Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are rare tissue-resident lymphocytes that functionally mirror cells of CD4⁺ T helper lineage but lack antigen receptors. Type 3 ILCs (ILC3s) are enriched at barrier sites, regulating inflammation and promoting tissue integrity. Here we profile the promoter-anchored chromosomal contacts of primary human ILC3s using low-input, high-resolution targeted chromosome conformation capture and compare them with those in CD4⁺ T cells. We use these data to link Crohn's disease genome-wide association study variants with target genes, implicating both known and unanticipated candidates, including CLN3, a causal gene for Batten disease. We show that Cln3 overexpression in a mouse ILC3-like cell line alters stimulation-induced transcriptional programs and cytokine secretion. Extending our approach to five additional immune genome-wide association study traits reveals enrichment for regulators of ILC3 activation. Our work develops methods, maps long-range gene regulation in ILC3s, and prioritizes immune disease risk genes with roles in this clinically relevant immune cell type.

Mental health disorders contribute to disability worldwide. Chronic stress can lead to cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, and immune dysfunction, posing a major public health challenge. Meditation-based approaches improve stress resilience and overall wellbeing. Sahaj Samadhi Meditation (SSM) is a mantra-based meditative practice, with a limited but emerging evidence base. This scoping review aimed to summarise the existing evidence.

Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) and the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology (JBI), we searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus (from inception to July 2026), along with clinical trial registries. Studies assessing SSM as the primary intervention were included. Screening and data extraction were conducted independently by two reviewers. The protocol was registered in the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/2rckd).

Eleven studies were included: five experimental studies, one community survey, two clinical intervention studies, and three registered protocols. Experimental studies showed consistent differences in attentional processing, perceptual stability, and neurophysiological markers, including higher frontal theta coherence and increased mismatch negativity responses among SSM practitioners. Patients with glaucoma and chronic pain reported modest improvements in sleep quality and depressive symptoms. Protocols evaluate late-life depression, opioid-related outcomes and chronic pain in SSM practitioners. All studies were small with substantial heterogeneity.

SSM may influence psychological, neurophysiological, and cognitive parameters. However, these findings are based on small samples with narrow evidence base. Large trials with standardised protocols are required to recommend SSM for clinical use or integrate into community-based health programmes.

ObjectivesThis study examined the point prevalence of patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) in Ontario forensic inpatient units and compared the demographic, clinical, and system-level profiles of long-stay forensic patients with and without IDD.MethodThis cross-sectional study utilized Ontario administrative health data held at ICES. All patients over 18 years of age who occupied an Ontario forensic inpatient bed on 30th September 2023 were included in the analysis. Focus was given to patients with a length of stay (LOS) of at least 365 days (i.e., "long-stay" patients). Within this group, the prevalence of IDD was assessed, and patients with and without IDD were compared on their demographics, clinical characteristics, LOS, and support needs using standardized differences (StdDiff).ResultsAmong long-stay forensic patients (n = 549), 42.4% had IDD. Long-stay forensic patients with and without IDD had a mean age of 43 years, and the majority of patients in both groups were male (87.6% vs. 90.8%; StdDiff = 0.105). In the 2 years prior to admission, the majority of all long-stay patients were diagnosed with a psychotic disorder, though the proportion was higher among patients without IDD (80.3% vs. 92.1%; StdDiff = 0.348). Long-stay patients with IDD had a substantially longer LOS (mean LOS = 7.2 years vs. 4.9 years; StdDiff = 0.459) and were more likely to be restrained (5.2% vs. 2.2%; StdDiff = 0.156). A higher proportion of long-stay patients with IDD had difficulty with activities of daily living (23.2% vs. 11.7%; StdDiff = 0.306), and severe cognitive impairment (14.6% vs. 6.6%; StdDiff = 0.260).ConclusionsThis study found that almost half of long-stay forensic patients had IDD and this patient group had different demographic and clinical profiles from other patients, which may impact their support needs within the hospital and pose barriers to discharge.

Although the associations between cerebrovascular dysfunctions and Alzheimer's disease are increasingly appreciated, the relationship of cerebral blood flow and white matter hyperintensities with tau and amyloid-β pathology remains unclear, particularly in the longitudinal context. This study investigated cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of cerebral blood flow and white matter hyperintensities with tau and amyloid-β pathology using multimodal imaging and blood biomarkers in 179 participants from the ADNI3 cohort. Participants underwent structural (T1-weighted, T2-weighted FLAIR) and arterial spin labelling perfusion MRI, tau and amyloid-β PET, and plasma assay tests for amyloid-β 42, amyloid-β 40, and phosphorylated tau-217. Tau from PET was negatively associated with cerebral blood flow both cross-sectionally and longitudinally in the posterior brain, independent of amyloid-β quantified from PET. Higher white matter hyperintensities volumes were associated with higher levels of tau and amyloid-β at baseline, but the associations were significantly attenuated after further adjusting for amyloid-β and tau, respectively. Plasma amyloid-β 42/40 ratio was negatively associated with white matter hyperintensity volumes both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. In conclusion, tau pathology showed spatially specific associations with cerebral hypoperfusion, independent of amyloid-β, particularly in posterior regions. The attenuation of associations of white matter hyperintensities with amyloid-β and tau after adjustment may reflect shared disease-related variance rather than distinct independent effects.

Sexual and gendered harassment is prevalent among adolescents and associated with health outcomes. Evidence from randomized controlled trials of school-based interventions addressing such harassment outside dating contexts among students under 16 years is limited. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Stop Sexual Harassment (SSH) program in secondary schools. The cluster-randomized controlled superiority trial was conducted in 41 Norwegian lower secondary schools. Participants were 2236 students aged 13-15 years. Schools were randomized 1:1 to SSH or a delayed-access control using centralized, computer-generated, pair-matched randomization at the school level. The intervention comprised a digital teacher-training course and eight structured classroom lessons delivered during regular school hours; control schools continued their usual practice and were offered SSH after follow-up. Primary outcomes were self-reported sexual and gendered harassment victimization and perpetration measured with eight prespecified subscales at baseline and 2 months after baseline. Analyses followed the intention-to-treat principle using three-level mixed-effects models with baseline adjustment. Exploratory per-protocol analyses examined students with sufficient intervention exposure. Twenty schools (1046 students) were allocated to SSH and 21 schools (1190 students) to control. All randomized students were included in the primary analyses. More than half of the participants had missing outcome data; this was addressed using multiple imputation. No statistically significant between-group differences were observed for any primary outcome at post-intervention; effect sizes were small and close to zero. In conclusion, this cluster-randomized trial found no evidence that SSH reduced sexual and gendered harassment compared with a delayed-access control condition.

Depressive disorders are associated with a high burden of disease; a substantial proportion of patients show insufficient response despite guideline-based pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, particularly in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Neuromodulation has become established as a fourth pillar in the treatment of depression and includes electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), transcranial electrical stimulation (tES), magnetic seizure therapy (MST), deep brain stimulation (DBS) and neurofeedback (NF). Despite partly well-established efficacy, these interventions remain insufficiently integrated into routine clinical care. The aim of this paper is to summarize the current evidence and to analyze key barriers to implementation.

Narrative review of clinical studies, meta-analyses, and care data on efficacy, safety and cognitive tolerability.

The strongest evidence for both acute and maintenance treatment of severe depressive disorders is for ECT; rTMS is effective and cognitively well tolerated and VNS can represent an additive long-term option in TRD. For tES, small and heterogeneous effects have been reported, MST and DBS remain experimental and for NF consistent evidence of efficacy is lacking. Key barriers include partly heterogeneous protocols, insufficient funding structures, particularly in the outpatient setting and the absence of standardized qualification requirements.

Neuromodulation should be systematically integrated into staged-care models. Standardized protocols and registry-based research are needed to enable the structured and sustainable implementation of neuromodulatory interventions in clinical care.

Maintaining best practice around surgical consent is a core competency, yet in caring for older patients, it can be particularly challenging to meet these standards. Our research question was: In the context of obtaining surgical consent for older people, what are the barriers to, and enablers of, best practice? A literature review was undertaken, using RAMESES (Realist And Meta-narrative Evidence Syntheses) methodology, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Eight studies were identified by searching PubMed, Embase, Medline and CINAHL databases, supplemented by reference list searches. Four major themes with subthemes emerged: 1. Complexities: (i) Factors affecting decision-making capacity; (ii) Patient Comprehension; (iii) The doctor-patient relationship and barriers to autonomy; (iv) Ethical issues at stake; 2. Gaps between theory and practice: (i) Lack of proper documentation; (ii) Patient resistance resulting in coercion and restraint; (iii) Proper practice in the emergency context; 3. Reasons for gaps between theory and practice: (i) Lack of knowledge and training: physician misconceptions; (ii) Guesstimates of cognition don't work; (4) Potential solutions: (i) Promoting patient autonomy; (ii) General communication strategies; (iii) Person-centred education step. Notwithstanding a limited yield, this review has identified several pitfalls and practical strategies for promoting human-rights and autonomy; avoiding coercion and restraint in this complex setting.

Universal well-being assessments in schools may support early identification of pupils needing mental health support. However, little is known about how privacy and confidentiality concerns influence pupils' acceptability of assessments and willingness to engage authentically. This study examined how hypothetical identification, where responses are linked to pupils and shared with key stakeholders, affects pupils' anticipated honesty and engagement, and whether known help-seeking barriers predict negative responses.

Cross-sectional data were collected from 12,377 primary (ages 8-10) and secondary pupils (ages 11-17) across 55 schools in England. Pupils reported whether their responses would change if identifiable and shared with school staff, parents/guardians, or external professionals. Responses indicating reduced honesty or likelihood of disengagement were coded as negative. Predictors were examined using mixed-effects logistic regression models, including demographics, school connectedness, and mental well-being.

Identification and data sharing influenced pupils' anticipated engagement, particularly in secondary schools. Identification by school staff elicited the highest proportion of negative responses in both phases, whereas external professionals elicited the fewest. Most primary pupils reported they would respond authentically, while a larger proportion of secondary pupils indicated they would respond less honestly or disengage when responses were identifiable and shared. Across primary and secondary samples, low well-being, low school connectedness, and being female were associated with greater likelihood of negative response.

Pupils' anticipated engagement with well-being assessments is shaped by who accesses their data, with marked developmental differences. Strengthening trust, privacy, and connectedness, and supporting pupils' autonomy, may improve the acceptability and response accuracy.

Supporting maternal mental health is a priority in circumpolar settings, where seasonality and constrained service availability can limit psychosocial support. This qualitative study explored pregnant women's and healthcare providers' experiences of a postpartum depression prevention programme and perspectives on integrating it into routine antenatal care in Arkhangelsk, Northwest Russia. Four focus group discussions with pregnant women (n = 17) and individual interviews with four healthcare providers were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Participants described the programme as providing trusting spaces for sharing, expert-led preparation for childbirth and the postpartum period, and brief individual follow-up after birth. Women reported greater confidence in identifying signs of vulnerability, articulating needs, and accessing support. Providers highlighted that these benefits depended on feasible scheduling, group formats, reusable materials, and coordinated delivery across professionals to avoid fragmentation. System-level factors (reach, retention, and cross-provider coordination) were seen as central for sustained uptake and routine integration. The findings suggest that the programme's contribution lies in the interaction between participant experiences of support and the organisational conditions needeed to sustain them in routine antenatal care. Preventive perinatal mental health programmes in circumpolar contexts can strengthen preparedness and help-seeking when designed for relational participation and supported by coordinated service structures.

Childhood-onset Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) has been associated with an increased vulnerability to psychosis, yet no prospective studies have examined this risk in paediatric populations.

In this pilot prospective study, 59 adolescents with a primary diagnosis of OCD were assessed at baseline for psychotic vulnerability, measured through Cognitive-Perceptual basic symptoms (COPER) and the high-risk criterion Cognitive Disturbances (COGDIS), as well as for OCD severity and psychosocial functioning. The number of subjects who developed a first episode of psychosis (FEP) during the 18-month follow-up period was evaluated. Logistic regression and moderation analyses were performed.

During the follow-up period, 18.6% of participants presented with a FEP. These patients were older and displayed poorer psychosocial functioning compared with those who did not develop a FEP. Logistic regression identified higher COPER symptoms and lower psychosocial functioning as the only significant predictors of FEP. Although moderation effects were not statistically significant, exploratory simple slopes suggested that both COPER and COGDIS symptoms were more strongly associated with psychosis onset in adolescents with lower psychosocial functioning.

This study highlights a notable rate of progression to psychosis among adolescents with OCD over an 18-month period. Despite methodological limitations, our findings offer preliminary evidence that COPER symptoms and impaired psychosocial functioning are key risk factors in adolescents with OCD for progression to psychosis.