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Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a significant concern to society as it threatens the effectiveness of antibiotics and leads to increased morbidity and mortality rates. Innovative approaches are urgently required to address this challenge. Among promising solutions, two dimensional (2-D) nanomaterials with layered crystal structures have emerged as potent antimicrobial agents owing to their unique physicochemical properties. This antimicrobial activity is largely attributed to their high surface area, which allows for efficient interaction with microbial cell membranes, leading to physical disruption or oxidative stress through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The latter mechanism is particularly noteworthy as it involves the degradation of these nanomaterials under specific conditions, releasing ROS that can effectively kill bacteria and other pathogens without harming human cells. This study explores the antimicrobial properties of a novel biodegradable nanomaterial based on 2-D transition metal trichalcogenides, FePS 3 , as a potential solution to drug-resistant microbes. Our findings indicate that FePS 3 is an exceptionally effective antimicrobial agent with over 99.9% elimination of various bacterial strains. Crucially, it exhibits no cytotoxic effects on mammalian cells, underscoring the potential for safe biomedical application. The primary mechanism driving the antimicrobial efficacy of FePS 3 is the release of ROS during biodegradation. ROS has a crucial role in neutralizing bacterial cells, conferring significant antipathogenic properties to this compound. The unique combination of high antimicrobial activity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability makes FePS 3 a promising candidate for developing new antimicrobial strategies. This research contributes to the increasing body of evidence supporting the use of 2-D nanomaterials in addressing the global challenge of AMR, offering a potential pathway for the development of advanced, effective, and safe antimicrobial agents.

Gel-based wound dressings have gained popularity within the healthcare industry for the prevention and treatment of bacterial and fungal infections. Gels based on deep eutectic solvents (DESs), known as eutectogels, provide a promising alternative to hydrogels as they are non-volatile and highly tunable and can solubilize therapeutic agents, including those insoluble in hydrogels. A choline chloride:glycerol-cellulose eutectogel was loaded with numerous antimicrobial agents including silver nanoparticles, black phosphorus nanoflakes, and commercially available pharmaceuticals (octenidine dihydrochloride, tetracycline hydrochloride, and fluconazole). The eutectogels caused >97% growth reduction in Gram-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria and the fungal species Candida albicans .

Ionic liquids (ILs) are a diverse class of solvents which can be selected for task-specific properties, making them attractive alternatives to traditional solvents. To tailor ILs for specific biological applications, it is necessary to understand the structure-property relationships of ILs and their interactions with cells. Here, a selection of carboxylate anion-based ILs were investigated as cryoprotectants, which are compounds added to cells before freezing to mitigate lethal freezing damage. The cytotoxicity, cell permeability, thermal behavior, and cryoprotective efficacy of the ILs were assessed with two model mammalian cell lines. We found that the biophysical interactions, including permeability of the ILs, were influenced by considering the IL pair together, rather than as single species acting independently. All of the ILs tested had high cytotoxicity, but ethylammonium acetate demonstrated good cryoprotective efficacy for both cell types tested. These results demonstrate that despite toxicity, ILs may be suitable for certain biological applications. It also demonstrates that more research is required to understand the contribution of ion pairs to structure-property relationships and that knowing the behavior of a single ionic species will not necessarily predict its behavior as part of an IL.

Microaggressions are intentional or unintentional slights, insults, invalidations, and offensive behaviors that communicate hostile or derogatory messages to minoritized populations. When microaggressions cross over to social media, they can be considered a form of cyberbullying, which occurs over digital devices and harms, threatens, undermines, or socially excludes others. Microaggressions and cyberbullying have adverse mental health outcomes for racial and cultural minority youth, and there is an urgent need for practical strategies youth can use online to interrupt and disarm negative and harmful social media content. We used a multimethod approach to critically appraise and adapt Sue et al.'s (2019) microinterventions framework for use on social media with youth bystanders. Our analysis found high compatibility between microinterventions and youth bystander research, supporting transferability to social media for use with youth. Relevant adaptations include incorporating strategies that promote cognitive appraisal, cognitive empathy, education via social media, and use of social media features for external support. Using a social media microaggression example for each of the four microinterventions, we provide concrete tactics and example social media posts that youth can use when they come across insulting or offensive commentary online. The resulting framework offers a promising set of theory and research-informed strategies ready for further testing and refinement. When validated and refined, these microinterventions could be used as stand-alone strategies and/or incorporated into existing cyberbullying prevention or media literacy programs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic is a traumatic stressor resulting in anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and burnout among healthcare workers. We describe an intervention to support the health workforce and summarize results from its 40-week implementation in a large, tri-state health system during the COVID-19 pandemic., Method: We conducted 121 virtual and interactive Stress and Resilience Town Halls attended by 3555 healthcare workers. Town hall participants generated 1627 stressors and resilience strategies that we coded and analyzed using rigorous qualitative methods (Kappa = 0.85)., Results: We identify six types of stressors and eight types of resilience strategies reported by healthcare workers, how these changed over time, and how town halls were responsive to emerging health workforce needs. We show that town halls dedicated to groups working together yielded 84% higher mean attendance and more sharing of stressors and resilience strategies than those offered generally across the health system, and that specific stressors and strategies are reported consistently while others vary markedly over time., Conclusions: The virtual and interactive Stress and Resilience Town Hall is an accessible, scalable, and sustainable intervention to build mutual support, wellness, and resilience among healthcare workers and within hospitals and health systems responding to emerging crises, pandemics, and disasters., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Cryopreservation has facilitated numerous breakthroughs including assisted reproductive technology, stem cell therapies, and species preservation. Successful cryopreservation requires the addition of cryoprotective agents to protect against freezing damage and dehydration. For decades, cryopreservation has largely relied on the same two primary agents: dimethylsulfoxide and glycerol. However, both of these are toxic which limits their use for cells destined for clinical applications. Furthermore, these two agents are ineffective for hundreds of cell types, and organ and tissue preservation has not been achieved. The research presented here shows that deep eutectic solvents can be used as cryoprotectants. Six deep eutectic solvents were explored for their cryoprotective capacity towards mammalian cells. The solvents were tested for their thermal properties, including glass transitions, toxicity, and permeability into mammalian cells. A deep eutectic solvent made from proline and glycerol was an effective cryoprotective agent for all four cell types tested, even with extended incubation prior to freezing. This deep eutectic solvent was more effective and less toxic than its individual components, highlighting the importance of multi-component systems. Cells were characterised post-thawing using atomic force microscopy and confocal microscopy. Molecular dynamics simulations support the biophysical parameters obtained by experimentation. This is one of the first times that this class of solvents has been systematically tested for cryopreservation of mammalian cells and as such this research opens the way for the development of potentially thousands of new cryoprotective agents that can be tailored to specific cell types. The demonstrated capacity of cells to be incubated with the deep eutectic solvent at 37 °C for hours prior to freezing without significant loss of viability is a major step toward the storage of organs and tissues.

Given the immense harm inflicted on individuals and groups of color via prejudice and discrimination, it becomes imperative for our nation to begin the process of disrupting, dismantling, and disarming the constant onslaught of micro- and macroaggressions. For too long, acceptance, silence, passivity, and inaction have been the predominant, albeit ineffective, strategies for coping with microaggressions. Inaction does nothing but support and proliferate biased perpetrator behaviors which occur at individual, institutional and societal levels. This article introduces a new strategic framework developed for addressing microaggressions that moves beyond coping and survival to concrete action steps and dialogues that targets, allies, and bystanders can perform (microinterventions). A review of responses to racist acts, suggest that microaggression reactions/interventions may be primarily to (a) remain passive, retreat, or give up; (b) strike back or hurt the aggressor; (c) stop, diminish, deflect, or put an end to the harmful act; (d) educate the perpetrator; (e) validate and support the targets; (f) act as an ally; (g) seek social support; (h) enlist outside authority or institutional intervention; or (h) achieve any combination of these objectives. We organize these responses into four major strategic goals of microinterventions: (a) make the invisible visible, (b) disarm the microaggression, (c) educate the perpetrator, and (d) seek external reinforcement or support. The objectives and rationale for each goal are discussed, along with specific microintervention tactics to employ and examples of how they are executed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Homocystinuria (HCU) is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by the deficiency of cystathionine β-synthetase, presenting with variable clinical features including micronutrient deficiency-related osteoporosis. Early-onset osteoporosis results in increased bone fragility, which is associated with low-impact fractures. To date, no traumatic myelopathy has ever been described in patients with HCU. This case report describes a 30-year-old male patient with HCU who was not aware that he was at high risk of sustaining debilitating bone fractures. After a mild trauma, he reported a T12 compression fracture with spinal cord injury. The patient underwent a tailored rehabilitation program, on the basis of multidisciplinary approach, and was educated about the increased risk of fractures, maintaining adherence to treatment and diet, having an active lifestyle, avoiding excessive weight loss, and preventing falls or other traumatic injury. To reduce the risk of fractures - with possible catastrophic consequences - patients with HCU, and their caregivers, should be educated about prevention of fractures.