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How experiences of weight stigma impact higher-weight women during their maternity care: a meta-ethnography.
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The aim of this review was to explore the experiences of pregnant women and birthing people with higher weight bodies, to understand the extent to which weight stigma impacted their maternity care.
Methods
We performed a systematic search of seven databases (CINAHL plus, Medline, Social Sciences Full Text [SSFT], International Bibliography of Social Sciences [IBSS], PsychINFO, Maternity and Infant Care [MIC], NIHR Journals Library, EThOS) using the Setting, Perspective, Intervention, Comparison, Evaluation (SPICE) framework search strategy and pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Included studies underwent a critical appraisal and data richness assessment. We undertook thematic analysis after coding first- and second-order constructs and developed a synthesis from the themes.
Findings
Thirty-eight papers, including six doctoral theses and one book chapter, met the inclusion criteria. Five themes were identified through thematic analysis, and the synthesis demonstrated that women of a higher weight experience shame, harmful attitudes and preconceptions from healthcare professionals regularly and repeatedly while receiving maternity care. This can be alleviated by individualised supportive care from a healthcare professional.
Key conclusions
Negative interactions with maternity care professionals are central to the experience of weight stigma, leading to a sense of ‘shame’, with pervasive feelings of humiliation, judgement and blame. Current guidance does not acknowledge the stigmatising effects of weight related conversations, additional interventions and restrictions on women's birthplace choices. Adopting a shame-sensitive lens within a culturally safe approach to maternity care could transform support for women
Sleep disorders in functional neurological disorder - a systematic review and meta-analysis
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Functional neurological disorders (FND) are conditions marked by disruptions in brain network function without structural abnormalities. Sleep disturbances, though under-researched, are commonly observed in FND patients and may worsen symptoms and overall health.
Methods
This systematic review had been registered prospectively in PROSPERO with the registration number: CRD42023446306. Search of PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases identified 218 articles. After removing duplicates and applying exclusion criteria, 9 studies were included in the final analysis.
Results
The analysis showed a significant prevalence of sleep disorders among FND patients, with 58% reporting sleep disturbances, similar to other neuropsychiatric conditions. Studies on psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) indicated poorer subjective sleep quality and higher insomnia rates compared to epilepsy controls. Limited data on specific measures such as wake after sleep onset (WASO) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) scores prevented definitive conclusions.
Discussion
This review is the first systematic examination of sleep disorders in FND. The findings reveal a high prevalence of sleep disturbances, especially among PNES patients, correlating with lower quality of life and increased symptom severity. However, the heterogeneity of studies and limited reporting of specific sleep metrics weaken these conclusions. Further research is needed to investigate the direct impact of sleep quality on FND pathogenesis and management.
Conclusion
Sleep disturbances are prevalent in FND patients and can significantly affect their quality of life. Increased awareness and routine evaluation of sleep in FND patients are recommended. Future studies should explore the relationship between sleep deprivation and FND to develop targeted therapeutic interventions
923 Virtual Biopsy in Oncology: A Paradigm Shift in Cancer Diagnosis and Management
No full textAim
The aim of this review is to evaluate virtual biopsy technologies, including liquid biopsy, advanced imaging, and AI, in improving cancer diagnostics, monitoring disease progression, and enabling personalized treatments, while identifying challenges such as standardization, clinical validation, and integration into oncology practice.
Method
The literature search was conducted across several databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, the Cochrane Library, and Scopus, using key terms related to the oncological basis of virtual biopsy. Additional sources were identified through manual examination of references in recent reviews and articles focusing on the impact of virtual biopsy and related technological advancements in oncology.
Results
Virtual biopsy enables real-time monitoring of tumour progression and personalized treatment planning, with applications demonstrated in cancers like glioblastoma. Radiomics and radiogenomics improve tumour characterization, while AI enhances diagnostic accuracy. The development of hybrid models that integrate radiomics with genomics and clinical data provides a more comprehensive understanding of the disease. Which enables clinicians to devise treatment plans that are more effective with fewer side effects.
Conclusions
Virtual biopsy is navigating a transformative path, promising to redefine the precision in cancer diagnosis and the customization of surgical treatment strategies. This evolution leans on advancements in radiomics and artificial intelligence, aiming to offer more non-invasive diagnostic options. With challenges in ensuring accessibility and addressing ethical and data security concerns, collaborative efforts across disciplines are key to navigating these complexities. As virtual biopsy continues to mature, it is poised to enhance patient outcomes, representing a major leap towards personalised cancer care
The Impact of FinTech and Digital Transformation on Foreign Direct Investment and Bilateral Trade in Financial Services: The Case of the UK and India 1
Get PDFThe rapid digitisation of financial markets has significant implications for international trade and the global provision of financial services. This study examines the evolving role of FinTech and automation in reshaping global supply chains, focusing on the UK and India. While the UK leads in exports of financial services, India has established itself as a major player in ICTrelated exports, bolstered by its growing FinTech capabilities. We explore how the increasing reliance on digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and internet-based financial services is altering the traditional dynamics of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and bilateral trade in financial services. Specifically, we assess whether FinTech-driven FDI complements or substitutes cross-border trade in financial services between these two economies. Our analysis is informed by empirical data on FDI flows, trade in services, and the FinTech ecosystem, utilising sectoral classifications from FDI Markets, OECD trade statistics, and Tracxn startup data. By applying econometric modelling and qualitative insights from industry interviews, we identify key factors driving FDI decisions in FinTech and assess their impact on trade patterns. Findings suggest that FinTech FDI is increasingly substituting traditional trade in financial services, particularly in the UK-India corridor. Regulatory barriers, market saturation, and an increasing preference for local market presence by financial service providers drive this shift. The study underscores the necessity for policymakers to consider the implications of digital transformation on trade policies and investment strategies, significantly as financial globalisation accelerates in the digital realm age
Inequality at the Dawn of the Bronze Age: The Case of Başur Höyük, a ‘Royal’ Cemetery at the Margins of the Mesopotamian World
Get PDFOn the upper reaches of the Tigris and Euphrates, archaeologists encounter evidence that challenges conventional understandings of early state formation as a transition from ‘small-scale, egalitarian’ to ‘large-scale, stratified’ societies. One such location is the Early Bronze Age cemetery of Başur Höyük, which presents evidence of grand funerary rituals—including ‘retainer burials’ and spectacular deposits of metallic wealth—in an otherwise small-scale, egalitarian setting. A further, puzzling feature of this cemetery is the preponderance of teenagers in the richest tombs. Here we describe the combined results of archaeological and anthropological analysis at Başur Höyük, including ancient DNA, and consider the challenges they pose to traditional accounts of early state formation
The syntactic constraint on English auxiliary contraction
Get PDFWe offer a new explanation for the difference between cases where an auxiliary verb can and cannot contract, such as Kim is coming versus Kim is. Rather than a banning constraint, we argue that there is a positive syntactic licensing constraint. We consider, and reject, both the familiar Gap Restriction and a range of phonological explanations. Our analysis rests on the category of grammatical relations, valent, which includes all non-adjuncts (i.e. all subjects and complements); the analysis consists of a single claim, the Following Valent Constraint: that a contracted auxiliary has an overt following valent. We show how this analysis explains the full range of data that has been discussed in the literature and how a minor variant of the constraint captures the data of the Scots locative discovery expressions. We also propose a sociolinguistic explanation for the inability of auxiliaries to contract in certain environments, such as after a preposed negative. Finally, we suggest a functional explanation for the proposed constraint: It allows the hearer to predict the presence of a following valent and thereby to manage the burden of processing
Implementing Innovative Approaches to Integrating Adult and Child Focused Services when Responding to Families Affected by Domestic Violence: A Case Study Design
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Whole family approaches which integrate adult and child focused services are often required when responding to families affected by domestic abuse, however little is known about how to enact and embed these approaches. The purpose of this study is to undertake a multifaceted examination of the complex and inter-related factors that can impact the implementation of integrated approaches in three regions of England.
Methods
We utilized a case study design, conducting n = 53 in-depth qualitative interviews with a varied sample of practitioners, managers and senior leaders in three local authority sites in England, which were implementing different innovative whole family approaches. We analyzed the data using the core constructs of Normalization Process Theory.
Results
Across the three case study sites, addressing domestic abuse within families was of high strategic importance. Having a shared understanding of the practice approach, why they were working in this way, and how this differed from what came before it was important to enacting and embedding the approaches. Regular structured opportunities to come together in multi-agency networks of participation supported reciprocal learning and resulted in joint enterprise. The implementation of the innovative approach was further supported by practitioners from different services thinking together and acting together.
Conclusions
A clear and shared understanding of the practice model, along with regular opportunities for multi-agency and multi-professional networks to ‘think together’ and ‘act together’ in meaningful ways is most likely to support the implementation, integration and embedding of the innovative approach