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Background: Strict patient isolation in hospital is associated with adverse health outcomes. However, there is a lack of high-quality evidence for effective interventions to improve safety and quality of care for these patients., Aims: To identify patient reported areas for improvement in the care of patients in hospital isolation and to determine the feasibility of collecting patient reported outcomes using validated tools., Methods: Design An exploratory mixed methods study. Setting A major metropolitan teaching hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Participants Patients in hospital isolation for transmissible infections. Data collection Data were collected by (1) phone interviews with patients in isolation and (2) seven validated measurement tools to assess cognition, loneliness, nutritional status, quality of life, anxiety and depression and physical activity. Data were collected between September and December 2021. Data analysis Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively including participant characteristics and outcome data., Results: Participants identified areas for improvement including activities to decrease boredom, more contact with staff to mitigate loneliness and increase comfort care, and formalised communication about clinical treatment and discharge plan. Patients with gastrointestinal symptoms were happier to be alone. There were operational challenges within the health service including delays and miscommunication. Only 70% of the participants completed all questionnaires., Conclusion: This study identified areas for improvement in care of patients in isolation and demonstrated that collecting patient reported outcomes using validated tools was feasible. The results of this research will inform development of an intervention to manage adverse effects., Implications for the Profession And/or Patient Care: Patients in hospital isolation require additional consideration to ensure that their needs are met to avoid adverse outcomes. The patient experience and comfort can be negatively affected when fundamental care is lacking., Reporting Method (equator): EQUATOR guidelines for Mixed Methods Reporting in Rehabilitation & Health Sciences (MMR-RHS)., Patient or Public Contribution: Thirteen patients in hospital isolation agreed to participate in this study, sharing their experiences through interviews and assessment., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Clinical Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Many people suffer from hair loss and abnormal skin pigmentation, highlighting the need for simple assays to support drug discovery research. Current assays have various limitations, such as being in vitro only, not sensitive enough, or unquantifiable. We took advantage of the bilateral symmetry and large size of mouse whisker follicles to develop a novel in vivo assay called "whisker follicle microinjection assay". In this assay, we plucked mouse whiskers and then injected molecules directly into one side of the whisker follicles using microneedles that were a similar size to the whiskers, and we injected solvent on the other side as a control. Once the whiskers grew out again, we quantitatively measured their length and color intensity to evaluate the effects of the molecules on hair growth and coloring. Several chemicals and proteins were used to test this assay. The chemicals minoxidil and ruxolitinib, as well as the protein RSPO1, promoted hair growth. The effect of the clinical drug minoxidil could be detected at a concentration as low as 0.001%. The chemical deoxyarbutin inhibited melanin production. The protein Nbl1 was identified as a novel hair-growth inhibitor. In conclusion, we successfully established a sensitive and quantitative in vivo assay to evaluate the effects of chemicals and proteins on hair growth and coloring and identified a novel regulator by using this assay. This whisker follicle microinjection assay will be useful when investigating protein functions and when developing drugs to treat hair loss and abnormal skin pigmentation.