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This article reflects on my use of Video Enhanced Reflective Practice (VERP), as a trainee educational psychologist (TEP), to further develop my interactions, level of attunement and confidence to express my psychological opinion with my placement supervisor, within the context of supervision. The project consisted of three cycles of VERP using edited clips from video recordings of three supervision sessions judged to demonstrate 'better than usual' interactions, which were reviewed with a VERP guider (the second author). My overall learning goal focused on further strengthening my confidence to express psychological perspectives in supervision, with specific targets identified relating to how I facilitated an equal partnership, shared alternative perspectives, and co-constructed formulations. After three shared reviews, my baseline ratings for all collaboratively agreed learning goals were met. With guidance from the VERP guider, I reflected on how I became more present in supervision sessions, allowed myself thinking time, and received, contributed, and extended my views and hypotheses more confidently. I also noticed and accepted praise more readily which seemed to result in greater confidence and attunement, both in further supervision sessions and other aspects of professional practice. This reflective account outlines the process and outcomes of the project before considering the strengths and limitations of using VERP to facilitate the professional development of TEPs, using the supervisory relationship as a vehicle for development.

Tuberculosis remains a significant global health pandemic. There is an urgent need for new anti-tubercular agents to combat the rising incidence of drug resistance and to offer effective and additive therapeutic options. High-throughput screening of a subset of the NatureBank marine fraction library (n = 2000) identified a sample derived from an Australian marine sponge belonging to the order Haplosclerida that displayed promising anti-mycobacterial activity. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the organic extract from this Haplosclerida sponge led to the purification of previously identified antimicrobial pyrrole alkaloids, axinellamines A (1) and B (2). The axinellamine compounds were found to have a 90% minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC90) of 18 µM and 15 µM, respectively. The removal of protein and complex carbon sources reduced the MIC90 of 1 and 2 to 0.6 and 0.8 µM, respectively. The axinellamines were not toxic to mammalian cells at 25 µM and significantly reduced the intracellular bacterial load by >5-fold. These data demonstrate that axinellamines A and B are effective anti-tubercular agents and promising targets for future medicinal chemistry efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous surgical approaches exist for the treatment of pilonidal disease. Current literature on treatment is of poor quality, limiting the ability to define optimal intervention. The aim of this study was to provide real-world data on current surgical practice and report patient and risk-adjusted outcomes, informing future trial design. Methods: This UK-wide multicentre prospective cohort study, including patients (aged over 16 years) who had definitive treatment for symptomatic pilonidal disease, was conducted between May 2019 and March 2022. Patient and disease characteristics, and intervention details were analysed. Data on patient-reported outcomes, including pain, complications, treatment failure, wound issues, and quality of life, were gathered at various time points up to 6 months after surgery. Strategies were implemented to adjust for risk influencing different treatment choices and outcomes. Results: Of the 667 participants consenting, 574 (86.1%) were followed up to the study end. Twelve interventions were observed. Broadly, 59.5% underwent major excisional surgery and 40.5% minimally invasive surgery. Complications occurred in 45.1% of the cohort. Those who had minimally invasive procedures had better quality of life and, after risk adjustment, less pain (score on day 1: mean difference 1.58, 95% c.i. 1.14 to 2.01), fewer complications (difference 17.5 (95% c.i. 9.1 to 25.9)%), more rapid return to normal activities (mean difference 25.9 (18.4 to 33.4) days) but a rate of higher treatment failure (difference 9.6 (95% c.i. 17.3 to 1.9)%). At study end, 25% reported an unhealed wound and 10% had not returned to normal activities. Conclusion: The burden after surgery for pilonidal disease is high and treatment failure is common. Minimally invasive techniques may improve outcomes at the expense of a 10% higher risk of treatment failure. This article describes one of the largest real-world experiences of surgery for pilonidal disease. The results are different from those reported in the literature. Many patients experience protracted recovery, and failure is common. Use of minimally invasive techniques is likely to reduce the burden of postoperative recovery substantially, for both patient well-being, direct healthcare costs, and costs to the wider economy, but with a higher risk of recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the concept of wisdom and its significance in education and research. The author shares their personal experience with Long COVID, which temporarily impacted their analytical thinking but enhanced their creativity and intuition. They emphasize the importance of incorporating diverse ways of knowing, including Indigenous and Celtic perspectives, into education and research. The article suggests that by paying attention to wisdom and diverse ways of knowing, education and research can gain depth and meaning, particularly in the face of current global challenges. The author encourages readers to reflect on how their own work can promote wisdom and connect knowledge, emotions, and action. The text also explores the interconnectedness of thinking and feeling, arguing that they are inseparable. It highlights the value of different forms of representation in understanding meaning. The author further delves into the concept of intuitive evaluation, which involves relying on one's inner voice to guide choices, judgments, and actions. They provide examples of how intuitive evaluation can be applied in research, such as through arts-based methods and magic realism. The text concludes by emphasizing the importance of embracing diverse ways of knowing and conducting research with wisdom in mind. [Extracted from the article]

Although youth-led programs (YLP) have been successful in many areas of public health, youth leadership is rarely used in the prevention of peer aggression. A YLP to reduce bullying, sexual harassment, and dating aggression was compared experimentally with the board-mandated usual practice (UP). Four middle schools in an urban Canadian school division were randomly assigned to a YLP or to UP programs led by adults. Knowledge, attitudes, victimization, and emotional school adjustment (anxiety and school connectedness) were assessed in the fall (pretest) and spring (posttest) among 509 Grades 7 and 8 students (51.4% female, X(line over top) age = 12.37). Significant improvements were found in knowledge and attitudes in both programs. Students receiving the YLP showed significant reductions in anxiety and maintained their school connectedness (all ps < 0.05). The results suggest that youth-led prevention is an effective approach for tackling peer aggression in school settings.

Using a developmental-contextual framework, the present study investigated risk factors for same- and cross-gender sexual harassment victimization in 986 middle school students. Participants completed questionnaires in the fall and spring of the same school year so risk factors could be explored longitudinally. Results revealed that gender differences existed for same- and cross-gender forms of harassment. While girls reported more instances of receiving same- and cross-gender unwanted sexual attention, boys were more likely to report being victims of same-gender gender harassment. Important differences in risk factors also existed. Being bullied in the fall and feeling disconnected from school were risk factors for same-gender victimization but not for cross-gender victimization. Romantic relationship status, which was a significant risk factor for both same- and cross-gender victimization, was qualified by significant gender interactions. Results are explained through a developmental-contextual lens and implications for intervention are discussed.

Aim: Pilonidal sinus is a common surgical condition which impacts a young and economically active population. There are limited data to guide treatment in this condition. The aim of this work was to assess current practice. Method: A survey was developed as part of the PITSTOP study. It included questions on volume of practice, treatment preferences and training. The survey was delivered to consultant surgeons with a UK practice through social media, specialty surgical societies and through PITSTOP sites. Descriptive statistics were reported. Results: Of the 200 people who received a link to the questionnaire, 109 completed it (response rate 54.5%). Respondents treated a median of 15 patients per year, with 20% of these having recurrent disease. Estimates of recurrence were higher than reported in the literature and higher than in a survey 10 years ago. Nearly 50% of surgeons advocate nonsurgical treatment in some patients despite limited evidence. Two thirds practised interventions not favoured by guidelines, including excision and leave open and midline closure techniques. Invasive procedures tended to be favoured when minimally invasive procedures may be appropriate. Surgical training programmes were the key training setting for commonly offered procedures, with few other training opportunities reported. For some procedures, no formal training had been given. Conclusion: This survey highlights issues with quality in pilonidal surgery in the UK, with persistence of potentially outdated techniques, no consistent treatment escalation plan, a suggestion of under‐ or overtreatment of disease and a high perception of failure. This may relate to the current system of training and lack of evidence‐based guidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: A range of treatments are available for pilonidal sinus disease (PSD), each of which has a different risk/benefit profile. The aim of this study was to collect patient views on which interventions they would rather avoid and which outcomes they most value for PSD. Method: We conducted an online survey using the discrete choice experiment (DCE) method. The DCE task involved participants choosing the best treatment option when presented with a set of competing hypothetical treatment profiles. Participants with symptomatic PSD referred for elective surgery were recruited from 33 National Health Service trusts between 2020 and 2022. Collected DCE data were analysed using regression analyses. Results: In all, 111 participants completed the survey. In the overall group, low risk of infection/persistence was the most important characteristic when making a treatment decision (attribute importance score 70%), followed by treatments with shorter recovery time with an attribute importance score of 30%. The results demonstrated that patients are willing to accept trade‐offs between treatment recovery time and risk of infection/persistence. Patients above 30 years old are willing to accept a higher chance of treatment failure in exchange for rapid treatment recovery (risk tolerance between 22.35 and 34.67 percentage points). Conversely, patients in the younger age groups were risk averse and were only willing to accept a small risk of 1.51–2.15 in exchange for a treatment with faster recovery time. All patient groups appear to the reject the excision and leave open technique due to the need for protracted nursing care. Conclusion: This study highlights the need for shared decision making when it comes to surgery for PSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the lived experiences of veteran female K-12 teachers who taught during the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants emphasized relationship building, the reevaluation of teaching as a career, the importance of administrative and systemic support, and both positive and negative experiences of teaching during the pandemic. This study offered space for female educators to reflect on their unique experiences, providing insight into the cathartic process of sharing lived experiences in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a key antioxidant enzyme, and overexpression of HO-1 significantly decreases lung inflammation and fibrosis in animal models. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-[gamma] (PPAR[gamma]) is a transcription factor that regulates adipogenesis, insulin sensitization, and inflammation. We report here that the PPAR[gamma] ligands 15d-[PGJ.sub.2] and 2-cyano-3,12-dioxoolean-l,9-dien-28-oic acid (CDDO), which have potent antifibrotic effects in vitro, also strongly induce HO-1 expression in primary human lung fibroblasts. Pharmacological and genetic approaches are used to demonstrate that induction of HO-1 is PPAR[gamma] independent. Upregulation of HO-1 coincides with decreased intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels and can be inhibited by N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), a thiol antioxidant and GSH precursor. Upregulation of HO-1 is not inhibited by Trolox, a non-thiol antioxidant, and does not involve the transcription factors AP-1 or Nrf2. CDDO and 15d-[PGJ.sub.2] contain an [alpha]/[beta] unsaturated ketone that acts as an electrophilic center that can form covalent bonds with free reduced thiols. Rosiglitazone, a PPAR[gamma], ligand that lacks an electrophilic center, does not induce HO-1. These data suggest that in human lung fibroblasts, 15d-[PGJ.sub.2] and CDDO induce HO-1 via a GSH-dependent mechanism involving the formation of covalent bonds between 15d-[PGJ.sub.2] or CDDO and GSH. Inhibiting HO-1 upregulation with NAC has only a small effect on the antifibrotic properties of 15d-[PGJ.sub.2] and CDDO in vitro. These results suggest that CDDO and similar electrophilic PPAR[gamma] ligands may have great clinical potential as antifibrotic agents, not only through direct effects on fibroblast differentiation and function, but indirectly by bolstering antioxidant defenses. 2-cyano-3,12-dioxoolean-1,9-dien-28-oic acid; myofibroblast; N-acetyl cysteine doi: 10.1152/ajplung.00148.2009.