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Are patients with a hearing impairment or other language barriers getting equitable access to deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) techniques for breast cancer radiotherapy?
Full text linkIntroduction: Few breast cancer radiotherapy studies include either patients with a hearing impairment or non-English speakers. Literature about healthcare and cancer care in general provided insights into reports by patients of disparities. Given technological advancements, it is reasonable to believe communication barriers should be surmountable, prompting a survey of radiotherapy departments to assess the status quo. Methods: A survey was conducted of all UK National Health Service (NHS) radiotherapy departments in England. A questionnaire was designed to determine if a deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) technique was used for breast cancer radiotherapy, the equipment that was used and whether patients with a hearing impairment or other language barriers received the same treatment. Results: A total of 22 radiotherapy departments responded to the survey. All respondents reported using DIBH as a heart-sparing technique; 100% (n = 22) reported offering DIBH to non-English speakers and 73% (n = 16) DIBH to patients with a hearing impairment. 45% (n = 10) stated that they use verbal instruction only, and 23% (n = 5) a combination of both verbal and visual aids and references. Conclusion: The study highlights some novel efforts in radiotherapy departments to increase equitable access to DIBH; however, the results indicate that verbal communication methods still dominate practice, and these are not inclusive of all hearing-impaired patients. Such methods would also require translation for non-English speakers. The study suggests that more work needs to be done before equitable access is achieved for patients with a hearing impairment or other language barrier
Airway inflammation responses to walking roadside and park routes after school: a real‐world crossover study
Full text linkActive travel to and from school is encouraged as a form of daily exercise. However, a significant proportion of children's pollution exposure has been attributed to this time due to road traffic volume. We investigated fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) responses in children walking roadside and park routes after school. 18 children (9.6 ± 1.0 years) completed six 30 min walks immediately after a school day (three in each environment). FeNO was measured before and after, with pollution concentrations measured during each walk. FeNO was reduced following roadside (20.87 ± 17.14 vs. 18.96 ± 15.63 ppb and p = 0.006) and park walks (19.13 ± 2.22 vs. 16.60 ± 2.74 ppb and p < 0.001). The reductions were not different between the two environments. The ICC for all pre‐walk FeNO was good (0.882 95% CI: 0.792, 0.947). Measured PM2.5 (5.9 ± 2.2 vs. 6.5 ± 2.6 μg/m3), PM10 (14.9 ± 11.9 vs. 14.8 ± 8.1 μg/m3) and VOCs (132 ± 91 vs. 80 ± 50 ppb) were not different between roadside and park conditions, respectively. Modest reductions in FeNO after walking suggest a normal response to light to moderate intensity exercise. The similar responses for roadside and park environments suggest that the benefits of active travel outweigh potential risk of pollution exposure where pollution concentrations are below current World Health Organisation thresholds. FeNO can also be reliably measured at the end of a school day with little direct control of behaviour in the hours before measurement
Factors that impact upon interpretation efficacy of radiography advanced practitioners who interpret mammograms.
Full text linkIn the United Kingdom (UK) Radiography advanced practitioners (RAPs) report mammographic images, however unlike other professional groupings who read mammograms, no data are available describing factors that impact reading performance. This preliminary study explores whether or not factors such as experience, mind set, access to prior images encountered by RAPs could impact upon their performance. The performance of 15 RAPs interpreting a test set of 60 mammographic cases with known reading outcomes was assessed. Twenty of these 60 cases contained a cancer, whilst the remaining cases were normal or benign. Sensitivity, specificity, lesion sensitivity, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and free response operating characteristic (AFROC) values were established for each RAP and Student-T and Mann Whitney tests were used to identify specific features that had a significant impact on accuracy. In terms of ROC values, higher values (p = 0.0042) were seen in those readers who: had less than [10 years experience] (0.93), compared to readers with greater than 10 years of experience (0.84); read greater than [100 cases/week] (0.93), compared to those who read less than 100 cases per week (0.87) (p = 0.0358) as well as readers who believed that emotional mind-set impacted their image interpretation (0.91) compared to those who did not (0.84) (p = 0.0272). Similar higher ROC values were noted in readers who consistently relied on [prior imaging](0.94), compared to those who occasionally relied on prior projections (0.89) (p = 0.0231). This preliminary work suggests that factors may impact upon the diagnostic performance of RAPs when reading mammograms. These early results from a small sample size demonstrate that further explorations are required to optimise RAP reporting. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Preparing to prepare: the process of transformational change in investigating rape and serious sexual offences in England and Wales
Full text linkThe purpose of this paper is to understand the issues facing policing officers when presented with national level change to policy and processes, in one specific area of police business, rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO). Our focus is officer response to the introduction of a new National Operating Model (NOM) in RASSO in England and Wales, and how forces deal with systemic change. We share findings in respect of a national programme of support for the learning, development and wellbeing of officers. Data were collected across a two-year period via interviews, focus groups and masterclasses with officers in five forces. We share the experiences of two forces who are overcoming barriers to begin to navigate change successfully. We share key recommendations from the change framework created for, and embedded within, the NOM
Camera O
No full textCamera O is a new project led and curated by artists and University of Suffolk lecturer-researchers Jane Watt and SE Barnet, in which they temporarily installed a camera obscura in the first floor of the Bomb Ballistics Building. The camera obscura is a lo-tech optical device – a lens and mirror are used to project an inverted image of the outside world into a darkened room.
Experiencing this live image of projected light is magical. It is a technique that was originally invented by artists to aid perspectival drawing, later adopted in science and the development of photography. It was used on Orford Ness in this Bomb Ballistics Building in the first half of the twentieth century to plot and gather data on bombing accuracy.
Barnet and Watt temporarily installed this working camera obscura during a two-day residency in February 2025. The artists worked with a group of first, second and third year BA (Hons) Fine Art students to use the camera obscura as an instrument to observe the sky, sea and land looking south towards the Power House and Black Beacon. The result is a series of tondo (round) drawings made directly from the projected camera obscura image. The exhibited works here vary in outcomes. Some of the drawings employ quick and abstract mark-making, capturing the patterns of shingle, horizon lines, figures moving across the landscape and cloud formations. Others document more recognizable, detailed architectural structures such as the Black Beacon and Power House.
Camera O is part of Barnet and Watt’s on-going research project Blast Radius
and their Power House art programme on Orford Ness
Understanding marital rape perception in MENA and South Asia: The role of resistance, sexual deprivation, and jealousy
Full text linkExploring perceptions of marital rape (MR) across diverse regions, including the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and South Asia, this study recruited participants (N=576, Mage = 24.88, SDage =9.36) via convenience and snowball sampling for online surveys. Participants engaged with nine MR scenario vignettes, varying in perpetrator justification (no justification, sexual deprivation, jealousy) and victim resistance (passive, verbal, verbal, and physical). Results from nine 3 × 3 factorial ANOVAs revealed significant effects of justification type and resistance level on perception of MR. Cultural differences emerged, with MENA respondents emphasizing jealousy-justified rape seriousness, while South Asian respondents were influenced by resistance level. Understanding these regional nuances is crucial for tailored interventions and legal reforms addressing MR
Leading evidence-based practice: nurse managers’ strategies for knowledge utilisation in acute care settings
Full text linkBackground: The implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing is essential for improving patient care outcomes, yet systemic barriers, leadership challenges, and resource limitations continue to hinder its integration into clinical practice. Nurse managers (NMs) play a crucial role in bridging the gap between policy directives and frontline implementation, yet the dynamic interplay between leadership strategies, knowledge utilisation, and organisational barriers remains underexplored, particularly in resource-constrained settings. This study examines how NMs navigate these challenges to sustain EBP adoption in acute care environments.
Methods: This collective case study employed a longitudinal qualitative design across two acute care settings in the UK. Data were collected over eight months through semi-structured interviews with NMs, nonparticipant observations, and document analysis of clinical guidelines and internal reports. A thematic analysis approach was used to synthesise findings and provide a nuanced understanding of leadership strategies and systemic factors influencing EBP adoption.
Findings: Six interconnected themes emerged: (1) Adaptive leadership strategies, where NMs employ a hybrid of directive and collaborative leadership approaches to drive EBP; (2) Overcoming organisational and resource barriers, including staff shortages, financial constraints, and competing priorities; (3) Knowledge utilisation and learning networks, highlighting the role of informal mentorship, structured CPD, and peer learning in sustaining EBP; (4) Digital transformation and EBP, examining the benefits and challenges of integrating digital tools and addressing IT literacy gaps; (5) Patient-centred adaptations, exploring how NMs balance evidence-based interventions with patient preferences and cultural considerations; and (6) Emotional and psychological support, underscoring the importance of managing staff resistance and mitigating change fatigue.
Conclusion: Findings of this study emphasise the pivotal role of NMs in driving EBP implementation through adaptive leadership, strategic resource management, and fostering learning networks. Addressing organisational barriers requires multi-level interventions that integrate leadership actions with systemic enablers to promote sustainable, evidence-informed nursing practice. Findings provide critical insights for healthcare policymakers, hospital administrators, and educators in enhancing EBP uptake within resource-limited settings
Linear and multi-directional speed testing (on-field and off-field) protocols in senior and elite female football
No full textFemale football has had a considerable rise in popularity with millions of fans following matches during the recent Women’s World Cup. Despite this, the football scientific literature is still biased towards male footballers; therefore, this review aims to present the most recent literature and best practices for assessing linear and multi-directional speed and underpinning physical qualities, and to offer practical recommendations based on the most recent evidence and authors’ expertise for practitioners working with female football players. This review categorizes tests as on-field and off-field, highlighting common protocols, their advantages, and the existing limitations. Among the most common on-field tests we found the change of direction speed, horizontal deceleration, linear sprinting, and curved sprinting; while the suggested off-field tests are multi-joint isometric, single-joint isometric, isokinetic dynamometry, Nordic hamstring and vertical jumps. These tests are valuable tools for assessing players’ physical abilities, serving as a benchmark for tracking physical changes throughout the season, and aiding practitioners in individualizing and optimizing training protocols. This review highlights that strength (eccentric, isometric, concentric, and reactive) and rapid force production are crucial for generating braking and propulsive forces, which underpin linear and multidirectional motion. In conclusion, the evidence and practical suggestions reported in this review will improve the practitioners' knowledge of which tests and the consequent training protocols can be used in senior and elite female football players. But practitioners need to be aware about the scarcity of comprehensive studies on female soccer which hinders a complete understanding of the reliability of all assessment protocols used