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Young adults have long been leaders of social change, yet university student samples are often criticized for limits to generalizability. However, students may be a critical population to gather insight from to understand how they engage in activism and how their wellbeing is impacted by global conflict. We conducted two studies examining college students' perceptions of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and their activism at an urban Northeastern US university. In study one which included two waves of data collection (n = 44 at T1; n = 30 at T2), students reported increased anxiety related to the invasion which decreased over time, but not significantly. In study two, participants (n = 123) reported high levels of direct and indirect activism across a variety of social issues. Findings indicate that students were impacted by global conflict and engaged in social activism. University students provide valuable insight into global and social issues and should be considered as more than a convenience sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N‐acetylcysteine (NAC) may serve as a novel pharmacotherapy for substance use and substance craving in individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs), possibly through its potential to regulate glutamate. Though prior meta‐analyses generally support NAC's efficacy in reducing symptoms of craving, individual trials have found mixed results. The aims of this updated meta‐analysis were to (1) examine the efficacy of NAC in treating symptoms of craving in individuals with SUD and (2) explore subgroup differences, risk of bias and publication bias across trials. Database searches of PubMed, Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov were conducted in June and July of 2023 to identify relevant randomized control trials (RCTs). The meta‐analysis consisted of 9 trials which analysed data from a total of 623 participants. The most targeted substance in the clinical trials was alcohol (3/9; 33.3%), followed by tobacco (2/9; 22.2%) and multiple substances (2/9; 22.2%). Meta‐analysis, subgroup analyses and leave‐one‐out analyses were conducted to examine the treatment effect on craving symptoms and adverse events (AEs). Risk of bias assessments, Egger's tests and funnel plot tests were conducted to examine the risk of bias and publication bias. NAC did not significantly outperform placebo in reducing symptoms of craving in the meta‐analysis (SMD = 0.189, 95% CI = −0.015–0.393). Heterogeneity was very high in the meta‐analysis (99.26%), indicating that findings may have been influenced by clinical or methodological differences in the study protocols. Additionally, results indicate that there may be publication bias present. Overall, our findings are contrary to those of prior meta‐analyses, suggesting a limited impact of NAC on substance craving. However, the high heterogeneity and presence of publication bias identified warrants cautious interpretation of the meta‐analytic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are common in service members and veterans, and the response to currently available treatments is often modest at best. Recent studies suggest potential benefit with psychedelic-assisted therapies (PATs), particularly 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted therapy for PTSD and psilocybin-assisted therapy for depression. This study examined beliefs and perceived barriers regarding PAT among service members and veterans to inform the delivery of these treatments if they are approved by the FDA. Materials and Methods Twenty-one service members and veterans (67% male, 81% White, and 43% active duty) with a history of traumatic brain injury and co-occurring cognitive and psychological symptoms completed a measure assessing baseline knowledge and views of PAT, read a brief psychoeducation regarding PAT, and then responded to questions related to their beliefs and perceived barriers to PAT. Results Before psychoeducation, participants reported a neutral view of psychedelic drugs (M  = 2.76; range: 1-5), PAT (M  = 3.33), and interest in PAT (M  = 3.10). After psychoeducation, participants reported a significantly more positive view of psychedelic drugs (M  = 3.24, P  = .014) and interest in PAT (M  = 3.67, P  = .016). Overall, participants indicated that they would support PAT availability in medical settings if proven beneficial (M  = 4.52; 5 = "agree strongly") and they would support a loved one engaging in PAT (M  = 4.29). The most frequently reported health concerns were concern of long-term effects (43%), fear of losing their mind (33%), fear of personality changes (33%), and fear of traumatic brain injury complications (24%). The most frequently endorsed barriers were time commitment, transportation, financial concerns, work, and childcare (33%-19%), with 48% reporting no barriers. Conclusions This is the first study to explore beliefs and perceived barriers regarding PAT among service members and veterans. These results indicate that military populations may be interested in PAT, particularly if psychoeducation and outreach regarding these treatments occurred. If FDA approved, it will be important to facilitate command support and address logistical barriers to ensure appropriate access within military contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Transitioning to Adulthood: Timely Insights for Fostering Resilience" published in Pediatric Transplantation discusses the challenges of transitioning pediatric patients to adult care, emphasizing the importance of individualized approaches and early self-management interventions. Healthcare providers shared their experiences through qualitative interviews, highlighting the need for tailored support during this critical period. The study also touches on cross-cultural factors in post-transplant care, noting disparities in the US healthcare system compared to countries with universal healthcare. Overall, the research underscores the significance of promoting autonomy and self-regulation in young patients to improve health outcomes and emotional well-being. [Extracted from the article]

Prior research suggests sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth are profoundly impacted by levels of parental support. This study assessed mediating effects of generalized family acceptance and conflict on lifetime suicidal behaviors among a large diverse sample comprising both SGM and non-SGM youth in early adolescence, when intervention to optimize family dynamics may be critical. Using data from the first-year follow-up of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study based in the United States, mediation was tested using a binary logistic regression model fitted with a generalized structural equation. Models included SGM status as the independent variable, family acceptance or family conflict sum score as the mediator, and the presence of lifetime suicidal behaviors as the dependent variable. Models adjusted for age, birth-assigned sex (as reported by the parent/guardian), and race/ethnicity. Of 11,235 youths, lifetime suicidal behaviors were reported by 1.5% (n = 164). Youths with SGM identities reported 40% less parental acceptance and 47% greater family conflict, compared to non-SGM peers. Both parental acceptance and family conflict partially mediated associations between SGM identification and odds of lifetime suicidal behavior (ps =.001). Identification of modifiable risk factors for suicidality in this vulnerable population, including parental acceptance and family conflict, is critical to improving health outcomes. Clinicians should work with SGM youth and their families starting in childhood to optimize family dynamics and bolster acceptance to potentially reduce adverse health outcomes. Youths with SGM identity reported 40% less parental acceptance than non-SGM peers. Parental acceptance was associated with lower odds of lifetime suicidal behaviors. Family factors partially mediated associations between SGM status and suicidal behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) may serve as a novel pharmacotherapy for substance use and substance craving in individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs), possibly through its potential to regulate glutamate. Though prior meta-analyses generally support NAC's efficacy in reducing symptoms of craving, individual trials have found mixed results. The aims of the this updated meta-analysis were to (1) examine the efficacy of NAC in treating symptoms of craving in individuals with a SUD and (2) explore subgroup differences, risk of bias, and publication bias across trials. Database searches of PubMed, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were conducted in June and July of 2023 to identify relevant randomized control trials (RCTs). The meta-analysis consisted of 9 trials which analyzed data from a total of 623 participants. The most targeted substance in the clinical trials was alcohol (3/9; 33.3%), followed by tobacco (2/9; 22.2%) and multiple substances (2/9; 22.2%). Meta-analysis, subgroup analyses, and leave-one-out analyses were conducted to examine treatment effect on craving symptoms and adverse events (AEs). Risk of bias assessments, Egger's tests, and funnel plot tests were conducted to examine risk of bias and publication bias. NAC did not significantly outperform placebo in reducing symptoms of craving in the meta-analysis (SMD = 0.189, 95% CI = -0.015 - 0.393). Heterogeneity was very high in the meta-analysis (99.26%), indicating that findings may have been influenced by clinical or methodological differences in the study protocols. Additionally, results indicate that there may be publication bias present. Overall, our findings are contrary to those of prior meta-analyses, suggesting limited impact of NAC on substance craving. However, the high heterogeneity and presence of publication bias identified warrants cautious interpretation of the meta-analytic outcomes., Competing Interests: Disclosure Statement: The authors have no commercial or financial conflicts of interests to disclose.