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Dare I say something? Speaking up in the transport sector and beyond
Get PDFOn 25 September 2025 a Fireside Chat took place focused on whether and when we should dare to say something when we are concerned about matters affecting ourselves or others. This writeup summarises the panel discussion and audience views captured. The following takeaway messages emerged:1. Your senses heighten and your amygdala in your brain starts catastrophising about repercussions as you contemplate daring to say something.2. You are not alone in wrestling with whether or not to speak out on issues that matter to you, and choosing not to speak out doesn't mean you don't care.3. Silence can sometimes be golden, but it can also be complicit on issues that really matter.4. We are living through a time when speaking up for what we consider important seems of heightened significance.5. Reasons for daring to say something can include self-respect, support of others, justice-oriented, being a voice for others, and purpose driven.6. Reasons for not daring to say something can include fear of judgement, risk of being wrong, dislike of confrontation, lack of confidence, and fear of repercussions.7. Daring to say something comes in multiple forms and can be synchronous (in the moment) or asynchronous (later after time to process).8. Daring to say something can come at a personal cost but the cost may be worth it if you are able to feel true to your values.9. Give yourself grace when you choose not to speak up and take care of your mental health.10. Just because someone appears outwardly confidence in daring to say something does not mean they are not struggling to do so and having their energy drained.11. Try to make sure you contribute to a culture around you that enables others to speak up, a culture where constructive challenge is welcome and expected.12. Speaking up well is a skill that is developed - it can take practice and support and constructive feedback from others.13. Speaking up well includes conveying articulately your points with clear rationale in a way your audience can be receptive to.14. Listening well matters too and recognising that we may not appreciate the complex makeup and circumstances of others.15. Change for the better comes when we do speak up and support others in doing so
Primary thought on Artificial Intelligence (AI) enhanced control engineering education
Get PDFThis study briefly discusses the primary AI’s roles in enhancing control engineering education (CEE), which has the potential to revolutionise the teaching-learning framework by making complex concepts and methodologies more intuitive, interactive, and application-driven. While understanding the potential benefits of these AI tools, such as assisting with problem-solving in education, some of the concerns about their use are summarised. An example is discussed how AI enhances CEE in MATLAB \& Simulink. The centre point in the brief paper is that AI should be a tool to enhance teaching-learning, rather than a shortcut to avoid it
Action plan: Research engagement with the Welsh Deaf Community
Get PDFThe Action Plan and Toolkit provides a framework for improving access, inclusion, and participation for deaf British Sign Language (BSL) signers in Wales. Developed through co-production, it outlines strategic priorities and practical tools for researchers to engage in research with the Welsh deaf community. The accompanying toolkit offers templates, guidance, and monitoring tools to support implementation, encouraging continuous planning, reporting, and accountability
Early maladaptive schemas
Get PDFIn this study the association of early maladaptive schemas with anxiety, depression and academic self efficacy was explored in a large sample of undergraduate psychology students. Significant correlations were observed with anxiety and depression but not academic self efficacy. Factor analysis of the early maladaptive schemas found support for three factors, which were labelled as negative self and world view, approval seeking and finally sense of entitlement. The first of these had a significant negative correlation with academic efficacy and the second a significant positive correlation. Thus the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and academic efficacy depends on the nature of the schemas involved. The implications for practice are discussed
Pulling together or pulling apart? Understanding the heterogenous collective action frames of local climate activists through a Q methodology study
Get PDFThe potential for green community groups to respond effectively to climate change depends on the heterogeneity of preferences of individual member activists. Using a Q-methodology study of two groups in England, we propose an original typology of collective action frames for local green activism: ‘consensus seeking’, ‘community building’, ‘radical adversarial’, and ‘eco-egalitarian’. These differ according to how activists articulate and act upon the diagnosis of the problem, the solutions proposed, and, the rationale for action. Both groups comprised members aligned to the four different frames, none of which was dominant. This presents organisers with the challenge of how to construct frames meaningful to such heterogeneous collectives. On-going (re)framing was observed in both groups, reflecting struggles between the four frames identified. We conclude by reflecting on how a heterogeneity of frames within community groups was managed through flexible organisational forms that facilitate multiple platforms and projects, enabling sub-groups to act autonomously
The COVID-19 Pandemic economic implications in Iran: A national survey assessing catastrophic health expenditures
Get PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic caused many financial crises in households worldwide. This study aimed to quantify the COVID-19-related catastrophic costs (CCC) in Iran during the pandemic. In this national survey, a total of 2006 households from 10 provinces of Iran were selected using a multistage random cluster sampling. The data were collected on COVID-19 prevention, inpatient, outpatient, and income loss costs, and the household income and wealth information using a validated researcher-constructed questionnaire in 2022. We calculated the probability of the CCC with and without coping strategies. We analyzed data using logistic regression models and estimated the CCC for other provinces using the 2021 Household Income and Expenditures Survey. The CCC was 3.19% with coping strategies and 5.38% without coping strategies. The CCC positively correlated with the COVID-19 inpatient ( = 2.324, 95% CI [1.65 to 2.997]) and outpatient ( = 1.797, 95% CI [1.165 to 2.430]) service utilization. Access to the basic ( = -0.687, 95% CI [-1.248 to -0.109]) and complementary ( = -1.201, 95% CI [-2.612 to 0.210]) health insurance decreased the risk of the CCC. The highest and lowest probabilities of estimated CCC were observed in Sistan and Baluchistan (8.57%) and Tehran (2.1%) provinces, respectively. The COVID-19 pandemic imposed an additional financial burden on households. The pandemic provided important lessons for health policymakers about the effectiveness of the health financing protection system during the crisis and the scarcity of health resources. Supply and demand of services are unbalanced in the outbreaks, and insurance systems might fall into failure due to the shortage of services, black markets, and price inflation. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2025 Enayatollah Homaie Rad et al. Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Understanding stakeholder perspectives on integrating and sustaining a vertical HIV prevention programme into routine health services in Zimbabwe: A qualitative study
No full textIntroduction: The transition of voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC), an HIV prevention service, in Zimbabwe from a donor-funded to a government-owned programme involves the collective efforts and alignment of national and subnational government leaders, managers, healthcare providers, village health workers, community members, donors and implementing partners. We sought to understand stakeholders’ perspectives on barriers, facilitators and recommendations as a vertical HIV prevention programme transitioned to an integrated, government-led model. Methods: We conducted 54 semistructured stakeholder interviews at the national and subnational levels. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. Results: Participants highlighted a range of psychological and structural barriers and facilitators to integrating and sustaining the VMMC programme. Respondents mentioned financing and staffing barriers to integration, particularly a lack of domestic resources, the transition from a fee-for-service to a facility-based performance model and staff attrition. Notably, resistance to changing the VMMC programme’s operations was a significant barrier that may be tied to individual psychological barriers such as loss of power and job security. Donors and partners continued to control the funding for VMMC. Ideally, the Ministry of Health and Child Care should have more autonomy over these decisions. At the subnational level, there is an opportunity for increased responsibility and a greater sense of ownership through the decentralisation of governance. Conclusions: To ensure successful integration and local ownership of VMMC as an HIV prevention programme, stakeholders must address both psychological and structural barriers while aligning their perspectives on the transition. Individual providers have valid concerns about their financial security and the burden of additional responsibilities without adequate compensation. It is crucial for donors and partners to reduce their involvement and oversight. Additionally, resolving the financial barriers that prevent the government from having complete control of the programme will require empowering local government stakeholders to fully take ownership
Do I belong here? The lived experience of navigating health services as a black person living with stroke in England
Get PDFBackground: Black people are twice as likely to experience stroke, more likely to have a stroke younger and have poorer outcomes than White people. Clinical factors and socio-economic status account for only half of the increased risk, suggesting systemic and structural factors are also involved. Lived experience of Black people living with stroke (BPLS) in England is under-researched. Candidacy Theory describes how people access health services, how perceptions of eligibility and suitability are socially constructed, and how this can perpetuate disadvantage. By applying Candidacy Theory to the findings of our qualitative study on the experiences of BPLS in accessing and navigating health services, we identified some key drivers of current inequalities and ways of addressing them. Methods: Our study aimed to gain greater understanding of how BPLS in England engage with and experience healthcare services. We applied Candidacy Theory to gain insight into experiences of and inequalities faced by this community and implications for service provision. 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted with adults living with stroke, identifying as African, Caribbean or of mixed heritage. Purposeful sampling included men and women with a broad range of ages and ethnicities, recruited via community and national organisation gatekeepers. Interviews were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis and mapped onto the Candidacy Theory framework. Results: Findings highlighted the plethora of barriers facing BLPS in accessing services, including lack of knowledge of stroke risk or symptoms, and not being believed or listened to by healthcare professionals. While navigating services, participants encountered misalignment with their cultural and age-specific needs. Offers of services were sometimes rejected due to distrust of medical treatment, stigma associated with mental health support, lack of representation, and previous negative experiences, such as microaggression, stereotyping and racism. Participants suggested that trust-building with healthcare professionals could be impeded by historic negative experiences, further exacerbated where there is poor awareness and communication. Conclusions: BPLS face particular disadvantages and barriers in reducing their stroke risk and accessing health services post-stroke. To address these, a holistic, systemic approach is needed, to develop inclusive and “culturally safe” services, build trust and improve accessibility of services
AV-PsySafe: A risk model and analysis method for the psychological safety of human and autonomous vehicles interaction
Get PDFThe rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and autonomous driving technologies has significantly propelled the development of autonomous vehicles (AVs). However, psychological barriers continue to impede widespread AV adoption, despite technological progress. This paper addresses the critical yet often overlooked aspect of psychological safety in AV design and operation. While traditional safety standards focus primarily on physical safety, this paper emphasizes the psychological implications that arise from human interactions with autonomous vehicles, highlighting the importance of trust and perceived risk as significant factors influencing user acceptance. The paper makes a methodological proposal, a framework for addressing AVs psychological safety consisting of three key contributions. First, it introduces a definition of psychological safety in AVs context. Secondly, it proposes a risk model for identifying and assessing AVs psychological hazards and risks. PsySIL (Psychological Safety Integrity Level), a classification of AV psychological risk levels is developed. Thirdly, an adapted system-theoretic analysis method for AVs psychological safety is proposed. The paper illustrates the application of the framework for assessing potential psychological hazards using a scenario involving a family’s experience with an autonomous vehicle, pioneering a systems approach towards evaluating situations that could lead to psychological harm. By establishing a framework that incorporates psychological safety alongside physical safety, the paper contributes to the broader discourse on the safe deployment of autonomous vehicle, aiming to guide future developments in user-centred design and regulatory practices, while acknowledging the limitations brought by the application of the proposals on a rather simple but pedagogical illustrative example
Carvacrol@ZnO and trans-cinnamaldehyde@ZnO nanohybrids for poly-lactide/tri-ethyl citrate-based active packaging films
Get PDFThe growing demand for sustainable food packaging has driven the development of active packaging systems using biopolymers like poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and natural antimicrobials. This study focuses on creating novel nanohybrids by loading carvacrol (CV) and trans-cinnamaldehyde (tCN) onto ZnO nanorods for incorporation into PLA/triethyl citrate (TEC) films. The CV@ZnO and tCN@ZnO nanohybrids were synthesized and characterized using XRD, FTIR, desorption kinetics, and by assessing their antioxidant and antibacterial properties. These nanohybrids were then integrated into PLA/TEC films via extrusion. The resulting active films were evaluated for their physicochemical, mechanical, barrier, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties. The tCN@ZnO nanohybrid exhibited a stronger interaction with the ZnO surface and a slower release rate compared to CV@ZnO. While this strong interaction limited its direct antioxidant activity, it proved highly beneficial for the final film’s performance. Films containing 10% tCN@ZnO demonstrated the strongest antibacterial efficacy in vitro against Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli and functioned as potent mechanical reinforcement fillers. Crucially, in a practical application, the PLA/TEC/10tCN@ZnO film significantly extended the shelf-life of fresh minced pork during 6 days of refrigerated storage. It effectively suppressed microbial growth (TVC), delayed lipid oxidation (lower TBARS values), and preserved the meat’s colour and nutritional quality (higher heme iron content) compared to control packaging. The developed tCN@ZnO nanohybrid is confirmed to be a highly effective active agent for creating PLA/TEC-based packaging that can enhance the preservation of perishable foods