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Near-death experience (NDE) is a transcendent mental event of uncertain etiology that arises on the cusp of biological death. Since the discovery of NDE in the mid-1970s, multiple neuroscientific theories have been developed in an attempt to account for it in strictly materialistic or reductionistic terms. Therefore, in this conception, NDE is at most an extraordinary hallucination without any otherworldly, spiritual, or supernatural denotations. During the last decade or so, a number of animal and clinical studies have emerged which reported that about the time of death, there may be a surge of high frequency electroencephalogram (EEG) at a time when cortical electrical activity is otherwise at a very low ebb. This oscillatory rhythm falls within the range of the enigmatic brain wave-labelled gamma-band activity (GBA). Therefore, it has been proposed that this brief, paradoxical, and perimortem burst of the GBA may represent the neural foundation of the NDE. This study examines three separate but related questions concerning this phenomenon. The first problem pertains to the electrogenesis of standard GBA and the extent to which authentic cerebral activity has been contaminated by myogenic artifacts. The second problem involves the question of whether agents that can mimic NDE are also underlain by GBA. The third question concerns the electrogenesis of the surge in GBA itself. It has been contended that this is neither cortical nor myogenic in origin. Rather, it arises in a subcortical (amygdaloid) location but is recorded at the cortex via volume conduction, thereby mimicking standard GBA. Although this surge of GBA contains genuine electrophysiological activity and is an intriguing and provocative finding, there is little evidence to suggest that it could act as a kind of neurobiological skeleton for a phenomenon such as NDE.

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Patient death can be a stressful experience for nursing students, leading to various undesirable psychological and emotional effects. However, research documenting these experiences remains limited. This study explores the experiences of Iranian nursing students when facing patient death. This qualitative study employed a purposive sample of 14 undergraduate nursing students. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using conventional content analysis. Lincoln and Guba's (2004) criteria guided the data management process. Data analysis revealed three primary categories with six corresponding subcategories. These categories encompassed the significance of death, reactions to death, and the transformation of professional perspectives. Subcategories included positive and negative meanings attributed to death, emotional and behavioral responses, and the positive and negative effects on participants. The findings reveal that experiencing patient death significantly impacts nursing students psychologically and emotionally. Consequently, it is recommended that nursing curricula incorporate essential training modules addressing appropriate responses to death and effective communication with bereaved families. Further research should explore strategies to mitigate negative impacts and optimize positive outcomes related to this phenomenon.

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This paper honors Jeremy Safran's legacy of scholarship and pedagogy through the lens of his emphasis on rupture and repair. Challenging a Freudian rendering of mourning as ultimately giving up a lost object, the author draws on Nicholas Abraham and Maria Torok's application of Sandor Ferenczi's concept of introjection to offer a relational rendering of the grieving process.

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BACKGROUND: Awareness-raising and education have been identified as strategies to counter the taboo surrounding death and dying. As the favoured venue for youth education, schools have an essential role to play in informing future decision-makers. However, school workers are not comfortable addressing the subjects of death and dying, which, unlike other social issues, have no guidelines to influence awareness of these subjects in youth. OBJECTIVES: To systematically explore the knowledge and practices on raising awareness about death and dying in schools, the viewpoints of the people involved (young people, school workers; parents), and the factors that either promote or hinder awareness practices. METHOD: The scoping review method of Levac and Colquhoun (Implement Sci 5(1):69, 2010) will be used. Using a combination of keywords and descriptors, a body of literature will be identified through 15 databases and through grey literature searches, manual searches, consultation of key collaborators, and the list of relevant literature. Publications since 2009 will be selected if they relate directly to awareness-raising about death and dying in schools. Writings will be selected and extracted by two independent people, and conflicts resolved by consensus. The extracted data will be synthesized using a thematic analysis method. Experts from a variety of disciplines (health sciences, humanities, social sciences, and education) will be consulted to enhance the interpretation of the preliminary results. Results will be presented in narrative form and will include tables and diagrams. CONCLUSION: The results of this scoping review will contribute to the development of educational practices adapted to young people and to the identification of future avenues of research on awareness of death and dying.

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The phenomenon of near death and dying experiences has been both of popular interest and of scientific speculation. However, the reality of mental perception at the point of death is currently a subjective experience and has not been formally evaluated. While postmortem gene expression, even in humans, has been evaluated, restoration of postmortem brain activity has heretofore only been attempted in animal models, at the molecular and cellular levels. Meanwhile, progress has been made to translate brain activity of living humans into speech and images. This paper proposes two inter-related thought experiments. First, assuming progress and refinement of the technology of translating human brain activity into interpretable speech and images, can an objective analysis of death experiences be obtained by utilizing these technologies on dying humans? Second, can human brain function be revived postmortem and, if so, can the relevant technologies be utilized for communication with (recently) deceased individuals? In this paper, these questions are considered and possible implications explored.

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The purpose of this study was to deepen our understanding of the phenomenon of long-term transformational effects of near-death experiences (NDEs). METHODS: Participants included 834 individuals who had experienced NDEs. We compared their responses with those of 42 individuals who had faced life-threatening situations (LTEs) without experiencing NDEs, aiming to discern whether transformations could be attributed solely to the proximity to death. We employed chi-square statistics to assess differences in aftereffects reported by the NDE and LTE-only groups. We also conducted a thematic analysis of the participants' narratives to capture a more detailed account of the transformations experienced. RESULTS: Our central finding reveals a significant transformation in values and spiritual attitudes among participants following their NDEs, as compared to individuals who were faced with life-threatening situations without an NDE. Key transformations include an enhanced belief in divinity and in the afterlife, a decreased fear of death, and increased levels of compassion. Participants also reported a stronger belief in the meaningfulness of life, and a profound shift in life priorities and values, emphasizing the increased importance of their spiritual or religious lives. CONCLUSIONS: The results support the notion that NDEs lead to a profound spiritual awakening and a reorientation towards life distinct from changes following LTEs without NDEs.

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The small apes, gibbons and siamangs, are monogamous species with their social groups comprising of both parents and their offspring. Therefore, the loss of a member may elicit a stress response in the remaining members due to their strong bonds. Glucocorticoids (GCs) have been useful indicators of stress, but distinguishing between acute versus chronic stress may be limited when measuring these hormones alone. The adrenal hormone dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS), a GC antagonist, has been implicated in the regulation of the stress response. Thus, the concomitant measurement of these hormones can help examine whether an event, such as the loss of a group member, elicited a stress response. In this brief report, we discuss the hormonal response of two zoo-housed northern white-cheeked gibbons (Nomascus leucogenys) (1 adolescent male and his mother) after the death of the adult male of the group. Baseline fecal samples were collected opportunistically from these two individuals 5 months prior, and 3 months following the death of their group member. A total of 25 samples were quantified for fecal GC metabolites (FGCMs) and DHEAS by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to calculate the FGCMs:DHEAS ratio. Our results indicate an increase in FGCMs and FGCMs:DHEAS for the adolescent male, but not the adult female, following the death. Our findings suggest that the integration of FGCMs and DHEAS measurements can provide valuable information to interpret individual stress levels to the sudden change in the group's social structure.

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Heart transplantation is the definitive treatment for refractory, end-stage heart failure. The number of patients awaiting transplantation far exceeds available organs. In an effort to expand the donor pool, donation after circulatory death (DCD) heart transplantation has garnered renewed interest. Unlike donation after brain death, DCD donors do not meet the criteria for brain death and are dependent on life-sustaining therapies. Procurement can include a direct strategy or a normothermic regional perfusion, whereby there is restoration of perfusion to the organ before explantation. There are new developments in cold storage and ex vivo perfusion strategies. Since its inception, there has been a steady improvement in post-transplant outcomes, largely attributed to advancements in operative and procurement strategies. In this narrative review, the authors address the unique considerations of DCD heart transplantation, including withdrawal of care, the logistics of procuring and resuscitating organs, outcomes compared with standard donation after brain death, and ethical considerations.

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PURPOSE: This review article is the first comprehensive evaluation of the available literature surrounding the education of death and dying in pharmacy schools. The purpose of this review was to describe the available literature and methods utilized regarding the emotional preparation for patient death in pharmacy education. PROCEDURES: Searches were performed in three pharmacy databases to identify articles that contained descriptions of activities related to death and dying education in pharmacy curriculums. FINDINGS: Eleven journal articles were reviewed, detailing activities in pharmacy education including simulations, didactic sessions, and an innovative "death over dessert" model. Evaluation methods varied, with surveys being most common, followed by reflection. Didactic courses demonstrated increased empathy and knowledge, while simulations compared to case-based activities improved skills, knowledge, and comfort levels with providing end-of-life care. Simulations often involved interprofessional groups, with third-year pharmacy students most evaluated. CONCLUSION: Pharmacy students were mainly exposed to death and dying scenarios through didactic courses or simulations, with limited longitudinal exposure. Research suggests that students may lack preparation for handling death-related situations, leading to trauma and dysfunction. While existing studies focus on outward effects like empathy, internal factors such as coping methods receive less attention. Unlike nursing and medicine literature, pharmacy education lacks comprehensive coverage of coping and emotional support strategies for death and dying scenarios. Additional focus should be placed on intentional incorporation of these topics into pharmacy curriculums.

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This essay describes the author's experience with delivering life-and-death information to patients and families in the intensive care unit.

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BACKGROUND: How individuals are informed of the traumatic loss of a loved one can influence their grieving process and quality of life. OBJECTIVE: This qualitative study aimed to explore, through thematic analysis, how life stages might influence the experience and feelings of those who have received communication of a traumatic death from police officers or healthcare professionals. METHOD: Recruited through social networks and word of mouth, 30 people participated in the study. Subjects were divided into three groups according to age (Group 1: ten participants aged between 20 and 35 years; Group 2: ten participants aged between 45 and 55 years; and Group 3: ten participants aged 60 and over). Participants completed an ad hoc questionnaire online. Atlas.ti software 8 was used to perform thematic analysis. RESULTS: The three age groups had the following four key themes in common: (a) emotional reactions; (b) subjective valuation of the notification; (c) support; and (d) needs. Subtle differences emerged between age groups; yet the quality of the reactions and main themes did not vary greatly between the groups considered. CONCLUSIONS: The communication of an unexpected and violent death seems to provoke rather similar effects in survivors of different life stages. A few differences were noted in sub-themes (increased need for professional training in younger recipients; absence of suicidal ideation in older adults); perhaps quantitative designs could provide further details in future investigations.

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