Rapid detection of fertilizer information based on Raman spectroscopy and machine learning.

The rapid detection of fertilizer nutrient information is a crucial element in enabling intelligent and precise variable fertilizer application. However, traditional detection methods possess limitations, such as the difficulty in quantifying multiple components and cross-contamination. In this study, a rapid detection method was proposed, leveraging Raman spectroscopy combined with machine learning, to identify five types of fertilizers: K2SO4, (CO(NH2)2, KH2PO4, KNO3, and N:P:K (15-15-15), along with their concentrations. Qualitative and quantitative models of fertilizers were constructed using three machine learning algorithms combined with five spectral preprocessing methods. Two variable selection methods were used to optimize the quantitative model. The results showed that the classification accuracy of the five fertilizer solutions obtained by random forest (RF) was 100 %. Moreover, in terms of regression, partial least squares regression (PLSR) outperformed extreme learning machine (ELM) and least squares support vector machine (LSSVM), yielding prediction Rp2 within the range of 0.9843-0.9990 and a root mean square error in the range of 0.0486-0.1691. In addition, this study evaluated the impact of different water types (deionized water, well water, and industrial transition water) on the detection of fertilizer information via Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that while different water types did not notably affect the identification of fertilizer nutrients, they did exert a pronounced effect on the quantification of concentrations. This study highlights the efficacy of combining Raman spectroscopy with machine learning in detecting fertilizer nutrients and their concentration information effectively.

How Children Stop Adult Perpetrators From Unwanted Touching Within an Institutional Setting: Termination Patterns During Sexual Contact Stage.

This qualitative study analyzes victims' narratives of male-on-male child molestation within the Boy Scouts of America. The focus of previous literature on sex crime victims mostly centered on how to avoid sex offenders based on the offenders' behaviors and effective victims' treatment plans to alleviate their posttrauma as a result of sexual abuse. Yet studies have not provided detailed descriptions of when and how to resist sexual advances to children when such incidents are in progress within youth-oriented institutions. Few have examined victim narratives to discover the dynamics of child molestation, such as physical and verbal interactions between the two parties while sexual touching is occurring. The author used victims' narratives to identify how boy victims responded to unwanted sexual advances by scout leaders within the Boy Scouts of America. Based on qualitative-oriented analysis, this study presents verbal and physical resisting patterns of male victims and the effectiveness of such actions in terminating sexual advances. The findings suggest practical and potential intervention strategies so children know how to stop adult perpetrators from developing unwanted touching within youth-centric institutions.

Imbalance between Employees and the Organisational Context: A Catalyst for Workplace Bullying Behaviours in Both Targets and Perpetrators.

Research on workplace bullying from the perpetrators' perspective is limited, leading to few interventions tailored to them. This gap stems from insufficient understanding of how organisational conditions and individual dispositions trigger or amplify perpetrator behaviour. To develop effective interventions in preventing bullying, perceived organisational factors were examined. This study, guided by the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model and the three-way model of workplace bullying (WB), aims to explore the effects of perceived (im)balances in the task or employee focus, social atmosphere (positive or negative), and hierarchical structure (high or low) in organisations on the incidence of WB, both in terms of perpetrator and target experiences. The research involved 1044 employees from multiple Spanish organisations and sectors: 51.7% in services, 24.6% in education, 14.5% in wholesale and retail trade, and 9.2% in manufacturing. The average age of participants was 35.43 years (SD = 10.9), with a female majority of 61.3%. Using a cross-sectional study design, the experiences of being a target and perpetrator were quantitatively assessed through validated WB target and perpetrator scales. Additionally, the study qualitatively examined employees' perceptions of their organisational context through free descriptions, using adjectives to depict their views. Correspondence analysis was employed to test the hypotheses, and the results affirmed them. The study found that perceived imbalances in organisational focus, social atmosphere, and hierarchy correlate with higher WB target and perpetrator reports, whereas balanced atmospheres correlate with no WB. This research underscores the significance of balanced organisational contexts in mitigating WB. It highlights a gap in the current literature regarding the broader organisational factors that influence bullying and advocates for a more in-depth understanding of these dynamics. Furthermore, it contributes to the existing body of knowledge by offering a comprehensive and harmonised approach to preventing WB, transcending isolated interventions.

Qualitative Evaluation of a Quality Improvement Collaborative Implementation to Improve Acute Ischemic Stroke Treatment in Nova Scotia, Canada.

The Atlantic Canada Together Enhancing Acute Stroke Treatment (ACTEAST) project is a modified quality improvement collaborative (mQIC) designed to improve ischemic stroke treatment rates and efficiency in Atlantic Canada. This study evaluated the implementation of the mQIC in Nova Scotia using qualitative methods. The mQIC spanned 6 months, including two learning sessions, webinars, and a per-site virtual visit. The learning sessions featured presentations about the project and the improvement efforts at some sites. Each session included an action planning period where the participants planned for the implementation efforts over the following 2 to 4 months, called "action periods". Eleven hospitals and Emergency Health Services (EHS) of Nova Scotia participated. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was utilized to develop a semi-structured interview guide to uncover barriers and facilitators to mQIC's implementation. Interviews were conducted with 14 healthcare professionals from 10 entities, generating 458 references coded into 28 CFIR constructs. The interviews started on 17 June 2021, 2 months after the intervention period, and ended on 7 October 2021. Notably, 84% of these references were positively framed as facilitators., highlighting the various aspects of the mQIC and its context that supported successful implementation. These facilitators encompassed factors such as networks and communications, strong leadership engagement, and a collaborative culture. Significant barriers included resource availability, relative priorities, communication challenges, and engaging key stakeholders. Some barriers were prominent during specific phases. The study provides insights into quality improvement initiatives in stroke care, reflecting the generally positive opinions of the interviewees regarding the mQIC. While the quantitative analysis is still ongoing, this study highlights the importance of addressing context-specific barriers and leveraging the identified facilitators for successful implementation.

Living with Pompe disease: results from a qualitative interview study with children and adolescents and their caregivers.

BACKGROUND: Children and adolescents with Pompe disease (PD) face chronic and progressive myopathy requiring time-intensive enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). Little is known about their perspectives on the disease and its treatment. This study explored their perceptions of disease symptoms and functioning status, and more subjective feelings about the impacts on their lives as part of developing a disease-specific questionnaire. METHODS: Eleven pediatric patients aged 8-18 years and 26 caregivers from six children's hospitals in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland underwent semi-structured interviews. Data were recorded, transcribed using MAXQDA software, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. A system of meaningful categories was developed. RESULTS: Sixteen main categories were derived across four major thematic areas: perceptions of symptoms and limitations, experiences to do with the biopsychosocial impact of PD, treatment experiences, and general emotional well-being/burden. Participants demonstrated broad heterogeneity in symptom perceptions such as muscle weakness, breathing difficulties, pain, and fatigue. Emotional appraisals of limitations were not directly proportional to their severity, and even comparatively minor impairments were often experienced as highly frustrating, particularly for social reasons. The main psychosocial topics were social exclusion vs. inclusion and experiences to do with having a disease. The main finding regarding treatment was that switching ERT from hospital to home was widely viewed as a huge relief, reducing the impact on daily life and the burden of infusions. Emotional well-being ranged from not burdened to very happy in most children and adolescents, including the most severely affected. CONCLUSION: This study provided qualitative insights into the perceptions and experiences of pediatric PD patients. Interestingly, biopsychosocial burden was not directly related to disease severity, and tailored psychosocial support could improve health-related quality of life. The present findings ensure the content validity of a novel questionnaire to be tested as a screening tool to identify patients in need of such support.

Sexual Violence against Adults Aged 50 Years and Older and Implications for Prevention: A Thematic Analysis of Service Providers' Perceptions.

At-risk older adults and older survivors of sexual violence (SV) remain largely absent from SV prevention and intervention, owing to ageism and sexism, as well as other intersectional forms of prejudice, including among service providers (e.g., social workers, healthcare professionals, practitioners in SV organizations, and practitioners who serve older adults). This study explored perceptions, knowledge and experiences with SV against adults 50 years and older. Service providers who work with older adults and/or survivors were recruited, owing to where SV in later life is reported (e.g., healthcare, long-term care, and social service organizations, and to police in addition to SV service organizations), to contribute to the limited research in this area and to advance prevention and intervention. A survey was conducted on SV in later life, exploring knowledge, perceptions and experiences with SV in later life along with potential solutions for prevention and intervention among 126 service providers who worked with survivors and/or older adults. Their responses were thematically analyzed. Five themes were identified: (a) misconceptions of SV in later life and unique barriers to preventing it; (b) needs for knowledge, awareness, research and education; (c) policy and resource development; (d) victim blame and internalized stigma, and (e) ageism, intersectional prejudice and rape culture. The findings offer an in-depth understanding of barriers to prevention, and intervention, and multi-level recommendations for addressing them, which are provided by a diverse group of service providers who have worked with older adults and/or with survivors, reflecting multidisciplinary practice wisdom and experience.

Exploring Italian Autochthonous Punica granatum L. Accessions: Pomological, Physicochemical, and Aromatic Investigations.

Autochthonous Italian pomegranate accessions are still underexplored, although they could be an important resource for fresh consumption, processing, and nutraceutical uses. Therefore, it is necessary to characterize the local germplasm to identify genotypes with desirable traits. In this study, six old Italian pomegranate landraces and a commercial cultivar (Dente di Cavallo) were investigated, evaluating their fruit pomological parameters, physicochemical (TSS, pH, TA, and color) characteristics, sugar content, and aromatic profiles (HeadSpace Solid-Phase MicroExtraction (HS-SPME)) coupled with Gas Chromatographyass Spectrometry (GC-MS) of pomegranate juices. Significant differences were observed in the size and weight of the seed and fruits (127.50-525.1 g), as well as the sugar content (100-133.6 gL-1), the sweetness (12.9-17.6 °Brix), and the aroma profiles. Over 56 volatile compounds, predominantly alcohols (56%), aldehydes (24%), and terpenes (9%), were simultaneously quantified. Large variability among the genotypes was also statistically confirmed. The results indicate a strong potential for commercial exploitation of this germplasm, both as fresh and processed fruit, and highlight its versatility for diverse applications. The genetic diversity of the autochthonous pomegranate accessions represents a precious heritage to be preserved and enhanced. This work represents a preliminary step toward a more comprehensive characterization and qualitative valorization of the Italian pomegranate germplasm.

Hip fracture has profound psychosocial impacts: a systematic review of qualitative studies.

BACKGROUND: Hip fracture is a common and serious traumatic injury for older adults characterised by poor outcomes. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aimed to synthesise qualitative evidence about the psychosocial impact of hip fracture on the people who sustain these injuries. METHODS: Five databases were searched for qualitative studies reporting on the psychosocial impact of hip fracture, supplemented by reference list checking and citation tracking. Data were synthesised inductively and confidence in findings reported using the Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research approach, taking account of methodological quality, coherence, relevance and adequacy. RESULTS: Fifty-seven studies were included. Data were collected during the peri-operative period to >12 months post fracture from 919 participants with hip fracture (median age > 70 years in all but 3 studies), 130 carers and 297 clinicians. Hip fracture is a life altering event characterised by a sense of loss, prolonged negative emotions and fear of the future, exacerbated by negative attitudes of family, friends and clinicians. For some people after hip fracture there is, with time, acceptance of a new reality of not being able to do all the things they used to do. There was moderate to high confidence in these findings. CONCLUSIONS: Hip fracture is a life altering event. Many people experience profound and prolonged psychosocial distress following a hip fracture, within a context of negative societal attitudes. Assessment and management of psychosocial distress during rehabilitation may improve outcomes for people after hip fracture.

A qualitative analysis to identify the issues of tuberculosis management in tribal areas of Rajasthan.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease with social issue. Tribal people are disproportionately affected by TB. There is a scarcity of data on issues of TB management among the tribal groups of India. The objective of this study was to get in-depth understanding of the issues hindering TB management among the tribal communities of Rajasthan, India. METHODS: We conducted qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with purposively selected healthcare service providers of the selected tribal areas of Rajasthan. Beside this, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were also conducted among the purposively selected tribal people of these tribal areas. Data was collected using predesigned interview guides and a focus group discussion guide in their local setting in the local language. Information obtained were transcribed and translated into English language before analysing. Translated data was then coded and thematically organized. Inductive coding was used to identify emerging themes and sub-themes relevant to issues that occur during TB management. RESULTS: Several locally relevant issues were identified which negatively affected TB management in tribal areas of Rajasthan, India. Substance abuse, lack of awareness, discriminative behaviour, poor accessibility, exposure to mine dust, economic burden, migration, lack of training, irregular disbursement of incentive and staff behaviour emerged as major issues. CONCLUSION: This study identified the issues which hamper TB management in tribal population of Rajasthan, India. Result of this study can be useful in designing a tribal-centric approach to adequately manage TB among tribal population of Rajasthan.

Exploring Latino cultural factors from the perspective of sexual minority men in the USA.

Existing research on Latino cultural factors mainly focuses on gender and nationality, often overlooking sexual orientation and giving limited attention to the experiences of Latino sexual minority men in the United States of America (USA). This study addressed this gap by exploring how sexual minority men identify, describe and experience Latino cultural factors. Between April and December 2019, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 men (ages 18-40, 43% non-US-born) in the greater Miami, Florida area to explore their engagement in HIV prevention and behavioural health services. Secondary qualitative analysis examined five Latino cultural factors (personalismo, machismo, familismo, fatalismo and curanderismo), informed by the existing literature for initial coding and supplemented by the use of an inductive approach, yielding 14 subthemes. Findings revealed that although participants often described cultural factors in their traditional interpretations within the Latino community at large, they also highlighted unique experiences, particularly for relationship-oriented factors like personalismo, machismo and familismo. Sexual orientation stigma shaped participants' experiences of these cultural factors. Study findings enhance knowledge about Latino sexual minority men's lived experiences in the USA, underscoring how cultural factors are perceived both traditionally and uniquely, and emphasises the need for nuanced, culturally tailored assessments in future research.

Identification of bile acids in snake bile by hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry and quantitative structure-retention relationship analysis.

Natural bile acids, a class of steroids with a valeric acid side chain at the C-17 position, present significant challenges in separation and analysis due to structural similarities, isomerism, and large polarity differences. Therefore, advanced analytical methods are essential for the accurate identification and quantification of bile acids. This study conducted a comprehensive qualitative analysis of bile acids by integrating liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), hydrogen-deuterium exchange tandem mass spectrometry (HDX-MS/MS), and quantitative structure-retention relationship (QSRR) methods. Firstly, LC-MS/MS conditions were optimized to enhance chromatographic separation and improve the reliability of characteristic fragment ions. MS/MS fragmentation rules for bile acids were derived from the mass spectral data of bile acid standards and validated through HDX-MS/MS experiments. Secondly, potential bile acids in snake bile were identified based on these validated fragmentation rules, and a QSRR model was established to predict the retention times of the proposed structures. Thirdly, HDX-MS/MS was applied to assist in identifying bile acid isomers. Finally, a total of 150 bile acids, including 11 free bile acids (free BA), 5 glyco-bile acids (GBA) and 134 tauro-bile acids (TBA), were detected in snake bile. Thirteen bile acids were accurately characterized by comparing their retention time and MS/MS spectra with standards. Forty-nine bile acids were reasonably annotated using the QSRR model and HDX-MS/MS. This study is notable for being the first to utilize the QSRR and HDX-MS/MS techniques for the annotation of bile acids in snake bile, providing a robust framework for the structural elucidation of these compounds.

Patient Perspectives in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Gallstone Disease: A Qualitative Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Gallstone disease is one of the most common surgical diagnoses in the United States. Notably absent from the literature is the patient's perspective on priorities in management. Understanding patient values will assist surgeons and systems in achieving high-quality, patient-focused care for biliary disease. METHODS: Patients who underwent elective or urgent cholecystectomy were invited to participate in a semistructured interview to assess their experience. Interviews were performed over the phone or in person and recordings were transcribed. Each transcription was analyzed independently by two authors using the MAXQDA software, and a mixed deductive-inductive approach was used to develop themes. Anonymized quotes were used to illustrate themes and subthemes regarding the patient's experiences and priorities surrounding gallstone disease. RESULTS: A total of 29 interviews were completed. Most participants were female, but represented a diverse racial and educational group. The most common diagnosis was acute cholecystitis (48%), and 76% of patients underwent an emergency operation. Patients indicated that their main priority regarding treatment was prompt pain control with definitive management so they could return to their previous quality of life. Most patients wanted face-to-face communication with the surgical team both pre and postoperatively. Patients wished they had more information about postoperative care and expectations in the preoperative setting. CONCLUSIONS: Patients' priorities in their care for gallstone disease are centered around definitive management and quality of life. Improvements in communication were identified regarding meeting the surgeon, and postoperative communication. These results can inform surgeons how to prioritize patient perspectives in an acute care surgical system that was not designed with patient input.

Lived experiences of children who stutter in their own voices.

INTRODUCTION: Significant research has explored the lived experiences of adults who stutter, but less research exists regarding the lived experiences of children who stutter. The opinions and ideas of children who stutter may differ from those of adults, making it important for clinicians and researchers to obtain information directly from children who stutter. Asking children directly can lead to treatment outcomes and research questions that better align with the children's needs and values. METHOD: Interviews with 18 children who stutter (9 girls/9 boys) ages 8-17 were sourced from the Voices of Children Who Stutter database located at Talkbank.org. Interview questions asked the children about living with a stutter, participating in stuttering support organizations (SSOs), and their perspectives on treatment. Qualitative, phenomenological analysis was performed on their answers following standardized qualitative procedures. RESULTS: Analysis of 910 total utterances yielded 7 themes and 9 subthemes. Themes indicated that the children: (a) had significant knowledge regarding their own stuttering, (b) had opinions regarding what constituted worthwhile treatment outcomes, (c) were clear about desirable clinician characteristics for working with kids who stutter, and (d) saw the benefits of being part of a community. CONCLUSIONS: Themes revealed that overall, children who stutter exhibit deep understanding regarding their experiences with stuttering, which clinicians can harness in person-centered goal setting. Additionally, the participants express the importance of participating in stuttering support organizations.

Clinicians' experience of barriers and facilitators to care delivery of an extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation service for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a qualitative survey.

BACKGROUND: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survival in the UK remains overall poor with fewer than 10% of patients surviving to hospital discharge. Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is a developing therapy option that can improve survival in select patients if treatment begins within an hour. Clinicians' perspectives are a pivotal consideration to the development of effective systems for OHCA ECPR, but they have been infrequently explored. This study investigates clinicians' views on the barriers and facilitators to establishing effective systems to facilitate transport of OHCA patients for in-hospital ECPR. METHODS: In January 2023, Thames Valley Air Ambulance (TVAA) and Harefield Hospital developed an ECPR partnership pathway for conveyance of OHCA patients for in-hospital ECPR. The authors of this study conducted a survey of clinicians across both services looking to identify clear barriers and positive contributors to the effective implementation of the programme. The survey included questions about technical and non-technical barriers and facilitators, with free-text responses analysed thematically. RESULTS: Responses were received from 14 pre-hospital TVAA critical care and 9 in-hospital clinicians' representative of various roles and experiences. Data analysis revealed 10 key themes and 19 subthemes. The interconnected themes, identified by pre-hospital TVAA critical care clinicians as important barriers or facilitators in this ECPR system included educational programmes; collectiveness in effort and culture; teamwork; inter-service communication; concurrent activity; and clarity of procedures. Themes from in-hospital clinicians' responses were distilled into key considerations focusing on learning and marginal gains, standardising and simplifying protocols, training and simulation; and nurturing effective teams. CONCLUSION: This study identified several clear themes and subthemes from clinical experience that should be considered when developing and modelling an ECPR system for OHCA. These insights may inform future development of ECPR programmes for OHCA in other centres. Key recommendations identified include prioritising education and training (including regular simulations), standardising a 'pitstop style' handover process, establishing clear roles during the cannulation process and developing standardised protocols and selection criteria. This study also provides insight into the feasibility of using pre-hospital critical care teams for intra-arrest patient retrieval in the pre-hospital arena.

Exploring Levels of Interspecies Interaction: Expectations, Knowledge, and Empathy in Human-Dog Relationships.

This exploratory study examines the complex dynamics of human-dog relationships and their impact on interspecies communication. Twelve human-dog dyads were studied using narrative interviews to explore how people perceive their relationships with their dogs. In addition, the dyads engaged in a cooperative task to observe interaction dynamics during everyday activities. This study shows that individual expectations frame interactions and that traditional notions of dog ownership are evolving into more family-like relationships. Effective communication relies on a nuanced mix of verbal and non-verbal cues, with empathy emerging as a fundamental element guiding these interactions. Our findings underline the profound influence of human expectations, knowledge and empathy on communication with dogs. They also highlight the critical role of compatibility between human and dog dyads, and emphasize that such compatibility is a key determinant of satisfaction in interspecies relationships. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how human factors modulate communication and satisfaction in human-animal interactions.

LC-MS based strategy for chemical profiling and quantification of dispensing granules of Ginkgo biloba seeds.

Ginkgo biloba seeds have been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for hundreds of years to treat diseases such as cervicitis, cough, asthma and other lung diseases. As a novel form, the dispensing granules (GSDG) of Ginkgo biloba seeds have been widely employed in clinic. However, its chemical profiling is not yet clear, which has restricted in-depth research in many fields. In this study, a high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quardrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry method was used for the component characteration with the help of accurate molecular weights, fragmentation pathways, reported data, literatures and even some reference standards. Furthermore, in multiple-reaction monitoring mode, a high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry method was developed and applied for simultaneous determination of the bioactive phytochemicals. As a result, a total of 56 components in GSDG were identified including 12 amino acids, 9 organic acids, 6 nucleosides and nucleobases, 6 flavonoids, 5 vitamins, 5 terpenoid lactones, 4 carbohydrates and 9 other compounds As for quantitative analysis, glutamic acid, asparatic acid, histidine, ginkgolide A, ginkgolide B, ginkgolide C, ginkgolide J, eucomic acid, N-(N-glucopyranosyl)-indoleacetylaspartate and N-(N-glucopyranosyl)-indoleacetylglutamate were selected as the analytes for quanlity marker of GSDG. After necessary validation tests, the developed quantitative method was successfully put into use for 10 batches of GSDG. In all batches, N-(N-glucopyranosyl)-indoleacetylaspartate was the richest phytochemical with the amount of 17.3-25.7 mg/g while ginkgolide J (0.0197-0.0335 mg/g) was determined to be the poorest. The study is supposed to exhibit a comprehensive chemical profiling and to provide some strong basis for preparation technology, quality control and even for action mechanism of GSDG, this novel form of Chinese medicine.

'It was hell on earth': perspectives of people living with celiac disease on diagnostic delay.

BACKGROUND: Celiac disease (CD) is underdiagnosed and associated with diagnostic delays. This has long-term consequences for the health and well-being of people living with the condition. Little is known about the qualitative configurations of the assessment processes of people living with CD. METHODS: Using a thematic network analysis of 24 in-depth interviews, this study explored the experiences of people living with CD related to their assessment processes leading to being diagnosed. RESULTS: A significant diagnostic delay (up to 26 years) was evident in many interviews. Factors contributing to diagnostic delay included limited knowledge about CD among general practitioners (GP) and in the general population, categorisations of symptoms as 'typical' or 'atypical' and psychosomatic explanations of symptoms. Diagnostic delay resulted in (1) decreased psychological well-being due to severe symptoms, changes in self-perception and self-blame; (2) decreased physiological well-being due to comorbidities; and (3) mistrust in the healthcare system, leading to an increase in informants' responsibility for expediting their assessment processes. This suggested the presence of a neoliberal tendency because informants felt they were primarily responsible for their assessment processes. CONCLUSIONS: We encourage the implementation of initiatives to increase awareness of CD among GPs as well as more consistent and frequent use of the screening guideline due to variations in its clinical presentation. Increased awareness and consistency could reduce variations in assessment processes given GPs' varying knowledge about the condition.

Knowledge, perceptions, and experiences of e-cigarettes among young adults in Cape Town, South Africa: Insights from focus groups to inform regulations and prevention strategies.

INTRODUCTION: E-cigarettes have rapidly gained a market share in South Africa and globally. Concerns have been raised over the growing popularity of e-cigarettes among young people, who are frequently drawn to these novel products and are especially targeted by marketers. Using a qualitative method, this study aimed to gain insight into young adults' knowledge, experiences, and perceptions of e-cigarette use in Cape Town, South Africa. METHODS: We conducted five focus groups (FGs) among students of the University of Cape Town (n=48; 46% females; 54% males; aged 18-25 years). These FGs, which included both e-cigarette users and non-users, were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically using Nvivo 12 software. RESULTS: Despite their lack of information about the chemical constituents of e-cigarettes and their harm, participants perceived them as healthier than combustible cigarettes. Participants equated the pleasant smell and environmental friendliness of e-cigarettes with safety. The absence of e-cigarette regulation was interpreted as evidence of their safety. Participants indicated that the lack of anti-e-cigarette indoor policies, the deceptive marketing regarding their safety, and their low price compared to combustible cigarettes, had key roles in increasing young people's use of e-cigarettes. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight factors at multiple levels contributing to e-cigarette use among young people in South Africa. Comprehensive strategies for e-cigarette regulation and prevention are needed. Potential strategies include increasing knowledge of e-cigarette harms through evidence-based communication campaigns and strengthening e-cigarette regulations by limiting e-cigarette advertisements, banning vaping in public places, and reducing the flavors used in e-cigarettes.

A Qualitative Assessment of Reasons for Living and Dying in the Context of Feeling Trapped Among Adults in the United Kingdom.

OBJECTIVE: Contemporary approaches to suicide assessment and treatment incorporate reasons for living (RFL) and reasons for dying (RFD). This study qualitatively explored individuals' self-described RFL and RFD in the context of suicidal thinking and behaviors. METHOD: Within a community United Kingdom (UK) sample, adults (N = 331, aged 16+) responded to eight open-ended questions probing their experiences of suicide, defeat, and entrapment. Utilizing these data, which were collected from a larger online survey examining risk and protective factors for suicidal behaviors, this study explored RFL and RFD within these narratives. After the research team established an initial code book, RFL and RFD codes were subsequently analyzed through inductive and deductive thematic analyses. RESULTS: The present study identified five complimentary RFD-RFL themes: (1) Hopelessness-Hopefulness, (2) Stress of Responsibilities-Duty to Responsibilities, (3) Social Disconnection-Social Connection, (4) Death as Sin-Desire for an Afterlife, and (5) Temporary Escapes as Coping-Entrapment (i.e., a lack of escape). Three subthemes within the RFD theme Entrapment were General/Unspecified, By Feelings, and Within Self. CONCLUSIONS: Identified themes reflect the existing quantitative RFL and RFD literature. The identified RFL and RFD themes are discussed with reference to their clinical applications in advancing suicide-specific assessments and interventions. We propose a dimensional framework for RFD and RFL which informs future suicidal behaviors research and practice.

The study highlights the complex co-existence of reasons for dying and reasons for living.Reasons for living and dying should be explored in parallel in a therapeutic setting.The relative value placed on RFL/RFD by the individual should also be considered.

We Hope You're Listening: Qualitative Study of Advice Given by Individuals with Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Patient-centered care for persons with Parkinson's disease (PwPD) is associated with positive outcomes, but is lacking in current healthcare systems. OBJECTIVE: In this qualitative study, we solicited advice from PwPD to medical professionals, family members/friends, and newly-diagnosed PwPD. METHODS: Through an online survey, 275 PwPD answered open-ended questions asking for their advice. Responses were analyzed using content analysis. Interrater reliability was 94.5%. RESULTS: Three qualitative themes were identified. First, participants advised enhancing care and communication, with healthcare professionals balancing clinical constraints with compassion, and family/friends balancing support with appreciating autonomy of PwPD. The second theme was empowering PwPD through increasing their knowledge of the disease and care options. The third reflected the importance of focusing on well-being and connection. CONCLUSION: The results highlight several gaps in meeting the needs of PwPD in healthcare settings and personal relationships, underscoring the importance of integrating their perspectives in shaping approaches to care.