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Investigating the barriers faced by biomedical science undergraduates in completing a placement year
Get PDF© 2026 The Authors. Published by Frontiers Media. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence.
The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.3389/bjbs.2026.14947Introduction: Research shows completing a placement year is associated with improved academic and employment outcomes. For Biomedical science courses, pathology placements allow completion of the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) registration training portfolio and obtaining Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration post-graduation. This study sought to identify the barriers biomedical science students across the West Midlands region of England face when completing a placement year, to identify strategies which promote inclusivity to overcome these barriers.
Materials and Methods: Level 5 and Level 6 students from Aston, Coventry, Keele and Wolverhampton universities were invited to complete a questionnaire which included a mixture of Likert scale and free-text responses. A range of questions assessed student perceptions on the importance of placement opportunities, as well as identifying factors which were important when pursuing a placement year. Likert scale data was analysed quantitatively, and a Mann Whitney U or Kruskal Wallis test were used to infer significance, whereas free text responses were analysed using thematic analysis.
Results: A total of 107 students completed the questionnaire. Students who declared a disability were less likely to undertake an unpaid placement compared to their peers (p = 0.013). Of those students who declared caring responsibilities, 33.3% chose not to apply for a placement year compared to 18.2% of those who did not have caring responsibilities (p = 0.020). Participants reported that funding was important when deciding whether to pursue a placement (88.8%). Thematic analysis revealed several recurring themes deterring student placement applications, including financial support and placement availability within their geographical area. Students valued the importance of professional recognition following the placement and the development of technical and transferable skills.
Discussion: Many of the barriers are fuelled by financial constraints which deter students from applying to placement positions. Despite the need to increase the Biomedical Scientist workforce, the strategies to increase training opportunities are not well established. Equity in placement funding from centralised sources is key to ensuring Biomedical Scientists can excel in their professional careers. Through availability of funding, marginalised populations will have the same opportunities as their peers therefore producing more employable graduates to meet pathology workforce demands
Clinical challenges in mental health presentations and interventions during the perinatal period: a cross-sectional, retrospective record-based study in a specialist perinatal clinic
Get PDF© 2026 The authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence.
The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://journals.lww.com/jops/abstract/9900/clinical_challenges_in_mental_health_presentations.36.aspxBackground:
Presentations of perinatal psychiatric illnesses vary widely, and there are management concerns, particularly with medications, probably because of inadequate awareness and cautionary statements from licensing organizations.
Aims:
This study aimed to assess the clinical profile of psychiatric patients and the real-world interventions provided in a specialist perinatal clinic.
Methods:
Data from 30 antenatal and 30 postnatal consecutive patients attending perinatal psychiatry outpatient clinics covering two cities in the West Midlands, England, were collected from electronic case records.
Results:
The average age of the participants was 30.3 ± 5.2 years; the mean gestational duration was 6.5 ± 2.1 months, and the mean postnatal period was 6.5 ± 5.0 months. Mixed anxiety and depression (40.0%), emotionally unstable personality disorder (35.0%), and postnatal depression (20.0%) were more frequent diagnoses; comorbidity was present in 58.3%. Most (71.7%) of the patients were prescribed regular psychiatric medications, and 35% had “as required” medications; however, 25% had no regular or as-required medications. Antidepressants were given in 56.7%; most commonly sertraline and citalopram. Around a quarter (26.7%) of antenatal and half (46.7%) of postnatal patients received antipsychotic drugs, aripiprazole and quetiapine being the most commonly prescribed. Common as-required medications were promethazine, diazepam, and zopiclone. Verbal (78.3%) and written (35.0%) information about medications was provided, and 45% received psychological interventions.
Conclusion:
Most women with mental illness in the perinatal period were prescribed psychiatric drugs. Interventions can be improved through psychoeducation about medications, providing written information, and psychotherapeutic support
Evaluation of shared understanding in multidisciplinary architecture, engineering and construction design teams
No full textThis is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Springer Nature in Architecture, Structures and Construction on 08/03/2026, available online: https://doi.org/10.1007/s44150-026-00188-0
The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.
This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: http://doi.org/10.1007/s44150-026-00188-0Uncoordinated, incomplete building construction documents are resulting in added costs, extended schedules, and a reduction in the product quality. A suggested cause is that the multidisciplinary team who create the construction documents lack a shared understanding of the activities involved in the process. The aim of this study is to assess the current understanding of the disciplines during the construction document development stage in terms of processes and information development to determine the barriers and enablers to achieve shared understanding. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were used to gather data from disciplines directly involved in construction document development and thematic analysis was used to apply themes to the transcripts. The results showed that one of the biggest barriers to achieving shared understanding is the procurement method of the consultants on lowest cost basis, as this leads to negative behaviours which greatly reduces the quality of the documents.This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.Published onlin
Stress and post-traumatic stress disorder
Get PDFThis is a chapter published by Mahi Publication in Stress and Struggles: Comprehensive Book of Stress, Mental Health & Mental Illness edited by Bettahalasoor S. Somashekar, Narayana Manjunatha, Santosh K. Chaturvedi, Bhavika Vajawat, Mohamed Yaasir Mohamudbucus, Prateek Varshney.
All rights reserved. For re-use please contact the publisher
Diastolic dysfunction in acute and critical illness: acute pathophysiology to chronic heart failure
Get PDF© 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier/ American College of Cardiology. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence.
The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacadv.2025.102532Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a heterogeneous, multi-organ syndrome driven by comorbidity-induced systemic inflammation. In acute and critical illness, such as sepsis, acute diastolic dysfunction is common. Its prognostic significance is debated and is complicated by hemodynamic instability and diagnostic challenges. Survivors of acute illness face a long-term risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, yet the transition from critical illness to acquired diastolic dysfunction to chronic HFpEF remains an underexplored area requiring further research. Recent landmark trials have established new therapeutic options for chronic HFpEF, including sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. Here, we review the pathophysiology of HFpEF across the continuum from chronic stable HFpEF to acute decompensation, identify long-term sequelae, and highlight future advancements.Published versio
Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers’ experiences of a community garden based trauma intervention: an interpretative phenomenological analysis
No full textResearch Thesis Submitted in Part Requirement for the Doctor of Counselling Psychology.Aims
This doctoral research examines the subjective experiences of community gardening as a trauma psychological intervention in the recovery process of male Sri Lankan Tamils asylum seekers who have been diagnosed with war-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This research is particularly timely given the significance of social and systemic processes in asylum seekers’ trauma intervention, the emergence of community horticultural therapy’s efficacy in treating trauma, and a current lack of research on best ways to support Sri Lankan Tamils’ trauma recovery.
Methods
The method chosen for this research is Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), which espouses a qualitative design methodology, to explore in-depth the subjective experiences of the client group of male Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six participants, all male Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers or former asylum seekers aged 18 or above, who received a formal diagnosis of PTSD from Lewisham IPTT due to war-related trauma from the Sri Lankan Civil War (1983–2009).
Results
Three superordinate themes emerged from the interpretative analysis. The participants dwelled on the immense value of being with others, of engaging in activities at the intervention, the setting of the intervention, and commented on the intervention’s acceptability and feasibility.
Conclusion
The research findings suggest the value and cultural empowerment of a psychosocial treatment approach such as that of a community-based intervention. The findings also support that there are specific therapeutic benefits associated with employing a horticultural approach in the treatment of trauma for asylum seekers. The qualitative information gained also enabled a reflection on the role of Counselling Psychologists in general, and what therapy is
Additively manufactured copper surfaces with porous microfeatures for enhanced pool boiling performance
No full text© 2025 The Authors, published by Elsevier. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence.
The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2025.110325This study evaluates pool boiling on additively manufactured copper surfaces with various microstructures, using distilled water under saturated atmospheric conditions. Initially, heat-treated and untreated samples were compared to assess thermal conductivity effects. Heat-treated samples, despite higher thermal conductivity, generally showed lower heat transfer coefficients (HTC) due to smoother surfaces and fewer active nucleation sites. Further testing involved heat-treated surfaces with channels, tunnels, chimneys, and pillars of varying heights, benchmarked against a flat surface. Chimney structures achieved the highest enhancements, surpassing 3000 kW m−2 in maximum heat flux and an HTC of 260 kW m−2 K−1, which is a 400 % improvement compared to the reference. Their superior performance resulted from efficient liquid-vapor separation, capillary wicking, and favorable bubble dynamics facilitated by their geometry. Pillar structures significantly enhanced critical heat flux but had limited HTC due to vapor entrapment and bubble coalescence. In contrast, chimney features provided balanced boiling performance across diverse heat fluxes. Overall, this study demonstrates the promise of laser powder bed fusion to create advanced copper surfaces for effective thermal management applications, particularly in systems demanding high heat dissipation, minimal surface superheat, and complex geometries.The authors acknowledge the financial support from the state budget of the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (Program No. P2-0223 and Project Nos. J2-50085 & N2-0251).Accepted versio
Pseudo [M(II)7] (M = Co, Ni and Zn) metallocalix[6]arene hosts encapsulate a range of organic guest molecules in the solid state
No full textThis is an author's accepted manuscript of an article published by Royal Society of Chemistry on 13/05/2025, available online: https://doi.org/10.1039/D5CE00341E The accepted manuscript may differ from the final published version.We present the successful encapsulation of a number small organic guest moieties within the molecular cavities of pseudo [M7] (M = Co(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II)) metallocalix[6]arene hosts and include the complexes [(2-fur)Zn(II)7(OMe)6(L)6](NO3)2.3H2O (1), [(3-fur)Co(II)7(OH)6(L)6](NO3)2 .4.5H2O (6), [(bzal)Zn(II)7(OMe)6(L)6](NO3)2.5H2O (7), [(2-acetylfuran)⊂[Ni(II)7(OMe)6L6(NO3)2].3H2O (12) and [(coumarin)⊂[Ni(II)7(OH)6(L)6(NO3)2.3H2O (20) (where LH = 2-Methoxy-6-[(E)-(methylimino)methyl]phenol). Guest inclusion of the species 2- and 3-furaldehyde, benzaldehyde, 2-thiophenecarboxaldehyde, 2-acetylfuran, acetophenone, 1-indanone and coumarin was evidenced through a combination of FT-IR, solid state NMR, X-ray diffraction studies and TGA measurements. Guest packing coefficients were produced for a cross-section of these materials to give values ranging from 34% (in [(3-Fur)Ni(II)7(OH)6(L)6](NO3)2.3H2O (5)) to 75% (in [(2-acetylfuran)⊂[Co(II)7(OMe)6(L)6](NO3)2.7H2O (13)).Irish Research Council (IRCSET Embark Fellowship).Published onlin
Self-initiated coping strategies of adults during COVID-19, and their association with psychosocial outcomes
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Wolverhampton for the award of Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology.This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the practices of mindfulness and physical exercise as coping strategies adopted by adults during the Covid-19 pandemic and their associations with resilience and post-traumatic growth (PTG). A quantitative online survey composed of several questionnaires and delivered through the Qualtrics platform collected data for further investigation of the relationship between the impact of Covid-19,
coping, physical exercise, mindfulness, health and well-being, resilience, and post-traumatic growth. The sample of 119 participants is mainly composed of females, white British nationals and UK residents, with a mean age of 44.5 years old. Multiple regression results showed that physical exercise was non-significant regarding its contribution to either of the outcome variables, despite most of the sample engaging in physical exercise during Covid- 19. Mindfulness practice, health and well-being before Covid-19 and avoidance coping were contributors to health and well-being at data collection. Dispositional mindfulness was found to be the sole contributor to resilience in this sample. Whereas mindfulness practice, dispositional mindfulness, the impact of Covid-19, avoidance and approach coping and death from Covid-19 were shown to be significantly associated with PTG. Conclusions: Physical
exercise, despite being highly engaged with by the sample did not yield the expected contribution towards the outcome variables, with mindfulness practice being more relevant in contributing to health and well-being and post-traumatic growth and dispositional mindfulness, an important contributor to both resilience and PTG. Alternative factors and strategies of coping may play a more relevant role in those relationships. More complex relationships between predictors and outcome variables may be occurring that are beyond the scope of the present study. The findings demonstrate that physical exercise and mindfulness practice differ in the impact of their contribution to the outcome variables. Future research may need to focus on investigating further those relationships
Why is autism a disability? Examining an argument for intersectional neurodiversity
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Wolverhampton for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.This thesis questions why autism is seen as a disability when many autistic people perceive autism as a natural difference that relates to the way their mind works. Autistic people struggle to find academic information to explain their experiences and often turn to online resources for validation. To create the conditions for the emergence of adequate explanations of autistic conscious experience, this thesis begins by challenging some dominant explanations for autism. An epistemological approach, utilising first-person perspectives on the experience of autism, is suggested as a corrective.
Feminist standpoint epistemology is adapted to demonstrate that autistic perception is valuable in remedying the prevailing distorted image of autism caused by the lack of autistic representation. I critically analyse Theory of Mind to suggest an alternative more suited to explain the autistic experience. In the preferred version of neurodiversity, not the brain itself, but the interaction of the brain with the environment explains autism. To challenge the brain-based explanation of autism, a small section of the available neurological data mapping the human brain is statistically analysed to demonstrate the possibility that the diversity of brain structure found could be a part of natural variation and not specific to autism.
The element of interaction with the environment is developed through sharing autoethnographic data, followed by an engagement with the reported life experiences of self-identified autistic people to counter likely biases in the use of the method of autoethnography.
I conduct a thematic analysis on online expressions of autistic experience to highlight concerns such as the use of Applied Behavioural Analysis, Identity and the experience of Discrimination, and the differences in Sensory Experience, which currently lack adequate representation in information about autism generated by academic research and adopted for wider public consumption.
This thesis shows that from the autistic perspective, the environment determines whether autism is experienced as a disability. The negative judgement of the traits associated with autism coming from other people is often the reason why autistic people experience discrimination and burnout. An understanding of autistic people, as Neurodivergent suggested here, could lead to changing negative judgements and hence improve experiences for autistic people