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Protozoa are well-known inhabitants of the mammalian gut and so of the gut microbiome. While there has been extensive study of a number of species of gut protozoa in laboratory animals, particularly rodents, the biology of the gut protozoa of wild rodents is much less well-known. Here we have systematically searched the published literature to describe the gut protozoa of wild rodents, in total finding records of 44 genera of protozoa infecting 228 rodent host species. We then undertook meta-analyses that estimated the overall prevalence of gut protozoa in wild rodents to be 24%, with significant variation in prevalence among some host species. We investigated how host traits may affect protozoa prevalence, finding that for some host lifestyles some protozoa differed in their prevalence. This synthesis of existing data on wild rodent gut protozoa provides a better understanding of the biology of these common gut inhabitants and suggests directions for their future study.

Background Autistic people have a high likelihood of developing mental health difficulties but a low chance of receiving effective mental healthcare. Therefore, there is a need to identify and examine strategies to improve mental healthcare for autistic people. Aims To identify strategies that have been implemented to improve access, experiences of care and mental health outcomes for autistic adults, and to examine evidence on their acceptability, feasibility and effectiveness. Method A co-produced systematic review was conducted. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINHAL, medRxiv and PsyArXiv were searched. We included all study designs reporting acceptability or feasibility outcomes and empirical quantitative study designs reporting effectiveness outcomes. Data were synthesised using a narrative approach. Results A total of 30 articles were identified. These included 16 studies of adapted mental health interventions, eight studies of service improvements and six studies of bespoke mental health interventions developed for autistic people. There was no conclusive evidence on effectiveness. However, most bespoke and adapted approaches appeared to be feasible and acceptable. Identified adaptations appeared to be acceptable and feasible, including increasing knowledge and detection of autism, providing environmental adjustments and communication accommodations, accommodating individual differences and modifying the structure and content of interventions. Conclusion Many identified strategies are feasible and acceptable, and can be readily implemented in services with the potential to make mental healthcare more suitable for autistic people, but important research gaps remain. Future research should address these and investigate a co-produced package of service improvement measures.

Aims A Patient Reported Outcome Measure (PROM) is a form that patients complete about their health status at a single point in time. The Recovering Quality of Life (ReQoL) questionnaire is a new PROM, developed in partnership with mental health service users to enable them to report on their mental state, and can be utilised by clinicians to track progress. The Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) framework set a target that 40% of adult and older adult patients accessing secondary mental health services should have their PROM recorded at least twice in a 6-month period. The primary aim of this quality improvement project was for 50% of patients under the Kent and Medway NHS Trust (KMPT) to be ReQoL compliant. Methods Following engagement with various stakeholders, a survey was circulated to better understand the barriers stopping staff from facilitating ReQoL completion. Moreover, a poster was created to raise awareness of ReQoLs and illustrate the practicalities behind gathering and recording patient scores. Additionally, local ‘champions’ were assigned for each community/inpatient mental health team to foster a sense of responsibility for PROM collection. Data on PROM compliance was obtained monthly, with meetings subsequently organised to scrutinise the results and brainstorm further ideas to drive improvement, such as providing patients with paper ReQoL copies to fill out in advance of their consultation/ward round. Results The survey revealed that 23% of staff were unfamiliar with the ReQoL questionnaire, and only 31% routinely obtained and inputted ReQoLs. A lack of time to assist patients in filling out PROMs was the main barrier cited by staff, alongside ambiguity as to whose job it was to ensure ReQoL collection. Through the distribution of the poster, the establishment of local leads and other changes such as the paper ReQoL initiative, there was a notable uptick in the rates of PROM completion. Indeed, over a 4-month period, compliance rose locally from 46% to 61% at the acute inpatient unit, and from 0 to 21% in the community mental health service. However, over KMPT as a whole, change was modest. Conclusion This was a successful quality improvement project, resulting in an increase in PROM completion rates, especially at a local level. The measures implemented, particularly the poster and formation of ReQoL leads, were effective – although more work and participation is required to change Trust-wide compliance. Future ideas include adding a ReQoL tool into nurse/doctor clerking templates to reduce friction in completing PROMs.

Two Indigenous long-distance walking performances, by the Mother Earth Water Walkers and by the Standing Rock Youth Runners, employ walking as a performance of Indigenous sovereignty, generating tribal knowledge, resistance, and cultural resurgence. What can these acts of long-distance walking tell us about the ways in which Indigenous people create, embody, and perform cultural sovereignty in North America? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Attendance at university can result in social support network disruption. This can have a negative impact on the mental health of young people. Demand for mental health support continues to increase in universities, making identification of factors associated with poorer outcomes a priority. Although social functioning has a bi-directional relationship with mental health, its association with effectiveness of psychological treatments has yet to be explored. Objectives To explore whether students showing different trajectories of change in social function over the course of treatment differed in eventual treatment outcome. Methods Growth mixture models were estimated on a sample of 5221 students treated in routine mental health services. Different trajectories of change in self-rated impairment in social leisure activities and close relationships (Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) items 3 and 5) during the course of treatment were identified. Associations between trajectory classes and treatment outcomes were explored through multinomial regression. Results Five trajectory classes were identified for social leisure activity impairment (Figure 1), and three classes were identified for close relationship impairment (Figure 2). For both measures the majority of students remained mildly impaired (Class 1). Other trajectories included severe impairment with limited improvement (Class 2), severe impairment with delayed improvement (Class 3), and, in social leisure activities only, rapid improvement (Class 4), and deterioration (Class 5). There was an association between trajectories of improvement in social functioning over time and positive treatment outcomes. Trajectories of worsening or stable severe impairment were associated with negative treatment outcomes. Image: Image 2: Conclusions Changes in social functioning impairment are associated with psychological treatment outcomes in students, suggesting that these changes may be associated with treatment effectiveness or recovery experiences. Future research should look to establish whether a causal link exists to understand if additional benefit for students can be gained through integrating social support within psychological treatment. Disclosure of Interest None Declared

In the first section of the chapter, Barnett explores the debates about the way in which Indians had arrived on the American continent after the Flood. In the second section, Barnett examines the works of Antonio de la Calancha and Louis Bourguet in arguing that monogenist theories also underwrote both Catholic and Protestant imperial aims. In the second chapter, Barnett explores the uses of the Flood in the formation of the early modern global world-historical consciousness. [Extracted from the article]

Mass loss at the Greenland Ice Sheet is influenced by atmospheric processes controlling its surface mass balance, and by submarine melt and calving where glaciers terminate in fjords. There, an ice mélange – a composite matrix of calved ice bergs and sea ice – may provide a buttressing force on a glacier terminus and control terminus dynamics. Kangerlussuaq Glacier is a major outlet of the Greenland Ice Sheet, for which recent major retreat events in 2004/2005 and 2016–2018 coincided with the absence of an ice mélange in Kangerlussuaq Fjord. To better understand the response of Kangerlussuaq Glacier to climatic and oceanic drivers, a 2D flowline model is employed. Results indicate that an ice mélange buttressing force exerts a major control on calving frequency and rapid retreat. When an ice mélange forms in Kangerlussuaq Fjord, it provides stabilising forces and conditions favourable for winter terminus re-advance. When it fails to form during consecutive years, model results indicate that Kangerlussuaq Glacier is primed to retreat into the large overdeepenings in Kangerlussuaq Fjord, and to terminus positions more than 30 km farther inland, implying that excessive mass loss from Kangerlussuaq Glacier by the year 2065 cannot be excluded.

Breastfeeding represents a strong selective factor for shaping the infant gut microbiota. Besides providing nutritional requirements for the infant, human milk is a key source of oligosaccharides, human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), and diverse microbes in early life. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of human milk microbiota and oligosaccharides on the composition of infant faecal microbiota at one, three, and nine months postpartum. We profiled milk microbiota, HMOs, and infant faecal microbiota from 23 mother–infant pairs at these time points. The predominant genera in milk samples were Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and an unclassified Enterobacteriaceae genus-level taxon (Enterobacteriaceae uncl.), whereas the infant faecal microbiota was predominated by Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, and Enterobacteriaceae uncl. Mother–infant dyads frequently shared bacterial amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) belonging to the genera Bifidobacterium, Streptococcus, Enterobacteriaceae uncl., Veillonella, Bacteroides, and Haemophilus. The individual HMO concentrations in the milk showed either no change or decreased over the lactation period, except for 3-fucosyllactose (3-FL), which increased. Neither maternal secretor status nor HMO concentrations were significantly associated with microbiota composition at the different ages or the bacterial ASVs of maternal milk and infant faeces. This study suggests an age-dependent role of milk microbes in shaping the gut microbiota, while variations in HMO concentrations show limited influence.

Abstract Introduction: This study aimed to map the maturity of precision oncology as an example of a Learning Health System by understanding the current state of practice, tools and informatics, and barriers and facilitators of maturity. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 34 professionals (e.g., clinicians, pathologists, and program managers) involved in Molecular Tumor Boards (MTBs). Interviewees were recruited through outreach at 3 large academic medical centers (AMCs) (n = 16) and a Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) company (n = 18). Interviewees were asked about their roles and relationships with MTBs, processes and tools used, and institutional practices. The interviews were then coded and analyzed to understand the variation in maturity across the evolving field of precision oncology. Results: The findings provide insight into the present level of maturity in the precision oncology field, including the state of tooling and informatics within the same domain, the effects of the critical environment on overall maturity, and prospective approaches to enhance maturity of the field. We found that maturity is relatively low, but continuing to evolve, across these dimensions due to the resource-intensive and complex sociotechnical infrastructure required to advance maturity of the field and to fully close learning loops. Conclusion: Our findings advance the field by defining and contextualizing the current state of maturity and potential future strategies for advancing precision oncology, providing a framework to examine how learning health systems mature, and furthering the development of maturity models with new evidence.

Presents an obituary for A. Doak Barnett, author, associate of the American University Field Staff and former correspondent for the `Chicago Daily News,' reporting on the Chinese civil war and the early Mao years, who died on March 17, 1999.

Autistic children and young people (CYP) experience mental health difficulties but face many barriers to accessing and benefiting from mental health care. There is a need to explore strategies in mental health care for autistic CYP to guide clinical practice and future research and support their mental health needs. Our aim was to identify strategies used to improve mental health care for autistic CYP and examine evidence on their acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness. A systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out. All study designs reporting acceptability/feasibility outcomes and empirical quantitative studies reporting effectiveness outcomes for strategies tested within mental health care were eligible. We conducted a narrative synthesis and separate meta-analyses by informant (self, parent, and clinician). Fifty-seven papers were included, with most investigating cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based interventions for anxiety and several exploring service-level strategies, such as autism screening tools, clinician training, and adaptations regarding organization of services. Most papers described caregiver involvement in therapy and reported adaptations to communication and intervention content; a few reported environmental adjustments. In the meta-analyses, parent- and clinician-reported outcomes, but not self-reported outcomes, showed with moderate certainty that CBT for anxiety was an effective treatment compared to any comparison condition in reducing anxiety symptoms in autistic individuals. The certainty of evidence for effectiveness, synthesized narratively, ranged from low to moderate. Evidence for feasibility and acceptability tended to be positive. Many identified strategies are simple, reasonable adjustments that can be implemented in services to enhance mental health care for autistic individuals. Notable research gaps persist, however. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The rising number of dementia diagnoses and imminent adoption of disease-modifying treatments necessitate innovative approaches to identify individuals at risk, monitor disease course and intervene non-pharmacologically earlier in the disease course. Digital assessments of dementia risk and cognitive function have the potential to outperform traditional in-person assessments in terms of their affordability, accuracy and longitudinal tracking abilities. However, their accessibility and reliability in older adults is unclear. Aims: To evaluate the usability and reliability of a smartphone assessment of lifestyle and cognitive factors relevant to dementia risk in a group of UK-based older adults. Method: Cognitively healthy adults (n = 756) recruited through the Dementias Platform UK Great Minds volunteer register completed three assessments of cognitive function and dementia risk over a 3-month period and provided usability feedback on the Five Lives smartphone application (app). We evaluated cognitive test scores for age, gender and higher education effects, normality distributions, test–retest reliability and their relationship with participants' lifestyle dementia risk factors. Results: Participants found the app 'easy to use', 'quick to complete' and 'enjoyable'. The cognitive tests showed normal or near-to-normal distributions, variable test–retest reliabilities and age-related effects. Only tests of verbal ability showed gender and education effects. The cognitive tests did not correlate with lifestyle dementia risk scores. Conclusions: The Five Lives assessment demonstrates high usability and reliability among older adults. These findings highlight the potential of digital assessments in dementia research and clinical practice, enabling improved accessibility and better monitoring of cognitive health on a larger scale than traditional in-person assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Introduction Mental health problems are increasingly prevalent among students, necessitating adequate mental health support both for those who with or at risk of developing a mental health disorder. Objectives This systematic review examined the efficacy of psychological interventions delivered to student populations and whether interventions with some form of adaptation to the content or delivery of the intervention for students could improve outcomes compared to interventions which had no such adaptation. Methods Randomised controlled trials of interventions for students with or at risk of mental health problems were included. Specific adaptation for students (or whether they utilised a student population as a convenient sample) was recorded. Meta-analyses were conducted and multivariate meta-regressions explored the effect of adaptation on the pooled effect size. Eighty-four studies were included Results Promising effects were found for both treatment and preventative interventions for anxiety disorders, depression and eating disorders. PTSD and self-harm data was limited, and did not demonstrate significant effects. Relatively few trials adapted intervention delivery to student-specific concerns, and overall adapted interventions showed no benefit over non-adapted interventions. There was some suggestion that adaptions based on empirical evidence and provision of additional sessions, and transdiagnostic models may yield some benefits Conclusions Interventions for students show benefit though uncertainty remains around how best to optimise treatment delivery and content specifically for students. It would be beneficial to understand how intervention content which is specific to underlying mechanisms of problems experienced by students as well as more transdiagnostic approaches could further support recovery and prevention of mental health problems while at university. Disclosure of Interest None Declared

Introduction Paliperidone 3-monthly (PP3M) is a long-acting injectable antipsychotic (LAI) which has been shown to be an equally effective and more convenient alternative to Paliperidone 1-monthly (PP1M) (Hope et al. Australas Psychiatry 2018;26(2):206-209). A prerequisite for PP3M use is stability on a consistent dosing of PP1M ≥4 months, though, few studies have so far explored patients’ experiences with switching. Objectives The aim of the study was to assess satisfaction and perspectives following the change to PP3M. A safety question with regards to the Covid-19 was also included. Methods This cross-sectional survey was performed within a large, urban mental health setting between May-June 2021 while the UK was still under Covid-19 restrictions. Two psychiatrists obtained verbal consent before administering the survey. Questions 1 and 2 focused on satisfaction and safety with respondents rating to what extent they agreed or disagreed using a 5-point Likert scale. Questions 3 and 4 focused on advantages and disadvantages of the medication change; suggested answers were supplied but there was also an option to provide additional responses. Additional demographic and clinical information were collected from the electronic records. Results Of the 61 patients who were receiving PP3M at the time of the survey 46 (31 male and 15 female) agreed to participate. One declined to participate, while 14 were not contactable, making the response rate 98% (46/47). 89.5% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that they were satisfied after switching, 6.5% neither agreed nor disagreed and 4% disagreed. The bulk of the respondents (93.5%) strongly agreed or agreed that they felt safer having their injection every 3 months during the Covid-19 pandemic. 6.5% neither agreed nor disagreed but no one disagreed with this statement. Questions on whether patients experienced any advantages or disadvantages as a result of the switch allowed for multiple answers. Convenience (93.5%), was the most popular positive reply, followed by improved quality of life (59%), decreased stigma (39%), better adherence (28%) and improved tolerability (21.7%). While 6.5% did not experience any advantages, 93.5% did not encounter any disadvantages, with 4.3% reporting worsening or new side effects and 2.2% a relapse of symptoms. Conclusions The overall experience of switching to PP3M was positive. Similar to two previous studies (Pungor et al. BMC Psychiatry. 2021; 21, 300; Rise et al. Nord. J. Psychiatry 2021;75(4): 257-265) the majority of patients favoured the change quoting convenience, quality of life and reduced stigma as potential benefits. The importance of enhanced safety with less frequent medication administration under pandemic conditions was also highlighted. Shared and supported decision making should further inform clinical practice (Pappa et al. Community Ment Health J. 2021;57(8):1566–1578). Disclosure of Interest None Declared

Abstract Introduction: iLookOut, a web-based child abuse training for early childcare professionals (ECPs), has been shown to improve knowledge and attitudes related to correctly identifying and reporting suspected cases of child abuse. The overarching goal of the present study is to examine “what works for whom” for iLookOut in order to identify strategies for optimizing learner outcomes. Methods: This prospective study enrolled 12,705 ECPs who completed iLookOut (November 2014–December 2018). We used structural equation models to test whether learner demographic and professional characteristics were differentially associated with implementation outcomes (i.e., acceptability and appropriateness) and whether these mediated subsequent indicators of training effectiveness (i.e., gains in knowledge). Results: Consistent with previous research, individuals with lower baseline knowledge scores showed greater knowledge gains (β = −.57; p < .001). Greater knowledge gains were seen for learners who reported higher acceptability (β = .08; p < .001) or appropriateness (β = .14; p < .001). Implementation outcomes strongly associated with knowledge gains included acceptability for female learners and appropriateness for learners who had not completed high school or had >15 years of experience in childcare settings. Where mediation was found, for the majority of groups, appropriateness emerged as the driving mediator. Conclusion: Implementation outcomes emerged as important drivers of knowledge change for most groups. The iLookOut Core Training’s use of a multimedia learning environment, video-based storylines, and game-based techniques were endorsed by learners and correlated with increases in knowledge. Future work should explore why aspects of the iLookOut training are rated as less acceptable or appropriate by some groups and what changes would improve efficacy for low performing learners.

Research is increasingly conducted through multi-institutional consortia, and best practices for establishing multi-site research collaborations must be employed to ensure efficient, effective, and productive translational research teams. In this manuscript, we describe how the Population-based Research to Optimize the Screening Process Lung Research Center (PROSPR-Lung) utilized evidence-based Science of Team Science (SciTS) best practices to establish the consortium’s infrastructure and processes to promote translational research in lung cancer screening. We provide specific, actionable examples of how we: (1) developed and reinforced a shared mission, vision, and goals; (2) maintained a transparent and representative leadership structure; (3) employed strong research support systems; (4) provided efficient and effective data management; (5) promoted interdisciplinary conversations; and (6) built a culture of trust. We offer guidance for managing a multi-site research center and data repository that may be applied to a variety of settings. Finally, we detail specific project management tools and processes used to drive collaboration, efficiency, and scientific productivity.

Mental health needs and disparities are widespread and have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the greatest burden being on marginalized individuals worldwide. The World Health Organization developed the Mental Health Gap Action Programme to address growing global mental health needs by promoting task sharing in the delivery of psychosocial and psychological interventions. However, little is known about the training needed for non-specialists to deliver these interventions with high levels of competence and fidelity. This article provides a brief conceptual overview of the evidence concerning the training of non-specialists carrying out task-sharing psychosocial and psychological interventions while utilizing illustrative case studies from Kenya, Ethiopia, and the United States to highlight findings from the literature. In this article, the authors discuss the importance of tailoring training to the skills and needs of the non-specialist providers and their roles in the delivery of an intervention. This narrative review with four case studies advocates for training that recognizes the expertise that non-specialist providers bring to intervention delivery, including how they promote culturally responsive care within their communities.

While credit cards provide transactions services, as do currency and demand deposits, credit cards have never been included in measures of the money supply. The reason is accounting conventions, which do not permit adding liabilities, such as credit card balances, to assets, such as money. However, economic aggregation theory and index number theory measure service flows and are based on microeconomic theory, not accounting. Barnett et al. derived the aggregation and index number theory needed to measure the joint services of credit cards and money. They derived and applied the theory under the assumption of risk neutrality. But since credit card interest rates are high and volatile, risk aversion may not be negligible. We extend the theory by removing the assumption of risk neutrality to permit risk aversion in the decision of the representative consumer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Remitted psychotic depression (MDDPsy) has heterogeneity of outcome. The study's aims were to identify subgroups of persons with remitted MDDPsy with distinct trajectories of depression severity during continuation treatment and to detect predictors of membership to the worsening trajectory. Method: One hundred and twenty-six persons aged 18–85 years participated in a 36-week randomized placebo-controlled trial (RCT) that examined the clinical effects of continuing olanzapine once an episode of MDDPsy had remitted with sertraline plus olanzapine. Latent class mixed modeling was used to identify subgroups of participants with distinct trajectories of depression severity during the RCT. Machine learning was used to predict membership to the trajectories based on participant pre-trajectory characteristics. Results: Seventy-one (56.3%) participants belonged to a subgroup with a stable trajectory of depression scores and 55 (43.7%) belonged to a subgroup with a worsening trajectory. A random forest model with high prediction accuracy (AUC of 0.812) found that the strongest predictors of membership to the worsening subgroup were residual depression symptoms at onset of remission, followed by anxiety score at RCT baseline and age of onset of the first lifetime depressive episode. In a logistic regression model that examined depression score at onset of remission as the only predictor variable, the AUC (0.778) was close to that of the machine learning model. Conclusions: Residual depression at onset of remission has high accuracy in predicting membership to worsening outcome of remitted MDDPsy. Research is needed to determine how best to optimize the outcome of psychotic MDDPsy with residual symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Greater blood pressure (BP) reactivity and socioeconomic deprivation (e.g., area deprivation index; ADI) are associated with poor vascular health [1-3]. However, it is unclear if ADI is associated with BP reactivity. Thus, we sought to examine if ADI is associated with BP reactivity in young adults. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Participants completed questionnaires used to derive lifetime ADI averaged from early-, mid-childhood, and adolescence. Participants completed a handgrip (HG) exercise protocol including 10 minutes of rest, 2 minutes of static HG at 40% of their maximal voluntary contraction, 3 minutes of post-exercise ischemia (PEI), and 2 minutes of recovery (REC). Beat-to-beat BP (photoplethysmography) and heartrate (HR; electrocardiogram) were continually assessed. We used the Shapiro-Wilk test to assess data for normality. We examined associations between ADI, BP reactivity, and HR using unadjusted and body mass index (BMI), sex, and race-adjusted Pearson’s correlation (set a priori to 0.05). RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: This study included 53 (27Males/26Females; 21 ± 1 years; 24Black/29White; BP 107 ± 9/64 ± 9 mmHg) participants. There were racial differences (Black compared to White adults) for several BP reactivity metrics (e.g., PEI minute 3 diastolic BP: 96 ± 15 vs. 84 ± 19 mmHg, p=0.014) and lifetime ADI (p0.050). DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Our data suggest racial differences exist in socioeconomic deprivation in a modestly sized young adult sample living in the southeast. While additional data are needed for other stressors, socioeconomic deprivation was not independently associated with BP or HR reactivity during acute exercise.

TERTIA BARNETT. 2019. An engraved landscape: rock carvings in the Wadi al-Ajal, Libya. Volume 1: synthesis. Volume 2: gazetteer. London: The Society for Libyan Studies (The Society for Libyan Studies [...]

An introduction is presented in which the author talks about the topics discussed in the issue including "The Rise and Fall of Modelbooks, Notate and the Brechtian Method" by David Barnett, "Politicizing the Pastoral" by Catherine Diamond, and "The Money Was Real Money" by Awo Mana Asiedu.

326 pages, 28 figures, 8 tables. 2002. New Delhi: Manohar; 81-7304-308-6 hardback Rs 650. RUSS & BLYTH CARPENTER. The blessings of Bhutan. v+186 pages, figures, 47 colour photographs. 2002. Honolulu [...]

What is the basis of status in world order? Status is assumed to come from strength, even if strength is reconfigured to be social and normative, not just material. Status, however, can also come from perceived weakness – it is conferred to those recognised as 'victims'. We make four theoretical contributions to the scholarship on status in world affairs. First, we examine how the category of victim is produced. Two, we expand the possible sources of status in world affairs by adding the category of victim. Three, focus on victimhood status further demonstrates that status is independent of material power. Lastly, victimhood as status exhibits the paradox that power depends on perceived powerlessness. We illustrate these arguments with three features of victim status in modern international politics: the changing desirability of victim status in Israel, the gendered construction of ideal victim in the Congo, and the hierarchy of victimhood in Bosnia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Blood biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) may allow for the early detection of AD pathology in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to AD (MCI-AD) and as a co-pathology in MCI with Lewy bodies (MCI-LB). However not all cases of MCI-LB will feature AD pathology. Disease-general biomarkers of neurodegeneration, such as glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) or neurofilament light (NfL), may therefore provide a useful supplement to AD biomarkers. We aimed to compare the relative utility of plasma A β 42/40, p -tau181, GFAP and NfL in differentiating MCI-AD and MCI-LB from cognitively healthy older adults, and from one another. Methods: Plasma samples were analysed for 172 participants (31 healthy controls, 48 MCI-AD, 28 possible MCI-LB and 65 probable MCI-LB) at baseline, and a subset (n = 55) who provided repeated samples after ≥1 year. Samples were analysed with a Simoa 4-plex assay for A β 42, A β 40, GFAP and NfL, and incorporated previously-collected p -tau181 from this same cohort. Results: Probable MCI-LB had elevated GFAP (p < 0.001) and NfL (p = 0.012) relative to controls, but not significantly lower A β 42/40 (p = 0.06). GFAP and p -tau181 were higher in MCI-AD than MCI-LB. GFAP discriminated all MCI subgroups, from controls (AUC of 0.75), but no plasma-based marker effectively differentiated MCI-AD from MCI-LB. NfL correlated with disease severity and increased with MCI progression over time (p = 0.011). Conclusion: Markers of AD and astrocytosis/neurodegeneration are elevated in MCI-LB. GFAP offered similar utility to p -tau181 in distinguishing MCI overall, and its subgroups, from healthy controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autistic people have a high likelihood of developing mental health difficulties but a low chance of receiving effective mental healthcare. Therefore, there is a need to identify and examine strategies to improve mental healthcare for autistic people., Aims: To identify strategies that have been implemented to improve access, experiences of care and mental health outcomes for autistic adults, and to examine evidence on their acceptability, feasibility and effectiveness., Method: A co-produced systematic review was conducted. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINHAL, medRxiv and PsyArXiv were searched. We included all study designs reporting acceptability or feasibility outcomes and empirical quantitative study designs reporting effectiveness outcomes. Data were synthesised using a narrative approach., Results: A total of 30 articles were identified. These included 16 studies of adapted mental health interventions, eight studies of service improvements and six studies of bespoke mental health interventions developed for autistic people. There was no conclusive evidence on effectiveness. However, most bespoke and adapted approaches appeared to be feasible and acceptable. Identified adaptations appeared to be acceptable and feasible, including increasing knowledge and detection of autism, providing environmental adjustments and communication accommodations, accommodating individual differences and modifying the structure and content of interventions., Conclusion: Many identified strategies are feasible and acceptable, and can be readily implemented in services with the potential to make mental healthcare more suitable for autistic people, but important research gaps remain. Future research should address these and investigate a co-produced package of service improvement measures.

Objectives: A resurgence of research investigating the administration of psychedelic compounds alongside psychotherapy suggests that this treatment is a promising intervention for anxiety, depression, and existential distress in people with cancer. However, psychedelic treatment that induces a mind-altering experience potentially poses barriers to vulnerable cancer patients, and health-care practitioners may have concerns about referring their patients to trials investigating this approach. The aim of the current study was to investigate the perceptions of cancer health-care practitioners based in New Zealand and the USA related to psychedelic-assisted therapy., Methods: This study utilized a cross-sectional survey of cancer health-care practitioners in New Zealand and the USA via convenience sampling to identify their perceptions about the concept of conducting psychedelic-assisted therapy with cancer patients., Results: Participants perceived that (1) psychedelic-assisted therapy has the potential to provide benefit for cancer patients, (2) research in this area across a variety of domains is important, (3) work should consider spiritual and indigenous perspectives of health, and (4) there was willingness to refer patients to trials in this area, especially patients with advanced disease who were no longer going through curative treatment. Participants in the USA had greater awareness of psychedelics than the New Zealand sample; however, New Zealand participants more strongly believed that spiritual/indigenous factors should be considered in psychedelic-assisted therapy., Significance of Results: Cancer health-care practitioners in our sample considered research investigating the potential for psychedelic-assisted therapies to be important and may be more open to studies that start in palliative and end-of-life contexts.

Objective: Attentional impairments are common in dementia with Lewy bodies and its prodromal stage of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with Lewy bodies (MCI-LB). People with MCI may be capable of compensating for subtle attentional deficits in most circumstances, and so these may present as occasional lapses of attention. We aimed to assess the utility of a continuous performance task (CPT), which requires sustained attention for several minutes, for measuring attentional performance in MCI-LB in comparison to Alzheimer's disease (MCI-AD), and any performance deficits which emerged with sustained effort., Method: We included longitudinal data on a CPT sustained attention task for 89 participants with MCI-LB or MCI-AD and 31 healthy controls, estimating ex-Gaussian response time parameters, omission and commission errors. Performance trajectories were estimated both cross-sectionally (intra-task progress from start to end) and longitudinally (change in performance over years)., Results: While response times in successful trials were broadly similar, with slight slowing associated with clinical parkinsonism, those with MCI-LB made considerably more errors. Omission errors were more common throughout the task in MCI-LB than MCI-AD (OR 2.3, 95% CI: 1.1-4.7), while commission errors became more common after several minutes of sustained attention. Within MCI-LB, omission errors were more common in those with clinical parkinsonism (OR 1.9, 95% CI: 1.3-2.9) or cognitive fluctuations (OR 4.3, 95% CI: 2.2-8.8)., Conclusions: Sustained attention deficits in MCI-LB may emerge in the form of attentional lapses leading to omissions, and a breakdown in inhibitory control leading to commission errors.

Background Previous qualitative research suggests that university students feel that current service provision does not meet their needs. Exploring the reasons for this may help to promote service change, encourage the uptake of care, improve outcomes and increase satisfaction within university services. Aims This study aimed to improve the understanding of how students experience the process of accessing and using mental health support, barriers and facilitators to treatment, and how students would adapt provision to improve experiences. Method Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 full-time students who had used mental health services at university. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Five higher-order themes were identified: personalisation and informed choice, simplifying the process, feeling abandoned ignored or invisible, stigma, and superiority of private and external services. Sixteen subthemes were identified within these themes. Conclusions Findings indicate that access to mental health support should be simplified, with collaboration across university and external health and care services, to prevent students feeling lost or abandoned when seeking care. An inclusive approach to support access and provision of services for all presentations of mental health problems should be developed.

The past decade has witnessed a significant increase in women's presence in local politics. According to the newly published United Nations (UN) Women in Local Government data set, women constitute 36% of local deliberative bodies worldwide compared to merely 25% in national parliaments.1 Much of this increase is the result of gender quotas: the Gender Quotas Database (International IDEA 2022) shows that as of 2021, 75 countries had some form of gender quota on the local level, 24 of which were authoritarian regimes. Yet, extant work on gender politics in authoritarian regimes tends to focus on the national level, given the highly centralized decision-making processes in such contexts. We contend that the study of women's engagement and representation in local politics can help scholars better understand not only gender and politics, but also authoritarian politics more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Memory and learning deficits are central among cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. However, to a varying proportion ca. 20-25% of patients could not be considered deficit. Objectives Description of sociodemographic, lifestyle and clinical factors related to good performance in PAL-test in schizophrenia patients. Methods Participants (N=4500) were members of the Finnish SUPER study on the genetic mechanisms of psychotic disorders (SUPER). The database of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC 1966) was utilized as a reference data. Visual memory and new learning were assessed using Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) Paired Associates Learning (PAL) test. The 50th percentile scores (10 error score or less) for outcome measure total errors adjusted (TEA) of NFBC 1966 was used as a cut-off for good performance in PAL test. Results The sociodemographic and lifestyle factors related good performance for both sexes were: younger age (p

Global international relations (IR) generates space for theoretical expressions drawn from outside the experiences of the modern West. Alongside these demands for theoretical pluralism can be found a concern for widening IR's historical frames of reference. Yet, to date, the relationship between global IR and history is the least developed part of the project's agenda. This article suggests two ways in which this relationship can be strengthened. One draws from global history, shows how transboundary connections and relational dynamics forge the units used by advocates of global IR in their analysis: West and non-West, core and periphery, metropole and colony. The other draws from global historical sociology as it advances the role of power asymmetries for understanding the patterns and entanglements in transboundary connections. Connecting global IR to global history and global historical sociology can help produce a fuller understanding of the interactive connections and asymmetrical entanglements between peoples, places, ideas, and institutions that drive historical development. We illustrate this potential through a brief analysis of the rise of the West. This, in turn, demonstrates the ways in which three visions of the global – global IR, global history, and global historical sociology – can be mutually beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global IR is an encompassing term for a range of work that has set out to globalize the discipline in terms of its core concepts, assumptions, and substantive areas of study. Our symposium supports Global IR's goals but also offers some friendly critiques of the project with the aim of increasing its impact and durability. In this Introduction to the symposium, we posit that Global IR is vulnerable to a dynamic that limits its capacity to upend the status quo, which we term the 'essentialism trap'. Essentialism captures a range of commitments oriented around the notion that the world is constituted by pre-formed, fixed, internally coherent, and bounded social forms. The trap involves the overuse of essentialist categories by radical projects, a process that can result in the reinforcement of status quo categories and assumptions. With reference to previous openings in IR that have succumbed to this trap, we identify the dynamics that lead to this trap and suggest ways in which Global IR can avoid it by leaning more into relationalism and global history, and, thereby, fulfil the promise contained in the range of movements it speaks with and for. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The transition to university and resultant social support network disruption can be detrimental to the mental health of university students. As the need for mental health support is becoming increasingly prevalent in students, identification of factors associated with poorer outcomes is a priority. Changes in social functioning have a bi-directional relationship with mental health, however it is not clear how such measures may be related to effectiveness of psychological treatments. Methods: Growth mixture models were estimated on a sample of 5221 students treated in routine mental health services to identify different trajectories of change in self-rated impairment in social leisure activities and close relationships during the course of treatment. Multinomial regression explored associations between trajectory classes and treatment outcomes. Results: Five trajectory classes were identified for social leisure activity impairment while three classes were identified for close relationship impairment. In both measures most students remained mildly impaired. Other trajectories included severe impairment with limited improvement, severe impairment with delayed improvement, and, in social leisure activities only, rapid improvement, and deterioration. Trajectories of improvement were associated with positive treatment outcomes while trajectories of worsening or stable severe impairment were associated with negative treatment outcomes. Conclusions: Changes in social functioning impairment are associated with psychological treatment outcomes in students, suggesting that these changes may be associated with treatment effectiveness as well as recovery experiences. Future research should seek to establish whether a causal link exists to understand whether integrating social support within psychological treatment may bring additional benefit for students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective mentoring is a key mechanism propelling successful research and academic careers, particularly for early career scholars. Most mentoring programs focus on models pairing senior and early career researchers, with limited focus on peer mentoring. Peer mentoring may be especially advantageous within emerging areas such as implementation science (IS) where challenges to traditional mentoring may be more prevalent. This special communication highlights the value of peer mentoring by describing a case study of an early career IS peer mentoring group. We delineate our curriculum and structure; support and processes; and products and outcomes. We highlight important group member characteristics to consider during group formation and continuation. The group’s long-term (6 years) success was attributed to the balance of similarities and differences among group members. Members were in a similar career phase and used similar methodologies but studied different health topics at different institutions. Group members gave and received instrumental and psychosocial support and shared resources and knowledge. Peer mentoring can serve an important function to provide emotional, logistical, and professional development support for early career scholars. Our case study highlights strategies to foster peer mentoring groups that provide a generalizable blueprint and opportunity for improved outcomes for early career professionals.

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: To describe and evaluate an innovative university-community vaccination and food access model for minority, immigrant, and underserved individuals experiencing food insecurity during a global pandemic. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The Purdue University Center for Health Equity and Innovation (CHEqI) partnered with the two largest food banks in the Midwest and Walgreens to offer free COVID-19 and Flu vaccinations alongside food distribution. Goals included addressing food insecurity, increasing vaccine access, and decreasing vaccine hesitancy. CHEqI acquired funding, recruited volunteers and interpreters, assessed interest and addressed vaccine hesitancy. Food bank/pantry partners distributed food and provided access to clientele and marketing assistance. Walgreens procured, administered, and documented vaccinations. The Model accommodated drive-through and indoor processes. Unidentifiable observational and self-report data were collected. Descriptive statistics were computed to characterize program outcomes. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: A total of 11 vaccination events occurred between June and October 2021 at three food bank/pantry locations. Of these 11 events, nine (82%) were drive-through and two (18%) took place indoors, eight (72%) offered COVID-19 vaccinations only, and three (27%) offered both COVID-19 and Flu vaccinations. Food was distributed to a total of 5,108 families and 416 vaccines (314 COVID, 102 Flu) were administered. Of the 396 individuals who received at least one vaccine, 20 (5%) received both a COVID and Flu vaccine. Of the 386 individuals who received at least one vaccine and reported their sex, 194 (50%) identified as female and the average age of those who received at least one vaccine was 45 years old. Of those who reported race (N = 228) or ethnicity (N = 253), 43% identified as Black or African American and 53% identified as LatinX. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Findings offer an innovative vaccination and food access model for diverse individuals experiencing food insecurity during a global pandemic. By drawing on cost effective, accessible, and culturally contextualized practices to optimize the reach and quality of vaccination services we can improve access barriers and mitigate health disparities.

This paper proposes the creation and application of maturity models to guide institutional strategic investment in research informatics and information technology (research IT) and to provide the ability to measure readiness for clinical and research infrastructure as well as sustainability of expertise. Conducting effective and efficient research in health science increasingly relies upon robust research IT systems and capabilities. Academic health centers are increasing investments in health IT systems to address operational pressures, including rapidly growing data, technological advances, and increasing security and regulatory challenges associated with data access requirements. Current approaches for planning and investment in research IT infrastructure vary across institutions and lack comparable guidance for evaluating investments, resulting in inconsistent approaches to research IT implementation across peer academic health centers as well as uncertainty in linking research IT investments to institutional goals. Maturity models address these issues through coupling the assessment of current organizational state with readiness for deployment of potential research IT investment, which can inform leadership strategy. Pilot work in maturity model development has ranged from using them as a catalyst for engaging medical school IT leaders in planning at a single institution to developing initial maturity indices that have been applied and refined across peer medical schools.

A robust biomedical informatics infrastructure is essential for academic health centers engaged in translational research. There are no templates for what such an infrastructure encompasses or how it is funded. An informatics workgroup within the Clinical and Translational Science Awards network conducted an analysis to identify the scope, governance, and funding of this infrastructure. After we identified the essential components of an informatics infrastructure, we surveyed informatics leaders at network institutions about the governance and sustainability of the different components. Results from 42 survey respondents showed significant variations in governance and sustainability; however, some trends also emerged. Core informatics components such as electronic data capture systems, electronic health records data repositories, and related tools had mixed models of funding including, fee-for-service, extramural grants, and institutional support. Several key components such as regulatory systems (e.g., electronic Institutional Review Board [IRB] systems, grants, and contracts), security systems, data warehouses, and clinical trials management systems were overwhelmingly supported as institutional infrastructure. The findings highlighted in this report are worth noting for academic health centers and funding agencies involved in planning current and future informatics infrastructure, which provides the foundation for a robust, data-driven clinical and translational research program.