Stand-alone Method Research Articles

Australian medical regulations and strengthened continuing professional development (CPD): A policy implementation gap analysis with the specialist medical colleges

Introduction: Starting from 2023, Australian medical practitioners must meet new mandatory continuing professional development (CPD) requirements for registration renewal. In particular, each year they must complete 12.5 hours of educational activities and 25 hours of CPD activities related to reviewing performance and measuring outcomes, with a minimum of 5 hours each for reviewing performance and measuring outcomes activities, and they are encouraged to use patient health data and large eHealth datasets for better insights. Despite concerns regarding data accessibility and outcome measurement, specialist medical colleges are implementing these requirements. This study aims to explore factors influencing colleges’ efforts and provide recommendations for future research and action to enable data-driven CPD practices. Methods: A policy implementation gap analysis employing semi-structured interviews as a standalone method was conducted with participating colleges. Four colleges agreed to participate, with a total of 18 participants recruited from either the colleges’ staff who are responsible for interpreting and implementing CPD regulatory policies or the colleges’ CPD committees. Interviews were analysed using inductive and deductive thematic analysis. Data collection, data analysis and final results were reported using the COREQ checklist. Results: Three themes were identified from the interview analysis: (1) colleges' organisational structure and their roles and responsibilities within the Australasian CPD ecosystem, (2) challenges and enablers for policy implementation and (3) organisational needs and future actions at college level and necessary pre-conditions at ecosystemic level for strengthened CPD. Conclusions: Internal and external organisational factors are hindering colleges’ efforts to implement policy. More research, a reassessment of colleges’ roles, responsibilities and structure, and collaboration among colleges and data holders are necessary to enable full policy implementation and strengthened CPD practices.

Utilizing Morphological and Physiological Parameters of Lemna minor for Assessing Tetracyclines' Removal.

Antibiotics with significant environmental toxicity, e.g., tetracyclines (TCs), are often used in large quantities worldwide, with 50-80% of the applied dose ending up in the environment. This study aimed to investigate the effects of exposure to tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) and minocycline hydrochloride (MIN) on L. minor. Our research evaluated the phytotoxicity of the TCs by analyzing plant growth and biomass and evaluating assimilation pigment levels and fluorescence. The research was extended with the ability potential of duckweed as a tool for removing TCs from water/wastewater. The results demonstrated that both TCs influenced Ir, Iy, biomass, and photosynthetic efficiency. The uptake of TC and MIN by duckweed was proportional to the concentration in the growth medium. The TC was absorbed more readily, reaching up to 8.09 mg × g-1 of dry weight (DW) at the highest concentration (19.2 mg × L-1), while MIN reached 6.01 mg × g-1 of DW. As indicated, the consequences of the influence of TC on plants were slightly smaller, in comparison to MIN, while the plants could biosorb this drug, even at the lowest tested concentration. This study has shown that using plants for drug biosorption can be an effective standalone or complementary method for water and wastewater treatment.

The “what, why, and how?” of story completion in health services research: a scoping review

BackgroundThe story completion method provides a different way of doing qualitative research. We note the emergent popularity of this method in health-related research, while much remains to be negotiated in terms of best practices for such studies. This scoping review aims to provide a synthesis on how researchers have used the story completion method in health services research. We offer implications for research and practice for further discussion by the scholarly community.MethodsWe used the JBI methodology for scoping reviews. Six databases were searched for published literature till March 1, 2023: Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SAGE Journals Online databases, and SAGE Research Methods. We included primary studies of any study design using the story completion method in health services research.ResultsA total of 17 studies were included. Findings suggest that the story completion method is useful for research on sensitive topics, and affords the use of comparative study designs and large sample sizes which may be difficult with conventional qualitative research methods. More than 80% of included studies used story completion as the sole method. However, the data collected from this method were limited in terms of the inferences that can be drawn; and richness of participant responses may vary widely. Less than 30% of included studies reported piloting of the story stems. Most studies were conducted online and analyzed qualitatively, though the story stem design and sample size varied widely.ConclusionThe story completion method, with its attendant affordances for larger sample sizes, comparative study designs, and streamlined data collection is an innovative and useful stand-alone or adjunct qualitative method for health services research.

Exploring Vacuum Compression Molding as a Preparation Method for Flexible-Dose Pediatric Orodispersible Films.

In recent years, solid dosage forms have gained interest in pediatric therapy because they can provide valuable benefits in terms of dose accuracy and stability. Particularly for orodispersible films (ODFs), the literature evidences increased acceptability and dose flexibility. Among the various available technologies for obtaining ODFs, such as solvent casting, hot-melt extrusion, and ink printing technologies, the solvent-free preparation methods exhibit significant advantages. This study investigated Vacuum Compression Molding (VCM) as a solvent-free manufacturing method for the preparation of flexible-dose pediatric orodispersible films. The experimental approach focused on selecting the appropriate plasticizer and ratios of the active pharmaceutical ingredient, diclofenac sodium, followed by the study of their impacts on the mechanical properties, disintegration time, and drug release profile of the ODFs. Additional investigations were performed to obtain insights regarding the solid-state properties. The ODFs obtained by VCM displayed adequate quality in terms of their critical characteristics. Therefore, this proof-of-concept study shows how VCM could be utilized as a standalone method for the production of small-scale ODFs, enabling the customization of doses to meet the individual needs of pediatric patients.

The importance of model structure and soil data detail on the simulations of crop growth and water use: A case study for sugarcane

Process-based crop models have faced rapid development over the last years, and many modelling platforms are now available and can be used in a wide range of conditions. Whilst the selection of a model should be suited to the purpose of its application, very few studies focused on the impact of choosing different model structures and data details on the simulation outputs. One important aspect is the soil water dynamics, which can be simulated at different levels of details in terms of data and approaches. In this study, we investigated the impact of model structure and data detail on simulations of sugarcane growth and irrigation scheduling. Three different soil water routines (Standalone, Tipping-Bucket, SWAP) were coupled with the SAMUCA model and calibrated with a comprehensive field experiment dataset. We also tested the influence of using simplified homogeneous (SL) and detailed (DL) soil profile information in model performance. The model framework was evaluated against independent field experiments across Brazil and used to simulate long-term sugarcane growth and irrigation scheduling. After calibration, the SWAP-DL showed the highest accuracy in soil moisture predictions, with a 6 % error (RRMSE), but the difference from TippingBucket-DL was small (8 %). While the performance of stalk dry mass, LAI and water-use efficiency simulations were within the range found in literature, comprehensive field experiments showing significant impacts of drought on sugarcane growth are still lacking for a more rigorous evaluation. Both SWAP and tipping-bucket approaches showed higher robustness to soil data detail as compared to the Standalone method, which should be avoided when soil water is critical for sugarcane growth. The use of tipping-bucket method may still be preferred when the research goal is focused on crop growth and soil parameters are limited. SWAP-SAMUCA may provide an extended ability to represent agrohydrological processes in sugarcane plantations and process understanding.

Imaging through opaque scattering layers via transmission matrix assisted learning

Deep learning (DL) has a wide application in imaging through scattering media, however, most DL approaches lack related physical principle priors. Aiming at the limitation of DL methods that require high completeness of training set, a two-stage network is proposed to complete the transmission matrix (TM) measurement and image reconstruction. Thanks to the appropriate structure of the network, the amount of data required in the Measurement Stage is greatly reduced. The self-closed-loop constraint in the Imaging Stage also enables the imaging network to break from the dependence on the completeness of the training set, and achieve a reconstruction with an SSIM of 0.84 using only 10 pairs of training data. Besides, both the Imaging Stage and the Measurement Stage can be used as a stand-alone method in combination with conventional phase retrieval algorithms. This method can drive the development of TM-based imaging and provide an enlightening reference for the practical application in optical imaging scenes.

Use of PCR Cycle Threshold and Clinical Interventions to Aid in the Management of Pediatric Clostridioides difficile Patients

Better diagnostic tools are needed to improve the diagnosis of Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI) and reduce the overtreatment of colonized children. In this study, we evaluated two polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays (Cepheid GeneXpert C. difficile and the Gastroenteritis PCR Panel by QIAstat-Dx) as a standalone method in combination with the PCR cycle threshold (Ct) value in positive samples to predict the presence of free toxins. We also evaluated the clinical impact of reporting toxin production results and provided comments alongside the PCR results in our pediatric population. PCR-positive stool samples from pediatric patients (aged 2 to 18 years old) were included in our study and tested for the presence of toxins A and B using the C. difficile Quik Chek Complete kit. For the clinical intervention, the CDI treatment rates 6 months pre- and post-intervention were compared. The use of PCR Ct value showed excellent sensitivity (100%) at a Ct value cutoff of 26.1 and 27.2 using the Cepheid GeneXpert C. difficile and the Gastroenteritis PCR Panel by QIAstat-Dx, respectively, while the toxin test showed inferior sensitivity of 64% in the PCR-positive samples. In addition, CDI treatment rates were decreased by 23% post-intervention. The results of our study suggest that nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) assays supplemented by the use of PCR Ct value for positive samples can be used as standalone tests to differentiate CDI from colonization. Furthermore, the reporting of toxin production along with the PCR results can help reduce the unnecessary treatment of colonized children.

Classifying possible hate speech from text with deep learning and ensemble on embedding method

Hate speech can be defined as the use of language to express hatred towards another party. Twitter is one of the most widely used social media platforms in the community. In addition to submitting user-generated content, other users can provide feedback through comments. There are several users who intentionally or unintentionally provide negative comments. Even though there are regulations regarding the prohibition of hate speech, there are still those who make negative comments. Using the deep learning method with the long short-term memory (LSTM) model, a classifier of possible hate speech from messages on Twitter is carried out. With the ensemble method, term frequency times inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) and global vector (GloVe) get 86% accuracy, better than the stand-alone word to vector (Word2Vec) method, which only gets 80%. From these results, it can be concluded that the ensemble method can improve accuracy compared to only using the stand-alone method. Ensemble methods can also improve the performance of deep learning systems and produce better results than using only one method.

Standalone gradient measurement of matrix norm for programmable unitary converters

Programmable unitary converters are powerful tools for realizing unitary transformations, advancing the fields of computing and communication. The accuracy of these unitary transformations is crucial for maintaining high fidelity in such applications. However, various physical artifacts can impair the accuracy of the synthesized transformations. A commonly employed approach uses the system’s gradient to restore accuracy. Matrix norm is used to define error between matrices, and minimization of this norm using the gradient restores the accuracy. Although this gradient can indeed be physically measured using external equipment, it leads to a rather complex optical system. In this study, we propose a standalone method for measuring matrix norm gradients, where “standalone” means that no additional optical equipment is needed. This method is based on the mathematical fact that the central difference, which is generally used for the approximation of differentiation, can yield exact differentiation for any unitary converters. Furthermore, we introduce a new matrix distance that is suitable for optimizing unitary converters that use intensity detectors at the output. This distance also yields the exact differentiation with the central difference. Numerical analysis demonstrates that our method exhibits orders of magnitude higher tolerance to measurement noise than prior similar approaches.

Applications of high-intensity ultrasound on shrimp: Potential, constraints, and prospects in the extraction and retrieval of bioactive compounds, safety, and quality.

The global shrimp market holds substantial prominence within the food industry, registering a significant USD 24.7 billion in worldwide exportation in 2020. However, the production of a safe and high-quality product requires consideration of various factors, including the potential for allergenic reactions, occurrences of foodborne outbreaks, and risks of spoilage. Additionally, the exploration of the recovery of bioactive compounds (e.g., astaxanthin [AX], polyunsaturated fatty acids, and polysaccharides) from shrimp waste demands focused attention. Within this framework, this review seeks to comprehend and assess the utilization of high-intensity ultrasound (HIUS), both as a standalone method and combined with other technologies, within the shrimp industry. The objective is to evaluate its applications, limitations, and prospects, with a specific emphasis on delineating the impact of sonication parameters (e.g., power, time, and temperature) on various applications. This includes an examination of undesirable effects and identifying areas of interest for current and prospective research. HIUS has demonstrated promise in enhancing the extraction of bioactive compounds, such as AX, lipids, and chitin, while concurrently addressing concerns such as allergen reduction (e.g., tropomyosin), inactivation of pathogens (e.g., Vibrio parahaemolyticus), and quality improvement, manifesting in reduced melanosis scores and improved peelability. Nonetheless, potential impediments, particularly related to oxidation processes, especially those associated with lipids, pose a hindrance to its widespread implementation, potentially impacting texture properties. Consequently, further optimization studies remain imperative. Moreover, novel applications of sonication in shrimp processing, including brining, thawing, and drying, represent a promising avenue for expanding the utilization of HIUS in the shrimp industry.

Investigating hydrodynamic cavitation as an efficient means for removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from solution

With nearly five decades of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) being associated with firefighting and industrial activities, these compounds inevitably accumulate in both ground and surface water. PFAS contamination in water has emerged as a significant environmental and public health concern, particularly perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), which is often found in higher concentrations compared to other PFAS and has more pronounced adverse health effects. Addressing PFAS contamination requires treating large volumes of water, making technologies that rapidly separate and concentrate PFASs highly favoured. The strong surface activity of PFAS, such as PFOS, enables them to generate colloidal gas aphrons (CGAs) during high shear mixing of their aqueous solutions, where PFASs can be separated and collected as foam. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of high shear mixing in separating PFOS from solution, leveraging its accumulation at air–water interfaces. High shear-assisted PFOS separation was tested by varying parameters like rotational speed (4000 to 10,000 rpm), mixing time (30 s to 30 min), and the effect of electrolytes. Results showed greater PFOS separation in the presence of electrolytes, particularly monovalent cations like Na+, compared to divalent cations such as Ca2+, due to the creation of more stable CGAs with smaller sizes. At a mixing rate of 6000 rpm, 85 % of PFOS was removed in 30 s from a highly contaminated PFOS solution (10 mg/L), with over 95 % separation after 5 mixing cycles. While high-shear mixing was efficient in PFOS separation from highly contaminated solutions it was less efficient for low-level contaminated solutions (less than 1 mg/L). These results suggest that hydrodynamic cavitation induced by high-shear mixing seems promising for enhancing the separation of PFOS from heavily contaminated solutions. This technique could serve as a standalone method or be integrated with other PFAS removal technologies to enhance the overall efficiency of PFAS removal from polluted water sources.

Trust, nuance, and care: Advantages and challenges of repeat qualitative interviews

Most methodological discussions about the pros and cons of repeat interviews fall within qualitative longitudinal literature and are premised on project designs with relatively long intervals between encounters. Less attention has been paid to the practice and ethics of repeat interviewing as a stand-alone method, that does not follow participants long-term, but instead conducts several interviews over a short period of time. This article is based on interviews and research logs from a project in which over 350 incarcerated persons in Latin America were interviewed. We evaluate the advantages and shortcomings of repeat interviewing, in this case, three sessions with each participant with up to a week in between sessions. We find that repeat interviewing increases trust and rapport, contributes to nuanced data, generates reflexivity, and ensures more ethical research by making it easier for researchers to care for participants. Yet the method also has the disadvantages of demanding a significant investment of resources, the risk of losing participants, and on occasion, the emotional challenge of breaking strong bonds when researchers and participants part ways. We argue that the advantages of repeat interviews exceed the shortcomings, but ethical concerns added to the cost in time, energy, and money might at times proscribe the method.

Discriminating Superimposed Alteration Associated with Epigenetic Base and Precious Metal Vein Systems in the Rouyn-Noranda Mining District, Quebec; Implications for Exploration in Ancient Volcanic Districts

Abstract The Rouyn-Noranda mining district of Quebec contains 20 Cu-Zn (±Au ±Ag) volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits, including the giant and gold-rich Quemont and Horne deposits. Mineralized epigenetic veins are also present, but their origin and relative timing remain enigmatic. The nature and extent of their alteration signatures and the effect of their superposition on district-scale alteration patterns is unknown. The VMS-related quartz-sulfide Cu-Zn-Ag veins have δ18Oquartz values of 8.5 ± 0.8‰, reflecting δ18Ofluid compositions of –0.4 to 3.1‰ (250°–350°C) that are typical of Archean seawater. They are associated with a proximal Fe-rich chlorite alteration and marginal spotted sericite-chlorite alteration with whole-rock δ18O values of 2.9 to 5.9‰ and are interpreted to have formed within the structurally controlled discordant upflow zones of a VMS hydrothermal system. Younger gold-bearing quartz-carbonate veins were emplaced along mechanical anisotropies created by mafic dikes during north-south compression and the formation of regional E-trending faults, folds, and cleavage. They are characterized by δ18Oquartz values of 11.3 ± 0.8‰, reflecting δ18Ofluid compositions of 2.4 to 5.9‰ (250°–350°C), typical of a metamorphic fluid, possibly mixed with a lower δ18O upper crustal fluid. They are associated with ankerite, calcite, muscovite, chlorite, albite, and quartz ± hematite alteration with whole-rock δ18O values of 5.8 to 10.3‰. Chemical abrasion-isotope dilution-thermal ionization mass spectrometry (CA-ID-TIMS) U-Pb zircon ages for two tonalite intrusions constrain the maximum age of the Cu-Zn-Ag veins to 2697.6 ± 0.7 Ma and the minimum age to 2695.3 ± 1.0 Ma, which is also the maximum age of the gold quartz-carbonate veins. Superposition of alteration related to the gold quartz-carbonate veins on previously chlorite- and sericite-altered rocks has resulted in mixed alteration signals with whole-rock δ18O values of ~6 to 8‰ that have perturbed and masked regional alteration patterns related to older VMS mineralization, such as those found in the Quemont and Horne deposits. These results indicate that defining alteration vectors in camps that have superimposed hydrothermal systems requires full consideration of the hydrothermal history of the camp, and if such constraints are lacking, whole-rock δ18O values should not be used as a stand-alone exploration method.

Dynamic correlations: exact and approximate methods for mutual information.

Proteins are dynamic entities that undergo conformational changes critical for their functions. Understanding the communication pathways and information transfer within proteins is crucial for elucidating allosteric interactions in their mechanisms. This study utilizes mutual information (MI) analysis to probe dynamic allostery. Using two cases, Ubiquitin and PLpro, we have evaluated the accuracy and limitations of different approximations including the exact anisotropic and isotropic models, multivariate Gaussian model, isotropic Gaussian model, and the Gaussian Network Model (GNM) in revealing allosteric interactions. Our findings emphasize the required trajectory length for capturing accurate mutual information profiles. Long molecular dynamics trajectories, 1 ms for Ubiquitin and 100 µs for PLpro are used as benchmarks, assuming they represent the ground truth. Trajectory lengths of approximately 5 µs for Ubiquitin and 1 µs for PLpro marked the onset of convergence, while the multivariate Gaussian model accurately captured mutual information with trajectories of 5 ns for Ubiquitin and 350 ns for PLpro. However, the isotropic Gaussian model is less successful in representing the anisotropic nature of protein dynamics, particularly in the case of PLpro, highlighting its limitations. The GNM, however, provides reasonable approximations of long-range information exchange as a minimalist network model based on a single crystal structure. Overall, the optimum trajectory lengths for effective Gaussian approximations of long-time dynamic behavior depend on the inherent dynamics within the protein's topology. The GNM, by showcasing dynamics across relatively diverse time scales, can be used either as a standalone method or to gauge the adequacy of MD simulation lengths. Mutual information codes are available at https://github.com/kemaldemirtas/prc-MI.git.

Fundus Image Enhancement Through Direct Diffusion Bridges.

We propose FD3, a fundus image enhancement method based on direct diffusion bridges, which can cope with a wide range of complex degradations, including haze, blur, noise, and shadow. We first propose a synthetic forward model through a human feedback loop with board-certified ophthalmologists for maximal quality improvement of low-quality in-vivo images. Using the proposed forward model, we train a robust and flexible diffusion-based image enhancement network that is highly effective as a stand-alone method, unlike previous diffusion model-based approaches which act only as a refiner on top of pre-trained models. Through extensive experiments, we show that FD3 establishes superior quality not only on synthetic degradations but also on in vivo studies with low-quality fundus photos taken from patients with cataracts or small pupils. To promote further research in this area, we open-source all our code and data used for this research at https://github.com/heeheee888/FD3.

Diagnostic value of fluorescence lymphography for sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer. Summary experience of several specialized centers

To study the diagnostic value of fluorescent lymphography for sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer. The cohort study, conducted at 4 specilized centers between June 2019 and March 2024, included 333 patients with cT1-4 N0-1M0 breast cancer. 50 patients received neoadjuvant systemic therapy, 14 of them had single metastases, confirmed by cytological or histological methods, which clinically completely regressed after systemic treatment. Immediately before the operation, 1 ml (5mg) of indocyanine green was injected subareolarly or subcutaneously into the tumor projection. Fluorescence imaging was performed using various devices for ICG navigation in the open surgical field - MARS, IC-Flow, Stryker SPY-PHI, IC-GOR. In 78 patients after sentinel lymph node biopsy standard axillary lymphadenectomy was performed. Detection level was 99.1%. The average number of sentinel lymph nodes was 3.4. Metastatic lesions of sentinel lymph nodes were detected in 54 of 330 patients (16.4%). The average number of metastatic lymph nodes was 1.6; in 90.7% of cases metastases to 1-2 lymph nodes were registered. Intraoperative morphological examination revealed metastases only in 59% of cases. No systemic adverse events were recorded. The false-negative error rate in the group of patients who underwent axillary lymphadenectomy was 6.6%. The overall accuracy of fluorescent lymphography for sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer was 94%. The SLNB technique using fluorescence lymphography is safe and highly accurate as a stand-alone method.

Foreword to the Special Issue on ‘Fertility control for wildlife in the 21st century’

The economic and environmental impacts of wildlife are increasing in parallel with renewed public interest in non-lethal methods, such as fertility control, to manage these impacts. The Wildlife Research 2008 Special Issue on Fertility Control for Wildlife (Vol. 35) published following the 6th International Conference on Fertility Control for Wildlife held in 2007 in York, United Kingdom, reported studies on the effects of contraceptives on individual animals and populations, with most papers focusing on ungulates. In the past 15 years, significant progress has been made in developing novel contraceptives for wildlife and in designing methods to deliver these agents. Concurrently, the general debate on wildlife management has widened to include public attitudes and perceptions of novel and traditional methods, animal welfare issues, costs, feasibility, and regulatory and ethical issues. These developments have broadened our understanding of contexts and species for which fertility control could be employed, either as a stand-alone method or to complement other population management options. These topics were reflected in the presentations given at the 9th International Conference on Wildlife Fertility Control, held in Colorado Springs (USA) in 2022. Here, we introduce a special issue featuring selected presentations from the 2022 conference. These studies showcase the wide spectrum of topics that covered novel contraceptives tested on several species, ranging from mice to elephants. They also illustrate new methods to deliver contraceptives, models on the impact of fertility control on populations, feasibility, cost of practical applications of fertility control, discussions on animal welfare and human dimension of these approaches.

Comprehensive spectroscopic, metabolomic, and proteomic liquid biopsy in the diagnostics of hepatocellular carcinoma

Liquid biopsy is a very topical issue in clinical diagnostics research nowadays. In this study, we explored and compared various analytical approaches to blood plasma analysis. Finally, we proposed a comprehensive procedure, which, thanks to the utilization of multiple analytical techniques, allowed the targeting of various biomolecules in blood plasma reflecting diverse biological processes underlying disease development. The potential of such an approach, combining proteomics, metabolomics, and vibrational spectroscopy along with preceding blood plasma fractionation, was demonstrated on blood plasma samples of patients suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic terrain (n = 20) and control subjects with liver cirrhosis (n = 20) as well as healthy subjects (n = 20). Most of the applied methods allowed the classification of the samples with an accuracy exceeding 80.0 % and therefore have the potential to be used as a stand-alone method in clinical diagnostics. Moreover, a final panel of 48 variables obtained by a combination of the utilized analytical methods enabled the discrimination of the hepatocellular carcinoma samples from cirrhosis with 94.3 % cross-validated accuracy. Thus, this study, although limited by the cohort size, clearly demonstrated the benefit of the multimethod approach in clinical diagnosis.

Structural Existential Analysis (SEA) – A step-by-step guide for application to research

Context & FocusThe field of existential research is gently growing, yet currently relies on methods rooted in other psychological approaches. In 2014, Deurzen introduced her innovative phenomenological research method entitled: Structural Existential Analysis (SEA). SEA is increasingly being used as a secondary layer of analysis within qualitative research, yet few have applied SEA as an outright method before now. This paper expands upon the original SEA foundations to provide a clear, empirically supported 8-step guide for the application of SEA as an outright research method. The researcher’s personal existential journey and their subjective use of philosophical heuristic models are considered. Resources for immersion into global existential philosophies are provided, moving beyond the prevailing Eurocentric sources to enrich the depth of insights available within the researcher’s project and wider disciplinary field.ConclusionStructural Existential Analysis (SEA) can be used as a stand-alone method of analysis for qualitative research. Unparalleled by existing research methods, this step-by-step application of SEA enables researchers to achieve a level of existential depth throughout their research journey moving beyond the prevailing Eurocentric contributions, advocates the importance of the human behind the research, supports the researcher’s creativity and intuition within the research process, and provides resources for personal reflexivity and self-development. Positioned towards novice and qualified researchers, this step-by-step guide offers a foundation for conducting ethical, empirically valid, and replicable lived-experience research.

Application of mid-infrared spectroscopy for the quantitative and qualitative analysis of organic matter in Holocene sediment records

The organic matter composition of lake sediments influences important in-lake biogeochemical processes and stores information on environmental changes. Extracting this information is notoriously difficult because of the complexity of the organic matter matrix, which routinely imposes trade-offs between high temporal and analytical detail in the selection of methods of analysis. Here, we demonstrate the potential of diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (DRIFTS) for achieving both of these objectives using untreated bulk samples from two Holocene lake-sediment cores from central Sweden. We develop quantitative models for sediment total organic carbon (TOC) with the same predictive abilities as models based on samples diluted with KBr and qualitatively characterize the organic matter using a spectra processing-pipeline combined with principal component analysis. In the qualitative analysis we identified four organic matter sub-fractions and the interpretation of these is supported and further advanced with molecular data from pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). Within these organic fractions, compound groups such as aromatics, lignin, aliphatics, proteins and polysaccharides were identified by means of DRIFTS and the analyses and processes outlined here enables rapid and detailed quantitative and qualitative analysis of sediment organic matter. The DRIFTS approach can be used as stand-alone method for OM characterization with high temporal resolution in Holocene sediment records. It may also function as a screening process for more specific analyses of sample subsets, such as when coupled with pyrolysis-GC/MS to further tease apart the OM composition, identify sources and determine degradation status.