Melatonin enhances neurogenesis and neuroplasticity in long-term recovery following cerebral ischemia in mice

The important therapeutic role of melatonin in neuropathological conditions is underscored by a broad array of studies, many of which elucidated its neuroprotective properties. Yet, our scientific knowledge still needs several approaches to uncover molecular mechanisms. In this study, we contextually modelled cerebral ischemia through transient intraluminal middle cerebral artery occlusion. Melatonin was administered via an intraperitoneally placed mini osmotic pump, and released periodically from 3 days post-ischemia (dpi) to 56 dpi. We conferred several lines of evidence to address the fundamental questions about melatonin's cytoprotective functions after cerebral ischemia. We demonstrated that melatonin assisted post-ischemic neuro-restoration and micro-vascularization. In addition, it restricted glial scar formation, which interferes with neuronal interactions and stands as a barrier against plasticity. Even more interestingly, axonal plasticity, which was studied on the pyramidal tract using an anterograde tract tracer, proved the role of melatonin in remodeling across the injury site. In addition, plasticity-associated membrane-localized proteins, ephrin b1, ephrin b2, brevican, and versican were also modulated by melatonin. These findings suggested that melatonin orchestrated neurological recovery which was accompanied by molecular alterations resulting in cellular and extracellular structural changes. Based on the molecular signatures, ipsilesional and contralesional brain tissues were finely tuned by melatonin to compensate the loss after ischemia. Accordingly, neurological improvements correlated with the brain's molecular changes over time. It was suggested that melatonin enabled neuronal recovery by regulating neurogenesis and neuroplasticity in long term

Academic-clinical collaborative partnerships: A qualitative exploration of facilitators and barriers from the perspectives of nurse academics, clinicians, and students

Background: Collaborative partnerships are crucial for strengthening nursing education and practice, particularly in rapidly changing healthcare environments. Promoting collaborative academic-clinical partnerships that encourage unity of purpose among partners improves shared decision-making, enhances undergraduate education, and advances patient care. However, further research is required to discover more about the involvement of all partners in academic-service collaborations. Purpose: The aim of the study was to identify the barriers to and facilitators of collaboration between nursing faculty and a university hospital. Design: The study reported here was conducted using a descriptive design within a qualitative methodological framework. Methods: Interviews were held with 36 participants between January and July 2023. Data were collected using semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews (n = 36), which continued until data saturation was achieved. Inductive content analysis was used to interpret data from three groups: academics, clinicians, and students. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines were followed. Results: Two main themes and seven sub-themes emerged from the interviews, indicating four facilitators of collaboration: “togetherness contributing to development,” “viewing each member as part of the team,” “motivating through constructive feedback,” and “willingness.” Three barriers were identified: “inadequate triad partner interaction,” “planning issues,” and “nursing shortage.” Conclusions: Promoting togetherness, considering all members as integral parts of the team, providing constructive feedback, and encouraging their contributions can facilitate and strengthen successful partnerships. Facilitators can help overcome barriers to planning, staff shortages, and limited interaction by being open to alternative approaches, learning from past experiences, and, use this information to (re)organize educational and clinical processes. Implications: The results indicate how collaboration can be strengthened. This involves maintaining clear and effective communication, close and regular contact between partners, and frequent interaction. Therefore, to ensure the best healthcare processes and education are sustained, it is essential to foster collaboration between partners by implementing these facilitatory practices to overcome barriers. Patient or public contribution: The nurses and students were active in identifying the topics covered during interviews

Clinical management and therapeutic optimization of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and low blood pressure. A clinical consensus statement of the Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the ESC

Despite major advancements in heart failure (HF) management and guideline recommendations over the past two decades, real-world evidence highlights suboptimal implementation of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Low blood pressure (BP) is common in HFrEF patients and represents a major perceived barrier to implementing life-saving treatments in clinical practice, as physicians are often concerned about symptomatic hypotension and its consequences. Although low BP can be seen in those hospitalized with signs of shock, the most common scenario involves non-severe, asymptomatic hypotension in patients receiving foundational therapy for HFrEF, where premature down-titration or discontinuation of GDMT should be avoided. This clinical consensus statement provides a comprehensive overview of low BP in HFrEF, including its definition, risk factors, and effects of HF therapies on BP. We propose management pathways to optimize HFrEF treatment in the context of low BP, ultimately aiming to improve patient outcomes

The structural, magnetic, and optical properties of flame spray pyrolysis-derived spinel NiFe2O4 nanoparticles

Bu çalışmada, spinel NiFe2O4 nanoparçacıkları tek aşamalı alev sprey piroliz tekniği kullanılarak sentezlenmiş ve 500◦C'de 4 saat süreyle tavlamaya tabi tutulmuştur. Tavlama öncesi ve sonrasında nanoparçacıkların termal, yapısal, elementel, morfolojik, manyetik ve fotolüminesans özellikleri sırasıyla termogravimetri-diferansiyel termal analizör, X-ışını kırınımı (XRD), X-ışını fotoelektron spektroskopisi, taramalı elektron mikroskopisi, dinamik ışık saçılımı, titreşimli örnek manyetometresi ve floresans spektrometresi kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Sonuçlar, tavlama sonrası partikül boyutunda ortalama 80 nm'den yaklaşık 140 nm'ye belirgin bir artış olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. XRD, kübik spinel yapının, ek fazlar ortaya çıkmadan, ısıl işlem sonrası artan kristallik ve tane büyümesi ile korunduğunu doğruladı. Fotolüminesans analizi, hem hazırlandığı haliyle hem de tavlama sonrası yaklaşık 364 nm'de uyarma ile 500 nm'de mavi emisyona ve 550 nm'de yeşil emisyona yol açan farklı mavi ve yeşil emisyon bantları gösterdi. Ek olarak, manyetik karakterizasyon, tavlama işleminin manyetik özellikler üzerindeki olumlu etkisinin altını çizerek, doygunluk mıknatıslanmasında hazır numuneler için 16.31 emu/g'dan tavlama sonrası 29.68 emu/g'a bir iyileşme olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Bu bulgular, ısıl işlemle manyetik ve fotolüminesans özelliklerinde yapılan değişikliklerle manyetik veri depolama, hedefe yönelik ilaç dağıtımı ve biyo-görüntüleme alanlarındaki uygulamalar için uyarlanmış NiFe2O4 nanoparçacıklarının potansiyelini vurgulamaktadır.In this study, spinel NiFe2O4 nanoparticles were synthesized employing a one-step flame spray pyrolysis technique and subjected to annealing at 500◦C for 4 h.Thermal, structural, elemental, morphological, magnetic, and photolumines-cence properties of the nanoparticles before and after annealing were evaluatedusing thermogravimetry–differential thermal analyzer, X-ray diffraction (XRD),X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, dynamic lightscattering, vibrating sample magnetometry, and fluorescence spectrometer,respectively. Results revealed a pronounced increase in particle size from an aver-age of 80 nm to approximately 140 nm postannealing. XRD verified the retentionof the cubic spinel structure with enhanced crystallinity and grain enlarge-ment post-thermal treatment, without the emergence of additional phases. Thephotoluminescence analysis showed distinct blue and green emission bands,with excitation at about 364 nm leading to blue emission at 500 nm and greenemission at 550 nm both as-prepared and postannealing. Additionally, magneticcharacterization revealed an improvement in saturation magnetization from16.31 emu/g for the as-prepared samples to 29.68 emu/g postannealing, under-scoring the annealing process’s positive impact on magnetic properties. Thesefindings emphasize the potential of tailored NiFe2 O 4 nanoparticles for applica-tions in magnetic data storage, targeted drug delivery, and bioimaging, driven bymodifications in their magnetic and photoluminescence characteristics throughthermal treatment.</h1

Why are Turkish nurses migrating? A mixed-methods study

Aim: This study aimed to identify the factors influencing nurses’ migration patterns in Turkey. Background: The flow of nurse migration from developing countries to developed countries is steadily increasing. As a result, countries that are sources of migration tend to develop domestic inequities with respect to the population's ability to access health services. In particular, fragile economic conditions and the pandemic triggered the migration of nurses from Turkey, a developing country. Methods: This study employed a mixed-method explanatory sequential design and was conducted in Turkey between April and November 2022. The decision to migrate was the focus of both the quantitative aspect, involving 237 participants, and the qualitative aspect, with 20 participants. Quantitative data were gathered through a questionnaire, and qualitative data were obtained using open-ended questions during in-depth individual interviews. We followed the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology checklist in the quantitative phase and the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist in the qualitative phase. Descriptive statistics and thematic analyses were used to analyze the data. Results: In the quantitative stage of the study, nurses’ reasons for deciding to migrate were identified as economic conditions, working conditions, society's outlook on the profession, political factors, and professional growth opportunities. In the qualitative stage, four major themes influencing nurse migration patterns emerged: devaluation and poor collegiality in nursing; inadequate management support; negative work environment; and health, social, and economic policies. Conclusion: The results of the study showed that the three factors most influential in the decision to migrate were economic issues, a negative work environment, and political climate. Implications for nursing and health policy: In developing countries, there is an urgent need for nurse administrators and health workforce decision-makers to create healthy working conditions and manage resources efficiently, focusing on improving nurses’ economic situations while developing appropriate nationwide and international strategies

Gut Microbiome and Tissue Morphology Modulatory Effects of Hazelnut (Natural, Roasted, and Skin) Fibers in Different Colonic Segments of Mice

To reveal the functional properties of hazelnut dietary fibers (DFs) in different colonic segments (cecum, proximal, and distal colon), a diet enriched with natural hazelnut, roasted hazelnut, or hazelnut skin DFs was applied to mice for 6 weeks; microbial metabolites, microbial composition, and tissue morphology were determined segmentally using gas chromatography, 16S rRNA sequencing technology, and microscopy, respectively. Roasted hazelnut DFs revealed significantly (p < 0.05) higher propionate in the cecum of female mice, while hazelnut skin DFs significantly increased the butyrate level in the distal colon of male counterparts. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed hazelnut DFs promoted the Lactobacillus animalis, L. gasseri, and Akkermansia muciniphila related OTUs, especially in the proximal colon, but the degrees of promotions were hazelnut type-, segment- and sex-dependent. Interestingly, hazelnut skin DFs significantly (p < 0.05) stimulated Prevotella related OTUs in the distal colon regardless of sex, which is known to have great ability to utilize dietary polysaccharides. Furthermore, hazelnut skin DF group had higher crypt height values, suggesting that hazelnut skin DFs have ability to maintain saccharolytic activity in more distal region of the colon. Overall, our results demonstrate that hazelnut DFs differentially impact microbial metabolite formation, microbiota composition and tissue morphology in different segments of the colon