Although research has highlighted that suicidal imagery (SuiMI) and experiential avoidance (EA) are important in understanding suicidality, there is a need to understand how they potentially interact. Previous research has highlighted that EA potentially leads to increased cognitive intrusions, but it not known whether EA leads to increased SuiMI.

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of SuiMI and EA on suicidality (i.e. encompassing thoughts, behaviour and suicide attempts). It was hypothesised that greater frequency of SuiMI would be associated with greater EA. It was also hypothesised that greater SuiMI would be associated with greater suicidality, and that EA would moderate this relationship.

Hypotheses were tested by surveying 197 general university students who completed self-report measures that assessed suicide-related mental imagery (i.e. Suicidal Imagery Questionnaire, SIQ), experiential avoidance (i.e. Multi-dimensional Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire, MEAQ) and suicidality (i.e. Suicidal Behaviours Questionnaire-Revised, SBQ-R).

Frequency of SuiMI was positively correlated with the tendency to engage in EA. SuiMI was a significant predictor of both suicidality and EA. Exploratory analysis found that voluntary SuiMI explained greater variance in suicidality than intrusive, involuntary SuiMI, and that SuiMI only predicted EA in low-risk participants and not for those at high risk of suicide. EA did not predict suicidality and it also did not show any moderating effect on the relationship between SuiMI and suicidality.

There is evidence to suggest that suicide-related mental imagery may play an important role in suicide risk and more specifically imagery that is voluntarily engaged with. Future research is needed to explore the different types of imagery in relation to suicidal ideation in populations at higher risk of suicide.

Compassion is the emotion that motivates people to relieve the physical, emotional, or mental pains of others. Engaging in compassionate behaviour has been found to enhance psychological wellness and resilience. However, constant displays of compassionate behaviour can lead to burnout particularly for healthcare workers who inherently practise compassion day to day. This burnout can be relieved by Compassion focused meditation. The aim of this review is to identify neuroplastic changes in the brain associated with meditation, with a focus on compassion and compassion related meditation.

Based on PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a scoping review of studies which described neuroplastic effects of meditation, focusing on compassion-based training. Studies were excluded if they (i) included multiple meditation practices or (ii) included participant populations with psychiatric/neuropsychiatric history (except anxiety or depression) or (iii) included exclusively ageing populations.

The results of the reviewed studies showed various neurological changes in regions of the brain as a result of compassion based training. These regions include amygdala, the anterior insula, medial prefrontal cortex, medial orbitofrontal cortex and structures within the dopamine system.

This review highlights that compassion-based training could lead to neuroplastic changes which interconnect to enhance overall well-being, resilience and compassionate care among health-care professionals. However, further work is required to establish conclusive evidence of its sustained benefit and cost-effectiveness, as well as its utility in a healthcare setting.

To gather and analyse information from the literature concerning the management of otitis media with effusion in adults.

A review of the English-language literature from 1970 to the present.

Ventilation tubes have been the standard treatment for otitis media with effusion in adults, but examination of the results of published studies shows that they are associated with disappointing outcomes and significant complications, notably intermittent or chronic discharge, particularly in cases associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Balloon dilatation of the Eustachian tube, intratympanic steroid therapy and cortical mastoidectomy appear to be possible alternatives.

A rethink of the management of otitis media with effusion in adults is needed, together with further research. For cases not associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, intratympanic steroid therapy appears to be a promising option.

Schizophrenia is a chronic condition that requires long-term management. Quality of life is an important outcome measure for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia; it can be tracked over time allowing evaluation of whether interventions lead to sustainable improvements. Nutrition and dietary interventions are an underutilized treatment for tackling the metabolic consequences of mental illness, which is now recognized as having increased importance in the management of schizophrenia. This study examines the impact of nutrition and dietary interventions on quality of life outcomes for those with schizophrenia.

A systematic review of the literature was conducted, assessing the impact of nutritional interventions on quality of life outcomes in individuals with a diagnosis of schizophrenia.

A total of 982 articles were screened, of which nine articles met the inclusion criteria. Quality of life measures varied across studies, which made comparison across studies challenging. Previous studies had relatively small sample sizes and did not have long follow-up durations. Some of the studies found that dietary interventions such as counselling, weight management programs, food diaries and nutritional education improved quality of life, whereas others did not detect any effect.

The review provides preliminary evidence that nutrition and dietary interventions may benefit quality of life among individuals with schizophrenia. There were however substantial limitations in studies highlighting the need for further research. The paper also highlights the need to standardize assessment tools for future quality-of-life research.

Advance Choice Documents (ACDs) have been recommended for inclusion in new mental health legislation for England and Wales based on evidence they reduce compulsory psychiatric admission, with particular benefit for Black people. As Black people disproportionately experience compulsory psychiatric admission in the UK, our aim was to explore potential barriers and enablers to effective ACD implementation for Black people with previous experience of compulsory admission.

Six stakeholder workshops and one consensus workshop were held with: Black service users who had previously been involuntarily admitted, carers/supporters of Black service users, and mental health staff. Thematic analysis was conducted on workshop transcripts.

Participants were service users (n = 13), carers/supporters (n = 7), service users and carers/supporters (n = 3), and staff (n = 18). Thematic analysis identified themes of ‘training’, ‘completion’, ‘access’, and ‘use’ concerning ACD implementation. Stakeholders highlighted the importance of understanding the racialised experience of Black service users for effective ACD implementation. Strong communication between and amongst stakeholders and helpful systems for access were also emphasised. Stakeholders also recommended joint training and independent facilitation of ACDs to address Black service user-staff power imbalances.

Known enablers and barriers to ACD implementation are important when considering ACDs for Black people, as is explicitly engaging with their experiences holistically, including racialised historical and individual experiences that underline some treatment preferences. Independent facilitation and shifts in service user-staff power dynamics present as key to realising the potential of ACDs to empower Black service users in relation to their care, and in turn to potentially reduce coercive care.

This study investigates the seasonal and regional distribution of paediatric laryngomalacia admissions in the United States, hypothesizing higher admission rates in winter and colder regions due to reduced sunlight exposure affecting vitamin D levels.

We analyzed data from the 2016 Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID), focusing on children under three years old. Laryngomalacia cases were identified using International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10) code Q31.5. Seasonal and regional differences in admission rates were assessed using Pearson’s chi-squared test, with a significance level of p less than 0.05.

Of 4,512,196 estimated national admissions, 11,638 were due to laryngomalacia. Admissions increased by 10.0 per cent in winter and decreased by 10.9 per cent in summer (p < 0.005). Regionally, admissions were higher in the Midwest/Central (18.6 per cent) and Northeast (9.3 per cent) and lower in the South (7.4 per cent) and West (11.1 per cent) (p < 0.005).

Laryngomalacia admissions are significantly influenced by seasonal and regional factors, likely related to environmental conditions affecting vitamin D synthesis.

This article aimed to summarize the clinical characteristics and our experience with the diagnosis and management of laryngocele. We offer our perspectives for cases associated with laryngeal cancer.

A retrospective study of 14 patients with laryngocele was accomplished from June 2014 to June 2024. Clinical data were analyzed through descriptive statistical methods.

A total of 14 laryngocele patients were divided into internal type (n = 11; 78.6 per cent) and combined type (n = 3; 21.4 per cent). Nine laryngocele patients (n = 9; 64.3 per cent) were accompanied by laryngeal cancer. The transoral approach was applied in 11 internal laryngocele patients with no post-operative complications or recurrences.

Laryngoscopy and imaging examination are helpful for diagnosis especially to exclude laryngeal cancer. The transoral approach is effective for the internal type, and the key is to resect the anterior part of the false vocal fold. For patients with concomitant laryngeal cancer, the laryngocele should be promptly managed.