of the national health systems. Multilevel analyses were performed to evaluate the impact of health system quality and COVID-19-associated factors on SCI scores.

SCS was more prevalent among participants with COVID-19 symptoms and in countries with high rates of COVID-19-associated deaths. Multilevel analyses revealed a significant interaction effect of COVID-19 symptoms and national health indices. SCS occurred significantly less frequently in participants with COVID-19 symptoms living in countries with good health security systems.

The challenges posed by the pandemic highlight the necessity to promote accessible and affordable health services to mitigate the negative impact of the pandemic on suicidal ideation and behaviour.

Clinical trials often struggle to recruit enough participants, with only 10% of eligible patients enrolling. This is concerning for conditions like stroke, where timely decision-making is crucial. Frontline clinicians typically screen patients manually, but this approach can be overwhelming and lead to many eligible patients being overlooked.

To address the problem of efficient and inclusive screening for trials, we developed a matching algorithm using imaging and clinical variables gathered as part of the AcT trial (NCT03889249) to automatically screen patients by matching these variables with the trials’ inclusion and exclusion criteria using rule-based logic. We then used the algorithm to identify patients who could have been enrolled in six trials: EASI-TOC (NCT04261478), CATIS-ICAD (NCT04142125), CONVINCE (NCT02898610), TEMPO-2 (NCT02398656), ESCAPE-MEVO (NCT05151172), and ENDOLOW (NCT04167527). To evaluate our algorithm, we compared our findings to the number of enrollments achieved without using a matching algorithm. The algorithm’s performance was validated by comparing results with ground truth from a manual review of two clinicians. The algorithm’s ability to reduce screening time was assessed by comparing it with the average time used by study clinicians.

The algorithm identified more potentially eligible study candidates than the number of participants enrolled. It also showed over 90% sensitivity and specificity for all trials, and reducing screening time by over 100-fold.

Automated matching algorithms can help clinicians quickly identify eligible patients and reduce resources needed for enrolment. Additionally, the algorithm can be modified for use in other trials and diseases.

Many psychotropic drugs are highly associated with related weight gain. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are established anti-obesity and glucose-lowering agents. Preliminary evidence also indicates they are fit for purpose in mitigating psychotropic drug-related weight gain (PDWG). This systematic review aims to synthesize the extant evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of GLP-1RAs on weight change in persons experiencing PDWG.

Online databases (ie, PubMed, OVID Medline, Google Scholar) were searched to identify relevant studies from inception to January 1, 2024. Articles were screened by title, abstract, and full-text by three independent reviewers against inclusion and exclusion criteria.

We identified six studies with participants aged ≥18 (n=374) that were eligible for inclusion in our systematic review. Most studies reported a significant and clinically meaningful effect of GLP-1RAs on anthropometrics and/or metabolics. All RCTs replicated the finding of modest or greater effects of GLP-1RAs; the most studied agents were liraglutide and exenatide. There was insufficient literature to conduct a meta-analysis.

Evidence suggests that GLP-1RAs are effective in mitigating weight gain in persons prescribed psychiatric medication. It is hypothesized that GLP-1RAs may moderate weight change in persons prescribed psychiatric medication through direct effects on metabolism and cognitive processes implicated in hunger/satiety. Future studies should aim to explore the long-term safety, tolerability, and efficacy profiles of various GLP-1RAs in the treatment and prevention of abnormal weight and metabolic homeostasis in psychiatric populations.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a globally devastating psychosocial impact. A detailed understanding of the mental health implications of this worldwide crisis is critical for successful mitigation of and preparation for future pandemics. Using a large international sample, we investigated in the present study the relationship between multiple COVID-19 parameters (both disease characteristics and government responses) and the incidence of the suicide crisis syndrome (SCS), an acute negative affect state associated with near-term suicidal behavior.

Data were collected from 5528 adults across 10 different countries in an anonymous web-based survey between June 2020 and January 2021.

Individuals scoring above the SCS cut-off lived in countries with higher peak daily cases and deaths during the first wave of the pandemic. Additionally, the longer participants had been exposed to markers of pandemic severity (eg, lockdowns), the more likely they were to screen positive for the SCS. Findings reflected both country-to-country comparisons and individual variation within the pooled sample.

Both the pandemic itself and the government interventions utilized to contain the spread appear to be associated with suicide risk. Public policy should include efforts to mitigate the mental health impact of current and future global disasters.

Assessing suicidal behaviours among students would help to understand the burden and enhance suicide prevention.

We aimed to determine the prevalence of suicidal behaviour among students living in Muslim-majority countries.

We followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. A systematic search was conducted in Medline, EMBASE and PsycINFO. Meta-analyses were performed to pool the lifetime, 1-year and point prevalence rates for suicidal ideation, plans and attempts.

From 80 studies, 98 separate samples were included in this analysis. The majority (n = 49) were from the Eastern Mediterranean, and 61 samples were of university students. The pooled prevalence of suicidal ideation was 21.9% (95% CI 17.4%–27.1%) for lifetime, 13.4% (95% CI 11.1%–16.1%) for the past year and 6.4% (95% CI 4.5%–9%) for current. The pooled prevalence of suicide plans was 6.4% (95% CI 3.7%–11%) for lifetime, 10.7% (95% CI 9.1%–12.4%) for the past year and 4.1% (95% CI 2.7%–6.2%) for current. The pooled prevalence of suicide attempts was 6.6% (95% CI 5.4%–8%) for lifetime and 4.9% (95% CI 3.6%–6.5%) for the past year. The lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation was highest (46.2%) in South-East Asia, but the 12-month prevalence was highest (16.8%) in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The study revealed notably high rates of suicidal behaviours among students living in Muslim-majority countries. However, the quality of studies, differences in regional and cultural factors, stages of studentship and methods of measurement should be considered when generalising the study results.

Psychological stress has an established bi-directional relationship with obesity. Mindfulness techniques reduce stress and improve eating behaviours, but their long-term impact remains untested. CALMPOD (Compassionate Approach to Living Mindfully for Prevention of Disease) is a psychoeducational mindfulness-based course evidenced to improve eating patterns across a 6-month period, possibly by reducing stress. However, no long-term evaluation of impact exists.

This study retrospectively evaluates 2-year outcomes of CALMPOD on patient engagement, weight and metabolic markers.

All adults with a body mass index >35 kg/m2 attending an UK obesity service during 2016–2020 were offered CALMPOD. Those who refused CALMPOD were offered standard lifestyle advice. Routine clinic data over 2 years, including age, gender, 6-monthly appointment attendance, weight, haemoglobin A1C and total cholesterol, were pooled and analysed to evaluate CALMPOD.

Of 289 patients, 163 participated in the CALMPOD course and 126 did not. No baseline demographic differences existed between the participating and non-participating groups. The CALMPOD group had improved attendance across all 6-monthly appointments compared with the non-CALMPOD group (P < 0.05). Mean body weight reduction at 2 years was 5.6 kg (s.d. 11.2, P < 0.001) for the CALMPOD group compared with 3.9 kg (s.d. 10.5, P < 0.001) for the non-CALMPOD group. No differences in haemoglobin A1C and fasting serum total cholesterol were identified between the groups.

The retrospective evaluation of CALMPOD suggests potential for mindfulness and compassion-based group educational techniques to improve longer-term patient and clinical outcomes. Prospective large-scale studies are needed to evaluate the impact of stress on obesity and the true impact of CALMPOD.

Estimates of depression in suicidal behavior in South Asia would help to formulate suicide prevention strategies in the region that hasn't been assessed yet.

We aimed to systematically assess the prevalence of depression in fatal and non-fatal attempts of suicide in eight South Asian countries.

We searched Medline, Embase, and PsychINFO by specific search terms to identify articles assessing depression in fatal and non-fatal attempts of suicide in South Asian countries published between 2001 and 2020. Two separate meta-analyses were conducted for fatal and non-fatal attempts. Due to the high heterogeneity of studies (96–98%), random-effects models were used to calculate pooled prevalence rates.

A total of 38 studies was identified from five south Asian countries (India [27], Pakistan [6], Sri Lanka [3], Nepal [1], and Bangladesh [1]). The majority of studies (n = 27) were published after 2010. Twenty-two studies reported non-fatal attempts, and sixteen reported suicide. The prevalence of depression among non-fatal attempts ranged from 14% to 78% where the pooled prevalence rate was 32.7% [95% CI 26–39.3%]. The prevalence of depression among suicides ranged from 8% to 79% where the pooled prevalence estimate was 37.3% [95% CI 26.9–47.6%].

This review revealed the pooled prevalence of depression among fatal and non-fatal suicidal attempts in South Asian countries, which seems to be lower when comparedto the Western countries. However, a cautious interpretation is warranted due to the heterogeneity of study methods, sample size, and measurement of depression.

Collateral status is an indicator of a favorable outcome in stroke. Leptomeningeal collaterals provide alternative routes for brain perfusion following an arterial occlusion or flow-limiting stenosis. Using a large cohort of ischemic stroke patients, we examined the relative contribution of various demographic, laboratory, and clinical variables in explaining variability in collateral status.

Patients with acute ischemic stroke in the anterior circulation were enrolled in a multi-center hospital-based observational study. Intracranial occlusions and collateral status were identified and graded using multiphase computed tomography angiography. Based on the percentage of affected territory filled by collateral supply, collaterals were graded as either poor (0–49%), good (50–99%), or optimal (100%). Between-group differences in demographic, laboratory, and clinical factors were explored using ordinal regression models. Further, we explored the contribution of measured variables in explaining variance in collateral status.

386 patients with collateral status classified as poor (n = 64), good (n = 125), and optimal (n = 197) were included. Median time from symptom onset to CT was 120 (IQR: 78–246) minutes. In final multivariable model, male sex (OR 1.9, 95% CIs [1.2, 2.9], p = 0.005) and leukocytosis (OR 1.1, 95% CIs [1.1, 1.2], p = 0.001) were associated with poor collaterals. Measured variables only explained 44.8–53.0% of the observed between-patient variance in collaterals.

Male sex and leukocytosis are associated with poorer collaterals. Nearly half of the variance in collateral flow remains unexplained and could be in part due to genetic differences.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is among the most common and pervasive neurodevelopmental disorders. Yet, despite decades of research, the neurobiology of ASD is still poorly understood, as inconsistent findings preclude the identification of robust and interpretable neurobiological markers and predictors of clinical symptoms.

Identify robust and interpretable dynamic brain markers that distinguish children with ASD from typically-developing (TD) children and predict clinical symptom severity.

We leverage multiple functional brain imaging cohorts (ABIDE, Stanford; N = 1004) and exciting recent advances in explainable artificial intelligence (xAI), to develop a novel multivariate time series deep neural network model that extracts informative brain dynamics features that accurately distinguish between ASD and TD children, and predict clinical symptom severity.

Our model achieved consistently high classification accuracies in cross-validation analysis of data from the ABIDE cohort. Crucially, despite the differences in symptom profiles, age, and data acquisition protocols, our model also accurately classified data from an independent Stanford cohort without additional training. xAI analyses revealed that brain features associated with the default mode network, and the human voice/face processing and communication systems, most clearly distinguished ASD from TD children in both cohorts. Furthermore, the posterior cingulate cortex emerged as robust predictor of the severity of social and communication deficits in ASD in both cohorts.

Our findings, replicated across two independent cohorts, reveal robust and neurobiologically interpretable brain features that detect ASD and predict core phenotypic features of ASD, and have the potential to transform our understanding of the etiology and treatment of the disorder.

No significant relationships.

The aim of this study was to establish arytenoid asymmetry as a pre-operative predictive parameter for arytenoid adduction surgery in unilateral vocal fold paralysis and thereafter identify the most predictive parameter for arytenoid adduction among the established parameters.

A retrospective comparative study was undertaken. The ‘arytenoid asymmetry angle’ formed between skewed ‘glottic’ and ‘interarytenoid’ axes (traced along the plane of closure of the membranous and cartilaginous glottis, respectively) was quantified in pre-operative laryngoscopic images of 85 adults with unilateral vocal fold paralysis who underwent either type 1 thyroplasty (group 1) or type 1 thyroplasty with arytenoid adduction (group 2). The need for arytenoid adduction was determined intra-operatively based on subjective voice improvement and laryngoscopic results.

Arytenoid asymmetry (p < 0.0001), posterior phonatory gap (p = 0.001) and vertical level difference (p = 0.004) were significantly greater in group 2 (descending order of parameters). Arytenoid asymmetry angle showed a significant positive correlation with the latter two parameters.

Arytenoid asymmetry is the most predictive parameter for arytenoid adduction. An arytenoid asymmetry angle of more than or equal to 33.9⁰ is an indication for arytenoid adduction. This aids in pre-operative planning of arytenoid adduction.

Until recently, nodding syndrome (NS) was considered as a mysterious disease of unknown etiology. A link between onchocerciasis and epilepsy was suspected for a long time. However, onchocerciasis was not considered as the cause of NS because NS was believed to occur only in onchocerciasis-endemic regions in Uganda, South Sudan, and Tanzania. In October 2015, with funding from the European Research Council, the NSETHIO group launched a trans-disciplinary, multi-country research project to identify the cause of NS and to study the link between onchocerciasis and epilepsy.

We reviewed NSETHIO activities as well as all published papers, and compared project findings with results of previous research on NS.

Findings from the NSETHIO project showed that NS is only one of the clinical manifestations in the wide spectrum of onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy (OAE) that could be prevented by strengthening onchocerciasis elimination programs. NSETHIO demonstrated that OAE is an important neglected public health problem in onchocerciasis-endemic areas with no or a sub-optimally functioning onchocerciasis control strategies.

Today there is overwhelming evidence that NS together with the Nakalanga syndrome is clinical presentations of OAE, a condition that could be prevented by strengthening onchocerciasis elimination programs. While research needs to continue to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms causing NS, new strategies to accelerate onchocerciasis elimination coupled with community-based surveillance and treatment programs for epilepsy are urgently needed in areas of high Onchocerca volvulus transmission.

Although the science of team science is no longer a new field, the measurement of team science and its standardization remain in relatively early stages of development. To describe the current state of team science assessment, we conducted an integrative review of measures of research collaboration quality and outcomes.

Collaboration measures were identified using both a literature review based on specific keywords and an environmental scan. Raters abstracted details about the measures using a standard tool. Measures related to collaborations with clinical care, education, and program delivery were excluded from this review.

We identified 44 measures of research collaboration quality, which included 35 measures with reliability and some form of statistical validity reported. Most scales focused on group dynamics. We identified 89 measures of research collaboration outcomes; 16 had reliability and 15 had a validity statistic. Outcome measures often only included simple counts of products; publications rarely defined how counts were delimited, obtained, or assessed for reliability. Most measures were tested in only one venue.

Although models of collaboration have been developed, in general, strong, reliable, and valid measurements of such collaborations have not been conducted or accepted into practice. This limitation makes it difficult to compare the characteristics and impacts of research teams across studies or to identify the most important areas for intervention. To advance the science of team science, we provide recommendations regarding the development and psychometric testing of measures of collaboration quality and outcomes that can be replicated and broadly applied across studies.

To compare nasal mucociliary clearance in adult non-smokers, cigarette smokers and bidi smokers using the methylene blue dye test.

The study sample consisted of 20 non-smokers, 20 cigarette smokers and 20 bidi smokers (age range, 20–40 years). A single drop of the methylene blue dye was placed at the anterior end of the inferior turbinate of the participants’ nasal cavity. The distance travelled by the methylene blue in 15 minutes inside the nasal cavity was measured. Nasal mucociliary clearance of the three groups was compared using the Kruskal Wallis test.

Nasal mucociliary clearance was significantly decreased in bidi smokers as compared to cigarette smokers and non-smokers (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between nasal mucociliary clearance and bidi smoking, number of cigarettes or bidis smoked per day, and pack-years (all p < 0.05).

Nasal mucociliary clearance measurement is a simple and useful index for assessing the effect of smoking on the mucociliary activity of nasal mucosa.