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Abstract Background Young people with depression are met with stigma related to their mental health, which exacerbates loneliness, social isolation, and depression symptoms. While disclosing depression could improve one's mental health, stigma can also make social interactions more challenging and reduce the likelihood of receiving treatment. This research explored young people's experiences with stigma and recommendations for addressing it. Methods Semi‐structured interviews conducted with N = 35 young people aged 18–25 years (Mage = 20.09) were analyzed with thematic analysis. Participants met the criteria for clinical depression using the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (score >27) or had recently obtained a medical diagnosis (N = 18) of depression by a medical professional. Results Participants faced stigma when deciding to disclose their depression, which fed into a vicious cycle influencing feelings of loneliness, social isolation, and withdrawal. Their recommendations for others to avoid this cycle can be summarized under three main themes: (1) Social affirmation: identify allies and build meaningful connections; (2) Self‐affirmation: build a constructive relationship with the self; and (3) Societal affirmation: structural changes are needed. Conclusions The current research indicates that social, self‐, and societal affirmation are considered important for reducing the detrimental impacts of stigma. Policies and programs are needed that provide mental health support to young people, and public awareness campaigns that guide young people to appropriate resources (i.e., support and intervention) via governmental public health bodies.

Objectives Women who inherit a pathogenic BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation are at substantially higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer than average. Several cancer risk management strategies exist to address this increased risk. Decisions about which strategies to choose are complex, personal and multifactorial for these women. Decision aids (DAs) are tools that assist patients in making health-related decisions. The aim of this scoping review was to map evidence relating to the development and testing of patient DAs for cancer unaffected BRCA mutation carriers.Design Scoping review conducted according to the Joanna Briggs Institute’s (JBI’s) scoping review methodological framework.Data sources MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science. No restrictions applied for language or publication date. A manual search was also performed.Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Studies on DAs for cancer risk management designed for or applicable to women with a pathogenic BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation who are unaffected by breast or ovarian cancer.Data extraction and synthesis Data were extracted using a form based on the JBI instrument for extracting details of studies’ characteristics and results. Data extraction was performed independently by two reviewers. Extracted data were tabulated.Results 32 evidence sources relating to development or testing of 21 DAs were included. Four DAs were developed exclusively for cancer unaffected BRCA mutation carriers. Of these, two covered all guideline recommended risk management strategies for this population though only one of these was readily available publicly in its full version. All studies investigating DA effectiveness reported a positive effect of the DA under investigation on at least one of the outcomes evaluated, however only six DAs were tested in randomised controlled trials.Conclusion This scoping review has mapped the landscape of the literature relating to developing and testing, DAs applicable to cancer unaffected BRCA mutation carriers.

Abstract Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most prevalent affective disorder and the leading cause of illness and disability among young people worldwide. Besides being more susceptible to the onset of depression, young people have a higher risk of loneliness, and their personal and social development is impacted by social relationships during this time. It is thought that mental health stigma can undermine both help-seeking and longer-term outcomes for disorders like depression in young people. However, how stigma (i.e., related to depression) might affect young people’s feelings of loneliness, social isolation, and relationships is unclear. Using qualitative research methods, this study aimed to explore the subjective experiences of public and internalized stigma and its effects on loneliness, social isolation, and relationship quality in young people with depression symptoms. Methods We carried out in-depth, semi-structured interviews with N = 22 young people aged 17–25 (Mage = 22 years) who reported high symptoms of depression (Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) score > 27) (i.e., community sample, N = 9) or had been previously diagnosed with depression by a medical professional (i.e., clinical sample, N = 13). Data were analysed using thematic analysis. We explored the subjective effects of depression stigma on loneliness, social isolation, and relationships. Results Participants described both public stigma (i.e., initiated by others) and internalized stigma (i.e., self-imposed) as disrupting social relationships and eliciting loneliness, isolation, and depressive symptomology. Four main themes about young people's subjective experiences of stigma were identified: 1) Others’ Misunderstanding of Mental Health Disorders and the Impact Misunderstanding has on Relationships; 2) Effects of Stigma on the Self and Wellbeing; 3) Stigma Fosters Secrecy Versus Disclosure; and 4) Stigma Increases Loneliness Driven by Avoidance of Social Contexts. Conclusions Young people's accounts revealed a wide range of consequences beyond their depression diagnosis. Participants often felt discriminated against, misunderstood, and judged by others as a result of public stigma; they discussed internalizing these attitudes. They suggested that a lack of understanding from others, for example from their partners, family, and peers, and unreliable and/or absent support systems resulted in increased feelings of loneliness and social isolation and reduced the quality and quantity of relationship formation, social bonds, and interactions. Stigma also reduced their self-esteem and confidence, which in turn fostered secrecy and a reluctance to disclose their depression. Despite depression's stigma, most participants reported having long-term goals and aspirations to reconnect with others. These goals stood in contrast to feeling hopeless and unmotivated during periods of depression. Overall, we reveal how stigma can impact feelings of loneliness, social isolation, and relationships among young people with depression, which could lead to targeted interventions to lessen the impact of stigma in this population.

BackgroundClinical depression ranks as a leading cause of disease and disability in young people worldwide, but it is widely stigmatized. The aim of this qualitative research was to gather young people's experiences of depression stigma and its impact on loneliness, social isolation, and mental health disclosure and secrecy. This novel information can then be used to guide psychosocial interventions for young people with depression.MethodsThis qualitative study included N = 28 young people aged 18-25 years (Mage = 21.30). Participants were recruited from the community who had high symptoms of depression (assessed through a pre-screen using the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) with a benchmark score > 27) or had been recently diagnosed with depression by a medical professional. Semi-structured interviews were based on conceptual model drawings created by participants and analyzed using thematic analysis.ResultsFour main themes emerged: 1) Depression secrecy: positive and negative aspects; 2) Depression disclosure: positive and negative aspects; 3) The solution is selective disclosure; and 4) Participants' recommendations do not align with personal preferences. In particular, the young people described non-disclosure as a way to be in control, but that secrecy prevented authentic engagement with others. Young people also described disclosure as eliciting more stigma but as necessary to gain help. Finally, the young people described struggling with knowing how much to disclose in relation to their mental health and with whom they could disclose.ConclusionsThis study provides new evidence of how young people with depression experience stigma and its effects on disclosure and mental health secrecy. Knowing how young people struggle with these issues can allow us to develop interventions to encourage them to come forward and discuss their mental health in order to receive appropriate support and treatment. We recommend young people be signposted and have access to mental health champions or nominated teachers in their schools or universities.

Digitisation for the purposes of recording cultural heritage and its condition is conventionally associated with the task of documentation for conservation. Occasionally emergency recording will anticipate the potential imminent destruction of heritage at risk. By contrast here, although the heritage status of the site whilst proposed in the 1990s, it was never secured yet the closure and eventual dismemberment of the buildings is a plan that is already underway. The coal washeries of Onllwyn sit within a vast landscape that is now most widely recognised as a National Park. During the last century, however, it was a thriving industrial site. The assembly of buildings used to wash and sort coal prior to distribution were recorded using a terrestrial laser scanner and an aerial drone in August 2022 shortly prior to the closure of a site that had been part of a changing industrial landscape since the mid-nineteenth century. As part of a wide agreement to build a historic narrative for a once large industrial site with a planned closure a comprehensive historical review has been built. This included the acquisition of historic maps but also of numerous historical aerial and terrestrial photographs as well as the collation of films and oral histories. Here pointclouds generated from terrestrial laser scans, photogrammetry from drone imagery and photogrammetry from historical aerial images have been combined in an attempt to create a navigable digital backdrop to the decommissioning of a vast industrial landscape as it anticipates a new future. The aim of the models created is to provide a virtual spatial platform to co-locate memories of a community life that is left centred around a lost place of work.

This paper proposes a design for libraries of European Classical architectural elements based on shape grammars. This design is based on a workflow which develops library objects from 3D CAD primitives using architectural rules to construct parametric representations of architectural elements. In the case of Classical architecture, the design and detail for the parametric objects are based on manuscripts ranging from Vitruvius to Palladio to the architectural pattern books of the eighteenth century. The generation of 3D objects for virtual reconstruction necessitates the application of computer algorithms and rules introduced by the user to generate objects, buildings and spaces from a grammar and vocabulary of shapes. Both the use of graphicly constructed and coded parametric libraries in formal and open-source platforms will be considered here.

The driving forces behind the rapid development of accessible 3d modelling acquisition are generally economic. As the requirements for on-site data acquisition technology become cheaper and more user friendly, opportunities for the geographic dislocation of expertise become more viable. In effect, much of the diagnosis of a monuments’ morphology or condition can be made remotely, as a virtual model is constructed. This potential portability serves to reduce the impact, invasiveness and cost of survey and documentation processes. In cases of contested heritage conservation practices, the simple act of photographic recording can cause concern. However, photogrammetric recording is eminently advantageous for its capacity to provide non-destructive means to consider degradation and condition mapping as well as to record and monitor change over time. Here, two rapid surveys taken with portable 360° cameras a year apart, demonstrate the potential value and limitations of deploying recent techniques in order to deliver credible or useful survey data in a highly complex pillared hall that is intensively occupied.

Introduction Women who inherit a pathogenic mutation in Breast Cancer Susceptibility Genes 1 or 2 (BRCA1 or BRCA2) are at substantially higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer than the average woman. Several cancer risk management strategies exist to address this increased risk. Decisions about which risk management strategies to choose are complex, personal and multifactorial for these women. This scoping review will map evidence relevant to cancer risk management decision making in BRCA mutation carriers without a personal history of cancer. The objective is to identify and describe the features of patient decision aids that have been developed for BRCA mutation carriers. This information may be beneficial for designing new decision aids or adapting existing decision aids to support decision making in this population.Methods and analysis This scoping review will be conducted according to the Joanna Briggs Institute’s scoping review methodological framework. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews checklist will be used for guidance. Studies on decision aids for women with a BRCA mutation who are unaffected by breast or ovarian cancer will be considered for inclusion. Five electronic databases will be searched (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science) with no restrictions applied for language or publication date. Studies for inclusion will be selected independently by two review authors. Data will be extracted using a predefined data extraction form. Findings will be presented in tabular form. A narrative description of the evidence will complement the tabulated results.Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval for conducting this scoping review is not required as this study will involve secondary analysis of existing literature. Findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at relevant conferences.

Abstract Background Internationally there is an increasing concern about the quality of end-of-life care (EoLC) provided in acute hospitals. More people are cared for at end of life and die in acute hospitals than in any other healthcare setting. This paper reports the views of bereaved relatives on the experience of care they and the person that died received during their last admission in two university adult acute tertiary hospitals. Methods Relatives of patients who died were invited to participate in a post-bereavement postal survey. An adapted version of VOICES (Views of Informal Carers - Evaluation of Services) questionnaire was used. VOICES MaJam has 36 closed questions and four open-ended questions. Data were gathered in three waves and analysed using SPSS and NVivo. 356 respondents completed the survey (46% response rate). Results The majority of respondents (87%: n = 303) rated the quality of care as outstanding, excellent or good during the last admission to hospital. The quality of care by nurses, doctors and other staff was highly rated. Overall, care needs were well met; however, findings identified areas of care which could be improved, including communication and the provision of emotional and spiritual support. In addition, relatives strongly endorsed the provision of EoLC in single occupancy rooms, the availability of family rooms on acute hospital wards and the provision of bereavement support. Conclusions This research provides a powerful snapshot in time into what works well and what could be improved in EoLC in acute hospitals. Findings are reported under several themes, including the overall quality of care, meeting care needs, communication, the hospital environment and support for relatives. Results indicate that improvements can be made that build on existing good practice that will enhance the experience of care for dying persons and their relatives. The study adds insights in relation to relative’s priorities for EoLC in acute hospitals and can advance care providers’, policy makers’ and educationalists’ priorities for service improvement.

Building on the richness of recent contributions in the field, this paper presents a state-of-the-art CNN analysis method for automating the recognition of standardised building components in modern heritage buildings. At the turn of the twentieth century manufactured building components became widely advertised for specification by architects. Consequently, a form of standardisation across various typologies began to take place. During this era of rapid economic and industrialised growth, many forms of public building were erected. This paper seeks to demonstrate a method for informing the recognition of such elements using deep learning to recognise ‘families’ of elements across a range of buildings in order to retrieve and recognise their technical specifications from the contemporary trade literature. The method is illustrated through the case of Carnegie Public Libraries in the UK, which provides a unique but ubiquitous platform from which to explore the potential for the automated recognition of manufactured standard architectural components. The aim of enhancing this knowledge base is to use the degree to which these were standardised originally as a means to inform and so support their ongoing care but also that of many other contemporary buildings. Although these libraries are numerous, they are maintained at a local level and as such, their shared challenges for maintenance remain unknown to one another. Additionally, this paper presents a methodology to indirectly retrieve useful indicators and semantics, relating to emerging HBIM families, by applying deep learning to a varied range of architectural imagery.

This paper explores the potential for digital surveys to mediate as tools in a complex arena. As increased wealth and continuous religious practice have supported the energetic maintenance and renovation of temple buildings in Tamil Nadu justified by reference to ancient texts, UNESCO commissioned a fact-finding mission regarding conservation practice there in 2016. As part of wider project to investigate the strands of inherited textual guidance in this sensitive area, digital documentation methods are being tested in terms of their capacity to provide a locus for discourse between divergent views at a time of rapid formulation of policy documents that seek to offer guidelines for the conservation of an estimated 38000 temple buildings in the state. This paper outlines some challenges and ambitions of creating digital platforms to serve such an endeavour through potential scenarios offered by two case studies. Specifically, it considers the merits of tools to read urban encroachment, to identify change over time and to explore a means to provide a hypothetical platform for discussion of potentially sensitive adjustments.

Abstract Background End-of-life care (EoLC) is an experience that touches the lives of everyone. Dying in an acute hospital is a common occurrence in developed countries across the world. Previous studies have shown that there is wide variation in EoLC and at times is experienced as being of poor quality. Assessing and measuring the quality of care provided is a key component of all healthcare systems. This paper reports on the qualitative analysis of open-ended free text questions that were asked as part of a post-bereavement survey conducted in two adult acute hospitals in Ireland. Methods This was a quantitative descriptive post-bereavement postal survey, gathering data retrospectively from relatives or friends of patients who died, utilising an adapted version of the VOICES (Views of Informal Carers - Evaluation of Services) questionnaire. VOICES MaJam has 29 core questions, seven questions requesting personal demographic information and four open-ended questions gathering descriptive data about the care experience during the patient’s last admission to hospital. A total of 356 valid questionnaires were returned. Qualitative data were managed, coded and analysed with NVivo 10, using a template analysis framework approach. Results Three quarters (75%: n = 268) responded to at least one of the open-ended questions. Several key themes emerged, indicating areas that require particular attention in EoLC. Two themes relate to how care needs are met and how the hospital environment has a critical influence on EoLC experiences. The remaining three themes relate more to the interpersonal context including whether patients are treated with dignity and respect, the psychological, emotional and spiritual needs of patients and their family members and communication. Conclusions Acute hospitals need to ensure that patients and their relatives receive high quality EoLC. Seeking the views of bereaved relatives should be considered by all hospitals and healthcare settings to ascertain the quality of care at end of life. This study contributes to our understanding and knowledge of what good EoLC looks like and where care can be improved, thus enabling hospitals to direct and inform quality improvement.

Caerphilly Castle (1268-70) is the first concentric castle in Britain and the second largest in the UK. The dramatic inclination of its ruinous south west tower has been noted since 1539. Comparing data from historical surveys and a terrestrial laser scan undertaken in 2015, this paper seeks to review evidence for the long-term stability of the tower. Digital documentation and archival research by architects is collated to provide data for structural analysis by engineers. A terrestrial laser scan was used to create a detailed three dimensional finite element model to enable structural analysis of the current shape of the tower made by tetrahedral elements. An automated strategy has been implemented for the transformation of the complex three dimensional point cloud into a three dimensional finite element model. Numerical analysis has been carried out aiming at understanding the main structural weaknesses of the tower in its present condition. Comparisons of four sets of data: 1539, 1830, 1870 and 2015 enabled us to determine change albeit between very different methods of measurement.

Awareness of the logic and context of original (and subsequent) design priorities is critical to informing decisions relating to valorisation, repair, refurbishment, energy retrofit or re-use of built heritage. A key benefit of collating data through Historic Building Information Modelling (HBIM) should be to assist others facing similar challenges. Here, examples for sharing understanding of how components belong to a system are outlined in the context of a newly completed dataset of public library buildings in the UK funded by Andrew Carnegie, predominantly built between 1900 and 1914. Demands for the functionality and economy of public library buildings, coupled with the emergent standardisation of building components at the time, provide a specific condition with potential for further iteration to other buildings of the period or related typologies. The work highlights the urgency of providing cost-efficient knowledge sharing structures in an era of altered priorities with respect to energy use for modern heritage. We propose the means for mapping common features to network knowledge amongst stakeholders through relevant open source pathways. The results demonstrate that integrating geographic approaches to knowledge sharing in HBIM with environmental considerations also supports wider questions of risk management related to the stewardship of historic buildings in the context of climate change.

Providing women who have tested positive for a pathogenic variant in BRCA1 or BRCA 2 relevant information can help them to make informed decisions about managing their cancer risk. However, there is a lack of targeted informational support for BRCA positive women specific to the Irish context. The objective of this study is to identify the information needs of women diagnosed with a pathogenic variant in BRCA1 or BRCA 2 regarding cancer risk management and decision-making. This is a descriptive qualitative study. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling and included women with a pathogenic variant in BRCA1 or BRCA2 without a history of breast or ovarian cancer. Two focus groups were held with women (n = 16) to enable them to generate ideas and understanding of their shared information needs. In addition, ten individual interviews were conducted to capture the additional perspectives of health care and relevant policy stakeholders. Interviews were analysed using inductive coding (Braun and Clarke, 2006), with NVivo software (Qsr international, 1999). Three main themes were identified, Cancer Risk Management, Receiving Information, and Implications to Health and Wellbeing. BRCA-positive women expressed a need for information about managing their cancer risk. They were particularly concerned with managing the impact of cancer risk-reducing interventions on their psychological and physical health, wellbeing, and family life. Many women felt they had to advocate for themselves to get treatment and receive information. Participants expressed a need for a comprehensive informational resource where all relevant information related to BRCA risk management could be accessed at a single location. This study suggests that women diagnosed with a pathogenic variant in BRCA1 or BRCA2 in Ireland need more accessible information about managing their cancer risk, and the impact of a BRCA diagnosis on their family, health and wellbeing. These results will be used to identify relevant content for developing an informational decision aid for Irish women. • There is a lack of targeted informational support for women who have tested positive for a pathogenic variant in BRCA1 or BRCA 2 and women expressed a need for information about managing cancer risk. • Women are particularly concerned with managing the impact of cancer risk-reducing interventions on their psychological and physical health, wellbeing, and family life. • Women who have tested positive for a pathogenic variant in BRCA1 or BRCA 2 need accessible information about managing cancer risk, and the impact of a BRCA diagnosis on health and wellbeing. • Participants expressed a need for a comprehensive informational resource where all relevant information related to BRCA risk management could be accessed at a single location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As we aim to decarbonize the built environment, care must also be taken to minimize the negative impact of retrofit actions on historic buildings' fabric and cultural significance. Work to date in the UK has focused on the retrofit of historic solid masonry construction, with little research into historic timber-framed buildings. With these buildings, where infill panels are beyond repair or have previously been substituted with inappropriate materials, there exists the potential to retrofit panels with a higher thermal performance. The research presented in this article compares the monitoring of three physical test panels mounted between climate-controlled chambers with digital hygrothermal simulations in order to investigate the risk of increased moisture which may threaten the surrounding historic fabric. Results of previously unpublished cyclical testing are is also included. Whilst all prediction methods successfully identified interstitial condensation where measured, major discrepancies existed between simulated and measured results, and between different simulation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many patients do not have access to community oncology nursing care in a primary setting and are completely reliant on tertiary hospital care. The aim of this study is to gain an understanding of oncology patients' and nurses' perceptions of community oncology nursing, delivered by an urban Community Intervention Team (CIT) in Ireland. A descriptive, concurrent mixed methods approach was used which included semi-structured interviews with 14 oncology patients and an online survey of 27 hospital and community nurses. Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Six broad themes captured patients' views. Right care related to patients' satisfaction with the range of care available. Right place reflected positive views of the physical setting and the option for homecare for those that needed it. Right time represented patients' comments about the increased appointment efficiency, flexibility, and availability of the service out-of-hours, compared to hospital-based care. Right people was based on patients' portrayals of community cancer nurses as professional, confident, friendly, reassuring and relatable. Integration and communication reflected the communication between the services and patients' impressions of how the services were integrated together. The last theme was improvements to the CIT service. Hospital nurses reported satisfaction with the CIT service while CIT nurses responses suggest the need for better communication with hospital partners. Patients had positive perceptions of the service provided by the CIT. Both hospital and community cancer nurses were satisfied with the service and reported that they would like to see an expansion of community oncology nursing services delivered by the CIT. • Main focus on the patient's perspective about community oncology nursing. • The community oncology nursing service enhanced patients' quality of life. • Insight into patients' views of integrated care during oncology treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historic Building Information Modelling (HBIM) is limited by the irrelevance of object libraries and the inability of 3D scans to determine structures in buildings of dissimilar age and construction. The potential for energy conscious initiatives to make informed judgments regarding the ‘deep renovation’ of traditional buildings requires development of better non-invasive appraisal methods. Presumptions are dangerous for the majority of forms of historic building construction, yet older buildings benefit from better statutory control against alteration in any event. Here it is proposed that the pre-existing standard methods of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century construction could improve capacity to build data for a significant number of buildings of that era. The matching of images to develop place recognition algorithms has been deployed in a number of contexts. Standards, Patents and Specifications provide the means for developing new object libraries nested and shared from the surface to the structure. The example of decorative finishes, commonly used in public buildings at the turn of the twentieth century, demonstrates a traceable route whereby classifications could be determined using historic specifications and product data. The wider potential for such groundwork to enhance capacity to model energy performance of these less well protected buildings is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of this study was to investigate student and teaching staff perceptions of the co-teaching environment during the first year of implementation of a co-teaching model. It sought to elicit and document views and experiences of the co-teaching partners as they undertook the design, planning and implementation of a programme of co-teaching in a mainstream primary school. A qualitative approach was adopted, consisting of a Participatory Action Research (PAR) study, to examine the key questions that this research hoped to address. These questions related firstly to the quality of the co-teachers' relationship and how that might impact upon the success of the co-teaching programme, and secondly how the co-teaching environment might impact upon the students' social interaction within the co-taught classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk management options for BRCA mutation carriers: A Decision-making needs assessment. P104. [Extracted from the article]

Healthcare practice supports the achievement of programme learning outcomes for nursing students internationally. Within this context the issue of reluctance to fail nursing students, when warranted, is extensively examined within the literature with few definitive solutions emerging. Little is known about the perceived barriers that exacerbate this reluctance, or about factors that might enable and support nurses to fail students. To address this issue our study employed a non-experimental cohort study of nurses (n = 365) from two large teaching hospitals in the Republic of Ireland (ROI). Preceptors in this study clearly enjoyed their role with students, and received positive feedback from students. However, findings suggest that preceptors require more support from colleagues in providing comprehensive evidence in assessment. They also require additional training for providing negative feedback to students. A collaborative approach to competence assessment is recommended, whereby the professional burden can be borne by the team, and where students can engage in a holistic, reflective, learning experience that will ultimately improve their competence. • Uncertainty around preceptors' decision-making exists; tendency not to fail students. • Evidence is needed to support a decision of fail. • Where risks to patient safety exists, preceptors are more likely to fail a student. • Competence assessments should encompass a more holistic team effort. • Additional education to develop enhanced negative feedback skills is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of the carbohydrate backbone of the core-lipid A region of the lipooligosaccharide (LOS) of the alkaliphilic and slightly halophilic bacterium Halomonas sp. has been elucidated. The LOS was fully deacylated, dephosphorylated, and reduced at the free reducing end. The structure, obtained by means of compositional analysis, 2D NMR spectroscopy, and MALDI mass spectrometry, was determined as the following: [ structure: see text ]. All sugars are d-pyranoses; Hep is l-glycero-d-manno-heptose and Kdo is 3-deoxy-d-manno-oct-2-ulosonic acid.