Smoking cessation programs remain a core component of global efforts to reduce smoking and nicotine addiction. Telephone-based counselling, with or without the provision of nicotine replacement therapy, commonly referred to as Quitlines, has been a cornerstone of smoking cessation programs and they vary in scope and content and the populations they target. We describe the history, and structure of Quitline Queensland, Australia that was implemented in 1997. Quitline Queensland offers intensive quit support programs incorporating 4 weeks of telephone-based counselling, free nicotine replacement therapy mailed to participants and up to 12 months of follow-up. The program has evolved through a strong government commitment to, and support for, evidence-based solutions to reducing the burden of smoking in Queensland. Eligible cohorts have been identified by evidence-based reviews, equity considerations, trends in smoking prevalence and to address new challenges to smoking cessation such as vaping and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. New approaches to engaging and retaining smokers and delivering the program are being evaluated and implemented.

To explore the role of free provision of disinfectant wipes combined with bundle management in preventing Multi-Drug Resistant Organism (MDRO) infections in the Respiratory and Intensive Care Unit (RICU).

This study included patients admitted to the RICU between January 2022 and June 2023 (control group) and from July 2023 to June 2024 (intervention group), all of whom met the inclusion criteria. The control group received standard bundle management measures, while the intervention group received unlimited use of disinfectant wipes combined with bundle management. The MDRO discovery rates and hospital-acquired infection incidence rates were compared between the two groups to assess the impact of free disinfectant wipe provision on MDRO infection prevention in the RICU.

There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of patient age and baseline characteristics, except for Sex and the proportion of patients with chronic respiratory diseases. Notably, the MDRO discovery rate, MDRO infection rate, and hospital-acquired infection incidence were all significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the control group (MDRO discovery rate: 35.2% vs 45.9%, P<0.001; MDRO infection rate: 0.8% vs 3.5%, P = 0.003; hospital-acquired infection rate: 1.5% vs 3.52%, P=0.030). However, the intervention group had more percentage of patients receiving mechanical ventilation and longer ICU stay (P < 0.05). Furthermore, in-hospital mortality was lower in the intervention group (19.5% vs 13.5%, P < 0.05).

The combined intervention of unlimited use of disinfectant wipes with bundle management significantly reduced MDRO hospital-acquired infection rates and in-hospital mortality in the RICU, demonstrating its effectiveness in infection prevention.

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a terminal-stage lung change in interstitial lung disease. It is characterized by proliferation of fibroblasts and deposition of a large amount of extracellular matrix, accompanied by inflammatory damage and structural destruction, caused by various reasons. The prognosis of PF is poor, and the average survival time after diagnosis is 2.5-3.5 years. The pathogenesis of PF is not yet fully understood. Its main mechanisms are diverse and include damage to alveolar epithelial cells, aggregation and activation of inflammatory cells and chemokines, proliferation of fibroblasts, transformation of myofibroblasts, production and deposition of large amounts of collagen, autophagy, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), mitochondrial quality-control disorders, microRNA, and circular RNA. The diagnosis of PF is mainly based on the comprehensive evaluation of clinical manifestations, imaging characteristics, and histopathological examination. Medical and family history to determine all potential causes of PF. For PF of unknown etiology, one can refer to the Official Clinical Practice Guideline of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) for definitive diagnosis. In terms of treatment, modern medications such as pirfenidone and nintedanib can inhibit the progression of PF to some extent and improve lung function. However, there is no drug that can significantly improve PF, except for lung transplantation. In addition, many patients are forced to stop taking medication due to adverse reactions in clinical practice. Therefore, to better control the progression of disease, some new drugs have been developed based on the pathogenesis of PF. However, there is still controversy over their efficacy and widespread clinical application in PF, and the evidence is limited. The results of in vitro and in vivo experiments, as well as randomized clinical trials, indicate that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can improve PF by intervening in multiple pathways and targets. This study combines the pathogenesis and diagnosis of PF, focusing on the intervention mechanism and targets of TCM in the treatment of PF, so as to provide more options for clinical treatment and provide scientific basis for a new approach to better management of PF.

Pulmonary interstitial emphysema is a severe rare complication associated with mechanical ventilation in pre-term patients. It induces alterations both in ventilation and pulmonary perfusion, and it may cause progressive overdistension of the side involved and atelectasis of the contralateral lung. Management is uneasy and requires changing ventilation strategies, with invasive procedures such as blockage and selective pulmonary ventilation being potentially necessary.

Premature female patient born at gestation week 26+0, with an initially good clinical progression and baseline chest X-rays showing no signs of congenital pulmonary injury. On day 20 of life, progressive respiratory deterioration was noted. In the series X-rays and chest CT-scan, a right-sided pulmonary interstitial emphysema with mediastinal displacement and left-sided pulmonary atelectasis, associated with hemodynamic and respiratory instability, was observed. On day 26 of life, in light of the poor clinical progression and the immediate threat of death, decision was made to place a right-sided bronchial blocker with a 3x20 mm angioplasty balloon, after the bronchus had been measured through CT-scan. Following placement, respiratory and ventilation parameters improved immediately. The device was kept inflated for 3 days. 10 days after removing the bronchial blocker, the patient was successfully extubated, and she was discharged after 100 days in hospital, with no respiratory symptoms, and the pre-discharge CT-scan showing no signs of emphysema. After 50 months of follow-up, the patient remains asymptomatic from a respiratory standpoint, and psychomotor development is normal.

Selective angioplasty balloon pulmonary blockage has been supported by scientific evidence in extremely premature patients with acquired interstitial emphysema associated with compromised ventilation and atelectasis of the contralateral lung. In our case, it helped save the patient's life with not sequelae being caused.

Sepsis is a complex and life-threatening disease process related to a systemic response to severe infection. Due to the challenges of treating patients with sepsis, new therapies are being investigated, including cell-based approaches. Trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) are immune privileged cells with immunomodulatory properties. Thus, we proposed that TSCs may be beneficial in experimental models of sepsis to regulate the immune response and curtail organ injury.

Sepsis was induced by experimental models in mice; cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and lung infection with Streptococcus (S.) pneumoniae. TSCs were isolated from the chorionic villi of human (h) term placentas, and from mouse (m) placentas using anti-CD117 MicroBeads, and were administered intravenously 6 h after CLP or S. pneumoniae infection. We assessed mortality, bacterial clearance, organ injury, inflammatory response, and production of cytokines and chemokines.

CD117⁺ hTSCs did not express human leukocyte antigen (HLA) I or II, and were clonogenic and self-renewing. CLP led to severe mortality by 7 days, and administration of either hTSCs or mTSCs resulted in markedly improved survival compared with control cells or vehicle. hTSCs promoted bacterial clearance and decreased organ injury in the liver, kidney, spleen, and bowel. The elevated innate immune response in the peritoneum, predominantly neutrophils, was attenuated by hTSCs. In addition, neutrophil infiltration into the spleen was less in mice receiving hTSCs, which corresponded with reduced plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. When assessing the lung response to S. pneumoniae infection, administration of hTSCs resulted in fewer bacteria in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue, and less lung edema and injury. Neutrophils, which were markedly increased in BALF, were diminished and infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages into the lungs was decreased by hTSCs. BALF pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines were mitigated by hTSCs to levels of Sham mice, and systemic injury to the liver and spleen was attenuated.

CD117⁺ hTSCs are immune privileged cells that when given after the onset of experimental models of infection/sepsis resulted in improved outcomes due to enhanced bacterial clearance, resolving inflammation, and less organ injury. These data support hTSCs as a potential cell-based therapy for sepsis.

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a chronic, progressive lung disease characterized by impaired gas exchange and respiratory difficulties, which can ultimately lead to respiratory failure and mortality. The present study explored the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of oxymatrine (OMT) in an 8‑week‑old C57BL/6 mouse model of bleomycin‑induced PF. The results demonstrated that OMT alleviated lung tissue damage, inflammation and collagen deposition, while promoting autophagy and restoring mitochondrial function. OMT achieved these effects by upregulating apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease‑1 (APE1) and activating the PTEN‑induced kinase 1 (PINK1)/Parkin pathway, both of which are key for mitochondrial autophagy. Furthermore, Lewis lung carcinoma mouse lung cancer cells were transduced with an adeno-associated virus containing small interfering RNA APE1 and a negative control, and the silencing efficiency was validated by reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR and western blotting. The results revealed a significant reduction in APE1 expression in the APE1 knockdown group compared with that in the negative control knockdown group. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence confirmed that OMT increased the expression of APE1, PINK1 and Parkin while reducing markers of fibrosis, such as α‑smooth muscle actin and collagen type I α 1. However, silencing APE1 or inhibiting mitochondrial autophagy with mitochondrial division inhibitor‑1 reversed the beneficial effects of OMT, suggesting a key role for APE1 and the PINK1/Parkin pathway in its mechanism of action. These findings provide insights into the antifibrotic potential of OMT and highlight its potential as a basis for the development of new therapies for PF.

Severe COVID-19 is characterized by immune dysregulation, with T cells playing a central role in disease progression and recovery. However, the longitudinal dynamics of the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire during the course of severe illness remain unclear.

To investigate temporal changes in adaptive immunity, we analyzed peripheral blood samples from the ICU-admitted severe COVID-19 patients (n = 36) collected at three time points: Day 1 (T1), Day 4 (T2), and Day 7 (T3). Bulk RNA-sequencing was performed to extract TCR repertoires, and cytokine profiles were assessed in parallel. TCR clonotypes were annotated using VDJdb and TCRex to infer potential epitope specificities.

By T3, we observed a 2.3-fold expansion in TCR clonotypes along with increased TCR-β (TRB) chain usage, indicating the emergence of a broad polyclonal T cell response. In contrast, TCR-γ (TRG) chain prevalence declined. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β and IL-6, were reduced over time, marking a shift toward immune resolution. Changes in CDR3 motifs and preferential TRBV gene segment usage were detected, suggesting repertoire adaptation. Additionally, annotated TCR clonotypes at T3 mapped to SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogen-associated epitopes (e.g., CMV, Plasmodium), reflecting possible cross-reactivity or memory T cell recruitment.

These findings suggest a coordinated transition from immune dysfunction to recovery in severe COVID-19, marked by expanding TCR diversity, reduced inflammation, and predicted broadening of antigen recognition. The integrated analysis of TCR repertoire dynamics and cytokine profiles provides insights into the adaptive immune mechanisms underlying viral clearance and immune stabilization.

In Japan, mental health legislation and policies have evolved, and mental health services have progressively developed in the post-World War II era. This review introduces two essential laws: the Act on Mental Health and Welfare for Persons with Mental Disorders or Disabilities and the Act on Providing Comprehensive Support for the Daily Life and Life in Society of Persons with Disabilities. It also outlines the changes in mental health policy over the past decades, beginning with the Vision for the Reform of Mental Health and Medical Welfare of 2004, which advocated for a 'transition from hospital-centered care to community-centered care'. The article further presents current practices in mental health-related areas under the community-based integrated care system that also addresses mental disorders-the latest approach to the care of individuals with mental disorders. The changes in the past few decades aimed at promoting community-based care. As a result, while outpatient and home-based services have flourished, the number of psychiatric beds remains high, which is a persisting challenge. Finally, the article discusses the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and mental health services, a policy shift and the necessity of considering mental health in related policies raised by the pandemic in Japan.

Mental health has become a burgeoning issue throughout Switzerland, exacerbated by the impact of COVID-19 on populational mental wellbeing and psychiatric services, though its broader sociopolitical importance remains underexamined. To explore coverage of mental health policies and their evolution since COVID-19, this article assessed national party manifestos from the 2019 and 2023 Swiss elections. Pre-election materials were collated through online searches and subsequent outreach to party organisations. Manifestos were available from n = 6 parties, cumulatively accounting for 72.7% of national votes in 2019 and 72.2% in 2023, and were reviewed for explicit mental health policies or adjunct proposals (e.g. around drug policy and health prevention and promotion). Only a modest increase was evident in mental health policy content from 2019 to 2023, with proxy or adjunct public health proposals primarily represented (especially around prevention and promotion). Notably, only one party in 2023 proposed an explicit mental health policy, which was contextually linked to COVD-19. This juxtaposition between recent public opinion signals and the prioritisation of mental health within electoral frameworks could potentially be informed by other ongoing international and domestic concerns. Future research should examine how societal attitudes towards mental health develop and whether this stimulates political engagement or proposals across Switzerland and elsewhere.

Mental health care in Switzerland is at a relatively high level worldwide. Nevertheless, as in many other countries, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the entire healthcare system and psychiatry in particular. In addition, the care of people with mental disorders in Switzerland is characterised by numerous special features that distinguish the country from most Western systems. The article provides an overview of the following aspects of mental health care: Epidemiology, pandemic-related developments, health policy and funding, as well as the structure and specific aspects of outpatient, intermediate and inpatient care. Finally, it analyses numerous challenges facing mental health care in Switzerland.