Are sport and traditional Inuit games identified as tools in current Inuit suicide prevention strategies?: A content analysis.

Eekeeluak Avalak, an 18-year-old Inuk wrestler who won the first-ever gold medal for Nunavut at the Canada Summer Games in 2022, dedicated his win to his late brother who died by suicide in 2015. Avalak openly attributed sport - specifically wrestling - to saving his own life. This story raises important questions about the role of sport and traditional games in Inuit suicide prevention strategies. Few studies have examined the role of sport or traditional games in Inuit suicide prevention strategies. In an attempt to reduce Inuit suicide rates, in addition to the National Inuit Prevention Strategy, three of the four land claim regions that constitute Inuit Nunangat have suicide prevention strategies. In this study, we used settler colonial theory, critical Inuit studies, and content analysis to examine if and how sport and Inuit traditional games are identified as prevention tools in these Inuit suicide prevention strategies. The results demonstrate that sport and traditional games have largely been overlooked as protective factors in current Inuit-wide and land-claim specific suicide prevention strategies. Moving forward, evidence-based and community-driven approaches could be funded, created, implemented, and evaluated as culturally-safe Inuit mental health intervention models to address the disproportionately high suicide rates among Inuit in Inuit Nunangat.

Development of an In Situ Printing System With Human Platelet Lysate-Based Bio-Adhesive to Treat Corneal Perforations.

Purpose: Corneal perforation is a clinical emergency that can result in blindness. Currently corneal perforations are treated either by cyanoacrylate glue which is toxic to corneal cells, or by using commercial fibrin glue for small perforations. Both methods use manual delivery which lead to uncontrolled application of the glues to the corneal surface. Therefore, there is a need to develop a safe and effective alternative to artificial adhesives. Methods: Previously, our group developed a transparent human platelet lysate (hPL)-based biomaterial that accelerated corneal epithelial cells healing in vitro. This biomaterial was further characterized in this study using rheometry and adhesive test, and a two-component delivery system was developed for its application. An animal trial (5 New Zealand white rabbits) to compare impact of the biomaterial and cyanoacrylate glue (control group) on a 2 mm perforation was conducted to evaluate safety and efficacy. Results: The hPL-based biomaterial showed higher adhesiveness compared to commercial fibrin glue. Treatment rabbits had lower pain scores and faster recovery, despite generating similar scar-forming structure compared to controls. No secondary corneal ulcer was generated in rabbits treated with the bio-adhesive. Conclusions: This study reports an in situ printing system capable of delivering a hPL-based, transparent bio-adhesive and successfully treating small corneal perforations. The bio-adhesive-treated rabbits recovered faster and required no additional analgesia. Translational Relevance: The developed in situ hPL bio-adhesives treatment represents a new format of treating corneal perforation that is easy to use, allows for accurate application, and can be a potentially effective and pain relief treatment.

Development of a Platelet Lysate-Based Printable, Transparent Biomaterial With Regenerative Potential for Epithelial Corneal Injuries.

Purpose: To develop a human platelet lysate (hPL)-based bioink that is transparent and also encompasses the regenerative properties of hPL to facilitate wound healing. Methods: The effect of different batches of hPLand fetal bovine serum (FBS) on corneal epithelial cell growth and scratch assay was first examined using Incucyte Zoom. Various combinations of human fibrinogen (concentration range from 0.2 to 5 mg/mL) and thrombin (concentration from 1 to 10 U/mL) were combined with hPL to generate nine types of potential bioink. Rheology, transparency, and cell compatibility of bioinks were assessed and compared. The final selected bioink was used in an ex vivo corneal model to examine its ability in re-epithelization. Results: No significant difference was detected in cell proliferation and wound healing tests between different hPL batches at the same concentration. Scratch assay data showed that hPL had significantly higher effect on wound healing than FBS. Comparing across the nine bioinks, bioink 5 consisting of 10% hPL, 2 mg/mL fibrinogen, and 5 U/mL thrombin demonstrated all required mechanical and cellular properties and was able to regenerate the full-thickness epithelium ex vivo. Conclusions: The results showed that a transparent and adhesive bioink can be generated by combining hPL, fibrinogen, and thrombin together. The bioink can be directly applied to a human cornea to promote corneal re-epithelization with huge potential applications in corneal injuries. Translational Relevance: The developed transparent hPL-based ink with its adhesive and healing ability showed that it could be used as a new treatment option for corneal injuries.