Provide a systematic overview of assessment approaches for treatment decisions after internal contamination with plutonium, americium, or curium and the efficacy of decorporation treatment with diethylenetriamine pentaacetate (DTPA) among humans and animals.

MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched until December 06, 2023. Controlled experimental animal studies and human studies were eligible. Hand search of relevant reports continued until December 24, 2024. Risk of bias was assessed with the OHAT and JBI critical appraisal tools. Narrative synthesis was performed.

A total of 37 studies and 1 report were included. Two studies reported averted dose in humans following DTPA ranging from 150 μSv to 1.1 Sv, but the contribution of rapid contamination assessments to treatment decisions was unclear. Numerous outcomes across different treatment schedules and observation periods were studied in animal populations. Studies provided very low certainty evidence of positive treatment effects.

Whether rapid dose assessment contributes to timely treatment decisions could not be assessed with the limited amount of informative studies. In animal studies, DTPA treatment seems to be effective in reducing radiation burden and other proximal outcomes, but risk of bias is high. Evidence for humans is based on a small number of case studies where reductions in body burden have been reported.

Unpaid cancer caregivers (UCCs) are the primary caretakers of individuals with cancer, often shouldering caregiver responsibilities without prior preparation, which leads to a sense of isolation, particularly in remote and rural areas where healthcare access is challenging. Thus, this systematic review aimed to explore the perceived and/or received peer support needs of UCCs residing in rural and remote areas with a specific focus on informational, practical, and emotional needs.

Seven databases (CINAHL, ScienceDirect, PUBMED/MEDLINE, PROQUEST, Web of Science, Scopus, and Informit) were searched from 2004 to 2024. Peer-reviewed qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies published in English were considered for this review. Data were extracted using the Joanna Briggs Institute System for Unified Management, Assessment, and Review of Information and presented using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flow diagram. Quality and bias were assessed with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.

In total, 8 primary studies were included: 4 qualitative, 2 mixed methods, 1 cross-sectional, and 1 prospective survey. Four themes were identified: (1) Emotional, practical, and informational unmet needs; (2) Lack of peer support on the physical and emotional well-being of UCCs in remote and rural areas; (3) Lack of supportive services in remote and rural areas; and (4) Access to flexible peer support.

This review revealed the unique unmet needs of UCCs in remote and rural areas, where a lack of reliable and accessible resources adversely leads to impaired UCCs’ overall well-being. Addressing these unmet needs is essential to enhance the support system for UCCs living in such regions. By identifying the gaps, the review underscores the need for developing a peer support model tailored to the specific needs of UCCs in rural and remote communities.

In this systematic review, we identify and critically appraise randomised controlled trials of effectiveness of available educational, behavioural, cognitive, and self-management support interventions for individuals with chronic migraine.

Non-pharmacological interventions have the potential to help people living with chronic migraine. Little is known about their true effectiveness.

We searched Cochrane, Embase, Medline, PsychINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science for randomised controlled trials assessing the effectiveness of educational, behavioural, cognitive, and self-management support interventions, compared to usual care, for adults with chronic migraine. Our outcomes of interest were headache frequency, headache-related disability, quality of life, pain intensity, medication consumption, and psychological wellbeing at baseline and follow-up.

We included six randomised controlled trials (713 participants) whose interventions met our inclusion criteria: two educational, two psycho-educational, and two behavioural interventions. Trial heterogeneity precluded statistical pooling. Several small trials reported some between-group differences. One trial (N = 177) found more people had ≥50 reduction in headache frequency at 12 months following a psychological (mindfulness-based) intervention added to acute medication withdrawal in people with medication overuse headache: 43/89 (48%) control vs. 69/88 (78%) intervention, p < 0.001. However, the largest included study (N = 396) had effectively excluded the possibility that their intervention had a worthwhile effect on headache-related disability at 12 months; mean difference in Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) 0.7 (95% Confidence Interval −0.65 to 1.97). Current evidence does not support the use of educational, behavioural, cognitive, and self-management support interventions for individuals with chronic migraine to improve headache-related symptoms and quality of life. Very limited evidence suggests they may contribute towards headache frequency reduction.

Conflict-affected Palestinian communities experience profound mental health challenges. This systematic review assesses the evidence for mental health interventions in these contexts, focusing on the theoretical alignment of narrative therapy with cultural assets like sumud (steadfastness) and hikaye (storytelling).

Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched nine databases and grey literature up to December 2023. We included studies on mental health interventions for conflictaffected Palestinians, with a primary focus on narrative therapy and a secondary analysis of other approaches.

Of 847 records screened for narrative therapy, no studies met the inclusion criteria. A broader search identified 23 intervention studies, revealing a predominant focus on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT; n = 11) and Narrative Exposure Therapy (n = 4), with limited therapeutic diversity. Analysis showed insufficient Palestinian researcher leadership and superficial cultural adaptation of interventions.

This review reveals a dual gap: a complete absence of narrative therapy research despite its theoretical relevance, and a broader pattern of limited intervention diversity. The predominance of Western-centric models reflects systemic biases in research funding. Addressing this requires community-led participatory research, shifts in funding priorities, and investment in culturally-grounded methodologies.

There is no consensus on core curriculum content for neuropsychiatry and behavioural neurology training and the breadth of topic coverage is poorly understood. Using a scoping review, we identified 23 unique syllabuses from Australia, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, the USA and the UK, and one explicitly international in scope.

Syllabuses addressed a wide range of neuropsychiatric conditions, encompassing not only overlapping psychiatric and neurological disorders, but also functional, behavioural and cognitive disorders. Training integrated knowledge from neuropsychology, philosophy, ethics and social sciences. Core elements included clinical assessment, intervention skills and case management in social and institutional settings. Neuropsychiatry and behavioural neurology training integrates a broad spectrum of knowledge and skills, is aimed at a range of professionals and is delivered as both specialist training and embedded components within core training.

The core components of neuropsychiatry curricula identified in this study provide a foundation for institutions to develop or enhance their neuropsychiatry training programs.

Insight into psychosis is a multidimensional construct involving awareness of illness, attribution of symptoms, and perceived need for treatment. Despite extensive research, substantial variability in how insight is conceptualized and measured continues to hinder clinical assessment and cross-study comparisons.

Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols guidelines and a registered International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews protocol (CRD42024558386), we conducted a systematic search across five databases (n = 2,184). Twenty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising 15 primary scale development papers and 10 independent validation studies. We included instruments explicitly designed to assess insight in schizophrenia-spectrum, and evaluated them using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments Risk of Bias checklist. Psychometric domains assessed included content validity, structural validity, construct validity, criterion validity, internal consistency, reliability, responsiveness, and interpretability.

Fifteen distinct insight scales were identified, comprising nine clinician-rated instruments, five self-report tools, and one hybrid format. Most demonstrated adequate content and structural validity, with 11 achieving ‘very good’ reliability ratings. Four scales showed the strongest overall psychometric support. However, responsiveness to clinical change was rarely tested, and cross-cultural validation remained limited. Earlier instruments primarily emphasized clinician-rated illness awareness, whereas more recent tools incorporated cognitive, neurocognitive, and subjective dimensions. Discrepancies between self-report and clinician ratings were common and often clinically meaningful. These findings underscore the need for multidimensional, psychometrically robust, and context-sensitive tools to advance both clinical assessment and research on insight in psychotic disorders.

To evaluate the evidence for superior laryngeal nerve block in neurogenic cough and outline practical considerations for clinical use.

A systematic review was conducted in May 2024, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Eligible studies reported validated cough-specific quality-of-life outcomes and safety data.

Nine studies (1 randomised trial, 8 case series; n = 490) were included. All studies reported subjective improvement: eight conducted statistical testing and seven showed significant benefit, with the Leicester Cough Questionnaire exceeding the minimal clinically important difference and the Cough Severity Index showing reductions post treatment. Patients received an average of 2 to 3 injections, with follow-up of up to 22 months. Adverse effects were mild and transient. Neuromodulator use and behavioural therapy were inconsistently reported.

Superior laryngeal nerve block appears safe and effective as a short-term intervention, with long-term efficacy remaining uncertain. This review highlights procedural gaps and introduces a structured pathway to guide patient selection, injection and follow up. Robust multicentred trials and consensus guidelines are needed to define long-term benefit and standardise practice.

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome is considered one of the most severe CHDs and occurs in approximately 2–3% of all CHD cases. Hybrid procedures have been introduced as an alternative to traditional surgical techniques, such as the Norwood procedure, particularly for neonates at high risk. Although hybrid approaches claim to reduce surgical risks and improve recovery, little is known regarding their comparative effectiveness and safety. This review aims to describe the contribution of hybrid procedures in hypoplastic left heart syndrome management regarding survival rates, postoperative complications, and quality of life, through recovery outcomes and long-term results, in light of conventional surgical techniques.

A systematic review was carried out following the PRISMA guidelines. Data were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. The search articles were published from January 2014 to November 2024. Inclusion was focused on paediatric patients diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and studies comparing hybrid procedures versus traditional surgical methods. All screening, data extraction, and quality assessment were done by two independent reviewers.

This review analysed data from 11 studies comprising 934 neonates with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, of whom 371 underwent hybrid procedures (HP) and 563 received the Norwood procedure. The findings demonstrated that both approaches achieved comparable survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years. Hybrid procedures were linked to slightly earlier interventions (standardised mean difference = −0.10, 95% confidence interval: −0.61 to 0.41, p = 0.77) and were favored for high-risk neonates due to reduced invasiveness. However, hybrid procedures showed a higher rate of interstage events (risk ratio = 0.81), 95% confidence interval: −0.62 to 2.25, p = 0.09) and higher rates of pulmonary artery stenosis requiring reinterventions (30% vs. 18% for Norwood). Norwood procedures were associated with fewer reinterventions and lower interstage event rates, highlighting their effectiveness for stable patients.

Hybrid procedures offer a practical alternative to the Norwood procedure, especially for high-risk neonates. Although both approaches show similar long-term survival rates, hybrid procedures are associated with a higher risk of complications, including increased interstage mortality. These challenges highlight the need for continued advancements to refine hybrid techniques and to improve long-term outcomes. This review emphasises the critical role of tailored patient selection and calls for further research to enhance hybrid procedure protocols and optimise their effectiveness for specific patient populations.

Euthymic bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with general and domain-specific cognitive impairment, which predicts poor occupational and social functioning.

We searched Embase, Medline, and PsycInfo for articles published between database inception and June 2024, examining cognitive domains in euthymic BD. We conducted meta-analysis, meta-regressions, including premorbid IQ, demographic, and clinical variables. Newcastle Ottawa Scale, I2 statistic, and funnel plots/Egger’s and Begg’s Test were used to assess quality, heterogeneity, and publication bias, respectively. The Benjamini-Hochberg (BH) procedure was utilised for multiple comparisons.

We identified 95 groups from 75 studies (N = 4,404 BD & 4,037 HC). BD showed significant impairment in general cognitive functioning (Hedge’s g = −0.58, 95%CI: −0.79, −0.37, p <.01), verbal memory (Hedge’s g = −0.70, 95%CI: −0.79, −0.60, p <.01), executive function (Hedge’s g = −0.69, 95%CI: −0.78, −0.60, p <.01), visuo-spatial memory (Hedge’s g = −0.68, 95%CI: −0.83, −0.53, p <.01), attention/processing speed (Hedge’s g = −0.64, 95%CI: −0.75, −0.54, p <.01), working memory (Hedge’s g = −0.61, 95%CI: −0.74, −0.49, p <.01), and premorbid IQ (Hedge’s g = −0.24, 95%CI: −0.36, −0.12, p <.01). Demographic and clinical factors were not associated with cognitive performance, except for a statistically significant, but small positive correlation between years of education and lower impairment in verbal memory, β = .066, adjusted p <.05.

Our findings highlight cognitive domains impaired in euthymic BD, indicating targets for interventions. Substantial variance is unexplained, warranting focus on larger samples of individual-level data.