A grounded theory exploration of programme theory within Waves of Wellness surf therapy intervention.

OBJECTIVE: Poor mental health represents a large proportion of disease burden faced by young Australians, which has been further exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the reluctance of this population to seek support. Surf therapy is a novel form of intervention targeting mental health. The objective of this study was to interrogate programme theory within surf therapy, as delivered by the Waves of Wellness Foundation (WOW) in Australia. METHODS AND MEASURES: The study utilised grounded theory to understand or develop theoretical mediators for WOW surf therapy based on interviews exploring the experiences of previous intervention participants (n = 16; mean age = 18.4 years, SD = 2.8, range 14-24). Data were analysed through constant comparative analysis. RESULTS: Five categories emerged from participant data as foundational to WOW programme theory: (a) Safe Space, (b) Social Support, (c) Sensory Grounding, (d) Mastery and (e) Respite. These categories have novel theoretical and practical implications for both surf therapy and wider clinical practice, especially around concepts such as delivering 'mental health by stealth' and fostering longer term 'mental health maintenance' for participants. CONCLUSION: The study developed an initial WOW programme theory, highlighting the importance of foundational therapeutic structures beyond simply going surfing.

Smartphone Psychological Therapy During COVID-19: A Study on the Effectiveness of Five Popular Mental Health Apps for Anxiety and Depression.

The aims of this study were to examine the effectiveness of a range of smartphone apps for managing symptoms of anxiety and depression and to assess the utility of a single-case research design for enhancing the evidence base for this mode of treatment delivery. The study was serendipitously impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which allowed for effectiveness to be additionally observed in the context of significant community distress. A pilot study was initially conducted using theSuperBetter app to evaluate the proposed methodology, which proved successful with the four finishing participants. In the main study, 39 participants commenced (27 females and 12 males,MAge = 34.04 years,SD = 12.20), with 29 finishing the intervention phase and completing post-intervention measures. At 6-month follow-up, a further three participants could not be contacted. This study used a digitally enhanced, multiple baseline across-individuals single-case research design. Participants were randomly assigned to the following apps:SuperBetter (n = 8),Smiling Mind (n = 7),MoodMission (n = 8),MindShift (n = 8), andDestressify (n = 8). Symptomatology and life functioning were measured at five different time points: pre-baseline/screening, baseline, intervention, 3-week post-intervention, and 6-month follow-up. Detailed individual perceptions and subjective ratings of the apps were also obtained from participants following the study's completion. Data were analyzed using visual inspection, time-series analysis, and methods of statistical and clinical significance. Positive results were observed for all apps. Overall, more favorable outcomes were achieved by younger participants, those concurrently undertaking psychotherapy and/or psychotropic medication, those with anxiety and mixed anxiety and depression rather than stand-alone depression, and those with a shorter history of mental illness. Outcomes were generally maintained at 6-month follow-up. It was concluded that a diverse range of evidence-based therapies offered via apps can be effective in managing mental health and improving life functioning even during times of significant global unrest and, like all psychotherapies, are influenced by client features. Additionally, this single-case research design is a low-cost/high value means of assessing the effectiveness of mental health apps. Clinical Trial Registration: The study is registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR), which is a primary registry in the World Health Organization Registry Network, registration number ACTRN12619001302145p (http://www.ANZCTR.org.au/ACTRN12619001302145p.aspx).

A High Content Screen for Mucin-1-Reducing Compounds Identifies Fostamatinib as a Candidate for Rapid Repurposing for Acute Lung Injury during the COVID-19 pandemic

Drug repurposing is the only method capable of delivering treatments on the shortened time-scale required for patients afflicted with lung disease arising from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Mucin-1 (MUC1), a membrane-bound molecule expressed on the apical surfaces of most mucosal epithelial cells, is a biochemical marker whose elevated levels predict the development of acute lung injury (ALI) and respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and correlate with poor clinical outcomes. In response to the pandemic spread of SARS-CoV-2, we took advantage of a high content screen of 3,713 compounds at different stages of clinical development to identify FDA-approved compounds that reduce MUC1 protein abundance. Our screen identified Fostamatinib (R788), an inhibitor of spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) approved for the treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenia, as a repurposing candidate for the treatment of ALI. In vivo , Fostamatinib reduced MUC1 abundance in lung epithelial cells in a mouse model of ALI. In vitro , SYK inhibition by Fostamatinib promoted MUC1 removal from the cell surface. Our work reveals Fostamatinib as a repurposing drug candidate for ALI and provides the rationale for rapidly standing up clinical trials to test Fostamatinib efficacy in patients with COVID-19 lung injury.

A High-Content Screen for Mucin-1-Reducing Compounds Identifies Fostamatinib as a Candidate for Rapid Repurposing for Acute Lung Injury.

Drug repurposing has the advantage of identifying potential treatments on a shortened timescale. In response to the pandemic spread of SARS-CoV-2, we took advantage of a high-content screen of 3,713 compounds at different stages of clinical development to identify FDA-approved compounds that reduce mucin-1 (MUC1) protein abundance. Elevated MUC1 levels predict the development of acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and correlate with poor clinical outcomes. Our screen identifies fostamatinib (R788), an inhibitor of spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) approved for the treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenia, as a repurposing candidate for the treatment of ALI. In vivo, fostamatinib reduces MUC1 abundance in lung epithelial cells in a mouse model of ALI. In vitro, SYK inhibition by the active metabolite R406 promotes MUC1 removal from the cell surface. Our work suggests fostamatinib as a repurposing drug candidate for ALI.

Treating Psychological Trauma in the Midst of COVID-19: The Role of Smartphone Apps.

With the COVID-19 pandemic confronting health systems worldwide, medical practitioners are treating a myriad of physical symptoms that have, sadly, killed many thousands of people. There are signs that the public is also experiencing psychological trauma as they attempt to navigate their way through the COVID-19 restrictions impinging on many aspects of society. With unprecedented demand for health professionals' time, people who are unable to access face-to-face assistance are turning to smartphone apps to help them deal with symptoms of trauma. However, the evidence for smartphone apps to treat trauma is limited, and clinicians need to be aware of the limitations and unresolved issues involved in using mental health apps.

A High Content Screen for Mucin-1-Reducing Compounds Identifies Fostamatinib as a Candidate for Rapid Repurposing for Acute Lung Injury during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Drug repurposing is the only method capable of delivering treatments on the shortened time-scale required for patients afflicted with lung disease arising from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Mucin-1 (MUC1), a membrane-bound molecule expressed on the apical surfaces of most mucosal epithelial cells, is a biochemical marker whose elevated levels predict the development of acute lung injury (ALI) and respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and correlate with poor clinical outcomes. In response to the pandemic spread of SARS-CoV-2, we took advantage of a high content screen of 3,713 compounds at different stages of clinical development to identify FDA-approved compounds that reduce MUC1 protein abundance. Our screen identified Fostamatinib (R788), an inhibitor of spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) approved for the treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenia, as a repurposing candidate for the treatment of ALI. In vivo , Fostamatinib reduced MUC1 abundance in lung epithelial cells in a mouse model of ALI. In vitro , SYK inhibition by Fostamatinib promoted MUC1 removal from the cell surface. Our work reveals Fostamatinib as a repurposing drug candidate for ALI and provides the rationale for rapidly standing up clinical trials to test Fostamatinib efficacy in patients with COVID-19 lung injury.

The role of digital mental health resources to treat trauma symptoms in Australia during COVID-19.

Demand for telehealth services with psychologists and other health professionals has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and as a result some members of the community are unable to access face-to-face assistance for trauma-related mental health issues. This has led to an increase in usage of alternative digital mental health options such as smartphone apps and other Internet-enabled assistance. The Australian Federal Government has promoted digital mental health options for many years, and it has a comprehensive architecture of digital resources in place, but will it be enough to deal with the expected rise in symptoms of trauma among the general population in the wake of COVID-19? (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).