Despite increased public interest and research on intensive high-dose mental health interventions, much remains unknown about the mental health effects and safety of multi-day intensive high-dose mindfulness meditation training. Accordingly, we conducted a preregistered prospective intervention study among 89 adults who registered for 6-day insight mindfulness meditation retreats and 46 matched controls (M_age(SD_age) = 33.75 (9.50), 56.3% female). Retreat participants demonstrated significant improvements in well-being, negative affect, perseverative thinking, brooding rumination, and depression symptoms at 2-week follow-up compared to matched controls (η² range = .04-.08, ps < .05). Effects on positive affect, emotion regulation, and anxiety symptoms were not significant. The percentage of participants exhibiting statistically reliable deterioration in mental health at 2-week follow-up was equal or lower among retreat participants than matched controls, both in the full sample and in a subsample with clinically elevated depression and/or anxiety (ORs < 1). Findings suggest that a 6-day mindfulness meditation retreat can produce rapid improvements in mental health, comparable to effect sizes of much longer 8-week mindfulness-based programs. Findings also challenge concerns about adverse effects of intensive high-dose meditation retreats and suggest they may be a safe and effective intervention modality, even for clinically vulnerable adults struggling with depression or anxiety.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov registration ID NCT04749264.

Emerging adulthood is a developmental period marked by increased psychological vulnerability due to rising demands related to autonomy, identity development, and social relationships. Self-determination theory (SDT) posits that satisfaction of the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness is essential for psychological adjustment, whereas unmet needs are associated with psychological distress. While the direct association between needs satisfaction and distress is well documented, less is known about the psychological processes that may account for this relationship. Humor may represent one such process, as it is a common emotion-regulation and interpersonal coping strategy. However, humor styles differ in their adaptability, and potential sex differences in these pathways remain insufficiently explored.

This cross-sectional study examined 226 university students aged 18-30 years (67.3% female). Participants completed self-report measures of psychological distress, psychological needs satisfaction, and humor styles. Correlation analyses, mediation models, and moderated mediation models were used to examine the associations between psychological needs satisfaction, humor styles, and psychological distress as well as sex-specific differences in these relationships. Higher satisfaction of psychological needs was associated with lower psychological distress, with relatedness showing the strongest association.

Higher levels of needs satisfaction were positively associated with adaptive humor styles, particularly self-enhancing humor, and negatively associated with self-defeating humor. Self-enhancing humor was negatively correlated with psychological distress, while self-defeating humor was positively correlated with it. Statistically, both humor styles accounted for part of the association between psychological needs satisfaction and distress. Moderated mediation analyses revealed sex-specific patterns: the indirect association between autonomy satisfaction and distress via self-defeating humor was stronger in males. In contrast, the indirect association via self-enhancing humor was stronger in females, particularly with regard to relatedness and competence.

These findings underscore the significance of humor styles as correlates of motivational processes and psychological distress in emerging adulthood. Psychological needs satisfaction is associated with lower distress, in part due to adaptive emotion-regulation tendencies reflected in humor use. Distinct patterns are observed for men and women. These results emphasize the importance of considering motivational context, coping tendencies, and sex differences when examining mental health during this critical developmental period.

The role of Law enforcement agencies (LEA) is significant in suicide prevention efforts as first responders. Nevertheless, no published study to date has systematically compiled the body of knowledge about suicide prevention efforts involving LEA. The current scoping review aims to methodically map and examine the peer-reviewed literature and grey literature on the role of LEA in suicide prevention. Electronic searches of the databases like Medline, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL and Google were conducted using a comprehensive search strategy to identify relevant resources. Grey literature was searched searches were undertaken on relevant databases and, as well as government and organisational websites. The reporting of the review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. The inclusion criteria comprised research articles, reports, and guidelines/policy documents on the role of law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in suicide prevention. Studies on prevalence, custodial settings, non-English publications, and reviews were excluded. Inclusion criteria comprised research articles, reports and guidelines/policy documents focusing on law enforcement's role in suicide prevention. Studies focusing solely on prevalence or epidemiology, studies confined strictly to custodial settings, publications not in English and systematic reviews or meta-analyses were excluded. Out of 3,327 records screened, the full texts of 82 resources were included in the review. All the resources identified were categorised between peer-reviewed literature and grey literature. Resources were thematically categorised based on functional roles into- I. Strategic and System-Embedded Roles of LEA, II. Capacity Building and Training Oriented Engagements, III. Surveillance Reporting and Data Systems Role, IV. Community Facing and Preventive Engagement, and V. Means Restriction and Environmental Prevention Roles. The chronological development of the resources was inconsistent. Most resources were from high-income countries, focusing on the evaluation of training, capacity building programmes, surveillance initiatives and the exploration of varied roles of LEA across custodial, community and crisis settings and other interdisciplinary collaborations. Notably, the resources show increased disparity in quantity and research methodological approaches across geographies. The review highlights substantial heterogeneity and a limited resource base from low- and middle-income countries on the role of LEA in suicide prevention, with a dearth of structured, evidence-based, scalable models in these settings. These gaps point to an urgent need for locally relevant and cross-sectoral models that position law enforcement as integral partners in suicide prevention efforts, especially where these agencies play a major role as first responders.

Mutations in the X-linked MECP2 gene cause the progressive neurodevelopmental disorder Rett syndrome. Pathogenic missense mutation hotspots exist in the protein's Methyl DNA binding Domain (MBD), and the Nuclear receptor Co-Repressor (NCoR) Interaction Domain (NID), indicating these regions as critical for MeCP2 function. The NID binds to a co-repressor complex allowing transcriptional repression at target genes. A putative RNA Binding Domain (RBD) was identified that overlaps with the NID, yet the role that RNA interaction plays in MeCP2 function remains underexplored. Using cell-based and in vitro molecular assays, we validated RNA interaction at the NID/RBD of MeCP2 both to a dsRNA probe in vitro and to the lncRNA NEAT1_2 in cells. As expected, this region did not appear to affect MeCP2-chromatin interactions; however, we found that RNA-RBD interaction precludes MeCP2-NCoR binding in cells. Taken together, we find that RNA interaction at this non-canonical RNA binding domain regulates important MeCP2-protein interactions and therefore may be a key part of the pathophysiology of Rett syndrome.

The world and mental health nursing face several crises that, in different ways, reflect problems of dominance. Global politics are afflicted with a growth of support for right-wing ideologies associated with domineering authoritarian leaders. Mental health services are dominated by a singular application of bio-psychiatric ideas and practices. Both forms of dominance are potentially alienating and harmful.

Psychosocial theories offer ways to make sense of authoritarian tendencies across both realms and point to how dominance can be resisted towards progressive transformation. Authoritarian right-wing politics arguably pose an existential threat to society, which is implicated in growing mental distress at the population level and damages services by squeezing resources. Dominant bio-psychiatry visits epistemic and material harms upon the mentally distressed and restricts choice over care and support. Nurses operate at the relational and political nexus of these harms, so must be able to make sense of generative factors and be active in providing remedies.

Applying psychosocial theory can raise political consciousness for mental health nurses and support development of a new politicised professional identity. Advocacy and activist-oriented nurses can mitigate harms across societal and practice-level political engagement. We can, and arguably must, be part of resistance movements grounded in a relational ethic of care.

Suicide disproportionately burdens low- and middle-income countries. In Uganda, attempt survivors encounter intense stigma, minimal mental-health services and social exclusion, elevating their risk of future attempts. Rural African data on post-attempt experiences are scarce. From June to August 2023, we conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews in Buyende District with 18 attempt survivors, 17 relatives, 10 healthcare workers and 9 community health workers. Transcripts were translated into English and thematically analyzed using the framework method within a phenomenologically informed qualitative design. Three interlinked themes emerged. (1) Stigma-shaped immediate responses: cultural, religious and legal norms fostered moral judgment, social distancing, bureaucratic delays and occasionally police involvement. (2) Informal, uneven support: survivors relied on family aid, religious counseling and ad-hoc community advocacy; effectiveness varied widely. (3) Conditional reintegration: sustained practical help, employment and communal acceptance promoted recovery, whereas their absence perpetuated economic hardship and marginalization. Post-attempt trajectories in rural Uganda are governed by multilevel stigma and fragile support systems. Priority actions include provider training, family-community psychoeducation, stigma-reduction initiatives, structured follow-up care and decriminalization of suicide to foster compassionate responses and reduce repeat attempts.

The current health care system is an extreme environment akin to harsh weather conditions with precipitous changes in health care policy and significant funding cuts to public insurance and medical research. Some psychiatrists and other health care clinicians are cautious about speaking out against these new challenges for fear of repercussions. Patients, concerned with maintaining their health care coverage and well-being, are caught in these rapid changes. Concurrently, psychiatrists and other health professionals face ethical challenges and moral injury. Considerations for collaborative advocacy to effect change are offered to assist clinicians in navigating the complexities of this health care environment.

In Bangladesh, government provision of primary care in rural areas has seen the development of services for non-communicable diseases, particularly hypertension and diabetes (given their substantial rise in recent decades). However, in the context of cities, which are characterised by a plurality of providers that have sprung up to meet the demands of a rapidly growing urban population, such provision is very limited.

We will conduct a mixed-methods study, based on the RE-AIM framework, to understand the (1) reach, (2) effectiveness, (3) adoption, (4) implementation and (5) maintenance (the five RE-AIM domains) of a health systems intervention to strengthen management processes for hypertension and diabetes within government and non-governmental organisation (NGO-run) primary care facilities. To evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention, we will use a quasi-experimental, difference-in-differences design. We will recruit 20 purposively selected urban government-run and NGO-run primary care facilities across Dhaka North and South City Corporation areas. Ten facilities will be purposively allocated to an intervention group and receive training and guidance materials on diabetes and hypertension care, based on the WHO Package of Essential Non-communicable (PEN) Disease Intervention for Primary Care, and the use of an e-health application for patient records. The remaining facilities will be allocated to the existing care group and receive no intervention inputs, with identical data collection processes carried out in both groups. We aim to collect data on 50 patients visiting each facility during a baseline period and at 6 and 12 months after implementing the intervention. We will estimate the average treatment effect on the treated (ATT) for the intervention at 6 and 12 months after implementing the intervention on a primary outcome that measures how many of eight key management processes are appropriately carried out for each patient visit at a study facility (with the appropriateness of each management process determined by assessing criteria based on how patients should be managed according to the intervention guidelines). We will also estimate the ATT for the intervention at 6 and 12 months after implementing the intervention on each of the appropriate management processes making up the primary outcome as separate secondary outcomes. Alongside this design, we will collect a range of additional quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate the other RE-AIM domains, using sequential mixed methods approaches, focusing on understanding potential facilitators and barriers in relation to these domains.

Ethics approval has been received from the Research Governance Committee at the University of Leeds, UK (MREC 21-008) and from the Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRCAIREC/20 I 9-2022/485). We will use a variety of channels to share our findings with policy makers, service providers, academicians and relevant stakeholders.

Since 2010, global physical activity guidelines have recommended that adults engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and muscle-strengthening exercise (MSE). However, health surveillance rarely assesses both. This study describes the prevalence and correlates of adherence to the joint MVPA-MSE guideline in a large sample of Australian adults.

Data were drawn from pooling seven waves of the South Australian Population Health Survey (2018 to 2024). Weighted proportions meeting both guidelines (MVPA ≥150 min/week/MSE ≥2 times/week) were calculated. Poisson regression estimated prevalence ratios for meeting both guidelines across sociodemographic/lifestyle factors and for nine chronic conditions by guideline adherence (met neither; MVPA only; MSE only; met both), adjusted for confounders (e.g., age, smoking, body mass index).

Among 35,633 adults (18-64 years), 25.1% (95% CI: 24.7, 25.6%) met both MVPA-MSE guidelines. In a multivariate analysis, older adults, women, people from socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, and those living with obesity had lower prevalence ratios for meeting both guidelines. Meeting both guidelines was associated with the lowest prevalence ratios for anxiety, cardiovascular disease, depression, diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension.

Low prevalence of meeting guidelines and associations with chronic conditions highlight the need for strategies that promote physical activity by addressing both inequalities in access and wider social, environmental, and structural determinants.