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Collaborating through Place-Based Partnerships for Inclusion
Get PDFThis reflective paper presents thoughts and insights from an interactive session delivered by Professor Suanne Gibson at this year’s ‘The Power of Us’ Spaghetti Bridge with University of Plymouth conference, on May 1st.
Suanne reflects on how her talk ‘Plymouth’s story: Place-based school improvement for inclusion 2021 onwards’ took shape, telling the tale of a city’s successful progression for inclusion via a series of cross city and cross sector partnerships and collaborations. Matters of educational leadership and effective management of inclusive ideals, innovative practices and policies for progress and evidenced impact across Plymouth are shared and critically considered. The piece reflects on the pertinent questions and insights this session raised for delegates in attendance and ends with a clear direction for readers to consider the importance of context-based work for inclusion, and the essential role partnerships and collaborations outside of our established working spaces have
A Preston Bridge School (PBS) Approach to Inclusive Multisport Practices Within SEN
Get PDFThis paper, originating from the ‘Power of Us!’ conference held in June 2025, reflects on the session titled A Preston Bridge School Approach To Inclusive Multisport Practices Within SEN, which captured the current physical provision offer at Preston Bridge, with a particular focus on how the implementation of inclusive practices enable young people with SEN to meet and achieve their EHCP targets through physical education. The paper offers an insight into the session delivered, sharing best practice, staff and student reflections, and calls for action to promote the inclusion of young people with SEN within the context of physical education
Loss and Early Recovery of Biomass and Soil Organic Carbon in Restored Mangroves After Paspalum vaginatum Invasion in West Africa
Get PDFInvasive plant species pose an increasing threat to mangroves globally. This study assessed the impact of Paspalum vaginatum invasion on carbon loss and early recovery following four years of restoration in a mangrove forest with Rhizophora racemosa in Benin. Organic carbon was quantified in the total biomass, including both aboveground and belowground components, as well as in the soil to a depth of −50 cm. In addition, soil gas fluxes of CO 2, CH 4, and N 2O were measured. Three sites were evaluated: a conserved mangrove, a site degraded by P. vaginatum, and the same site post-restoration via hydrological rehabilitation and reforestation. Invasion significantly reduced carbon storage, especially in soil, due to lower biomass, incorporation of low C/N ratio organic residues, and compaction. Restoration recovered 7.8% of the total biomass carbon compared to the conserved mangrove site, although soil organic carbon did not rise significantly in the short term. However, improvements in deep soil C/N ratios (15–30 and 30–50 cm) suggest enhanced soil organic matter recalcitrance linked to R. racemosa reforestation. Soil CO 2 emissions dropped by 60% at the restored site, underscoring restoration’s potential to mitigate early carbon loss. These results highlight the need to control invasive species and suggest that restoration can generate additional social benefits
Evaluating the Management of chronic Pelvic girdle Pain following pregnancy (EMaPP): a randomised controlled feasibility trial
Get PDFBackgroundPostpartum pelvic girdle pain (PGP), experienced by approximately 10% of women, is typically refractory to conservative management. Customised dynamic elastomeric fabric orthoses (DEFOs) are one novel option to address this. We assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a randomised controlled trial comparing a DEFO plus standardised advice/exercises (intervention) versus standardised advice/exercise alone (control).MethodsA multicentre randomised controlled feasibility trial with embedded qualitative study and economic evaluation. Participants were randomised to either intervention or control group. All received two remote physiotherapy sessions via videoconferencing separated by 14 days. Primary feasibility outcomes were related to the feasibility and acceptability of methods and interventions, recruitment, intervention fidelity, outcome measure performance and completion. The proposed primary outcome measure for the definitive trial was the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) which assessed pain intensity fortnightly over 24 weeks. Secondary outcome measures assessed kinesiophobia, continence, function, health-related quality of life, depression and health/care resource use at baseline, 12 and 24 weeks. Adverse events were recorded. Pre-defined progression criteria were set to decide whether, and how, to proceed with a future definitive trial: (1) Target sample size (60 from 3 centres over a 7-month recruitment period), (2) outcome measure completion (\u3e 60% at 24 weeks), (3) orthosis wear-time compliance (\u3e 70% for 6 h/day) as measured by the Orthotimer, and (4) evidence suggesting efficacy.ResultsOf 180 participants sent information sheets, 40 were screened and 24 randomised. At 24 weeks, 95% completed NPRS and 89–95% the secondary outcome measures. Wear-time adherence appeared below the set target of 42 h per week. Outcomes were broadly comparable between groups. Recruitment was insufficient to estimate a signal of efficacy with confidence. Two intervention participants experienced Candida infections, considered possibly due to the DEFO.ConclusionsTrial procedures and interventions were acceptable to participants. Technical Orthotimer issues are resolvable through modification of recording parameters. Recruitment of participants was a major challenge. Work to understand how best to engage women in this research is needed before moving to a definitive trial.Trial registrationISCRTN, ISRCTN67232113. Registered 08/05/2021, https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN67232113
Notes on Dis-ease and death
No full textExperiences of illness, loss and grief might be described as everyday and mundane encounters with the unforeseen given their ubiquity. Yet, they are inevitably, and paradoxically, singular. A retrospective summarising of the text that follows cannot (re)capture the power of writing at a time of disrupted daily rhythms, of hitherto unknown intensities, of involuntary de-centring and becoming, of entanglement with matter that is real but no longer there. This liminal state – a Deleuzian ‘tangle of views’ and Deleuzoguattarian ‘lived emotion’ – made a habitual academic style seem both impossible and inappropriate. Academic references were inserted after writing events, conceived now as unpredictable flows of thought and feeling, of allusive experimentation, of (re)orientation, of writing that moved something
Partitioning of fluid flow along faults and fractures in the Bristol Channel Basin: implications for low carbon geoscience projects in SW England
Get PDFThe Bristol Channel Basin (BCB) is a Mesozoic continental rift basin and an importantanalogue for offshore reservoirs. Previous studies have used relative cross-cuttingrelationships and correlations with adjacent sedimentary basins to constrain itsdevelopment. For the first time, in-situ U-Pb carbonate geochronology has datedcalcite slickenfibres within normal, thrust, and strike-slip faults in the EastQuantoxhead and Kilve region of Somerset.Protracted N-S extension (ca. 150–120 Ma) formed normal faults, while subsequent NS shortening (ca. 50–20 Ma) involved (i) cross-cutting strike-slip faults, (ii) minor E-Wstriking thrust faults, and (iii) reactivation of pre-existing normal faults. DuringCenozoic contraction, σ2 and σ3 were periodically interchangeable due to local stressvariations and fluid pressure changes.Geochemical analyses indicate evolving fluid sources, with more saline waters duringextension transitioning to more freshwater during contraction. Larger normal faultsfacilitated the upward migration of saline fluids from the Mercia Mudstone Group(MMG), altering pore fluid composition and raising formation water temperatures inthe Blue Lias Group. These fluids also influenced fault mechanics, particularly along theEast Quantoxhead Fault (EQHF).Microstructural analysis of vein generations highlights fault weakening throughprogressive deformation. Celestine (SrSO₄), sourced from the MMG, localised strainand promoted reactivation during contraction, as evidenced by reverse-sense S-CIntroductionviii | P a g efabrics. In contrast, smaller faults lack celestine and exhibit simpler fluid histories,although crystal-plastic textures (e.g., GBM, SGR) are observed.Understanding fluid-driven changes in fault core composition and strength is criticalfor evaluating fluid flow partitioning along fractures. Constraining fault populationevolution within the BCB sheds light on regional stress dynamics and can informstudies of nearby basins. These insights have practical applications for managing fluidflow in modern reservoirs, such as Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS)
Metal contamination in sediments of an estuary impacted by discharges of antifouling waste (Yealm, southwest England)
Get PDFThe Yealm is a small, protected estuary in southwest England. A paint-testing laboratory on the estuary operated from the 1920s until 2011 but sometime in 2015 or 2016, an unauthorised discharge of antifouling waste occurred. In this study, concentrations of metals and forms thereof associated with contemporary and historical antifouling formulations (As, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sn, Zn, organic Hg, organic Sn), along with other elements of geochemical or anthropogenic interest, were measured in fractionated (\u3c180 μm) surface sediments at different distances from the discharge. Close to the discharge, concentrations of organic-Sn, representative of tributyltin, exceeded a level that requires material disposal in landfill; here and upestuary, concentrations of Cu and Hg exceeded respective predicted effect levels for estuarine sediments. Analysis of paint flakes isolated from sediments outside the laboratory revealed similar chemical signatures (high concentrations of Cu in most flakes and high levels of Hg and Sn in several cases), consistent with antifouling paint being the cause of contamination. Concentrations of Cu, Hg and organic Sn in sections of a dated core sampled close to the discharge exhibited enrichment since the opening of the laboratory nearly 100 years ago, with distinctive peaks for Hg and organic Sn coincident with periods shortly after these biocidal metals began to be phased out or restricted. These observations suggest that historical waste discharges may have been important and that any remediation measures will be challenging. The general observations might also be applicable to other facilities where contemporary and legacy antifouling waste is commonly discharged to sediments (e.g., boatyards)
Silent Threats: Awareness and Attitudes to Communication of SUDEP Among Neurologists in India: A cross-sectional study
Get PDFBackground: International guidelines unequivocally endorse the importance and need to discuss Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) with people with epilepsy (PWE). India is a country accounting for a sixth of all global epilepsy burden. Despite this little is known of Indian neurologists’ knowledge and attitudes to SUDEP. Objective: To explore India Neurologists awareness and attitudes to SUDEP communication to PWE. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of Likert response questions using validated themes, was circulated among the neurology fraternity, India. Non-discriminatory exponential snowballing technique leading to convenience non-probability sampling was used. The inquiry involved SUDEP-related topics including the awareness, knowledge, need for and importance of counselling. A comparison with other epilepsy risk counselling was made. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Results: Of 275 consenting participants, a majority were male (76 %), had over 5 years of practice (63 %), were private practitioners (61 %) and working in urban areas (99 %). Almost all participants (98 %) knew of SUDEP. A fifth (20 %) counselled most or all PWE of SUDEP compared to 90 % discussing risks from daily activities, 89 % driving risk and 38 % psychiatric concerns. There were significant differences to the likelihood of SUDEP counselling being undertaken based on formal epilepsy training (p \u3c 0.001) familiarity with SUDEP guidelines (p \u3c 0.001), and SUDEP risk factors knowledge (p \u3c 0.001). Further training for SUDEP risk and communication was requested by 90 %. Conclusion: While most Indian neurologists have SUDEP awareness there is a significant gap in communication of SUDEP risks to PWE. Virtual training and education could help bridge the knowledge gap
Digital strolls using UniCDent toolkit-part 2: reimagining the walking method for online participation
Get PDFDistance and remoteness no longer pose barriers to conducting meaningful research, as the adaptation of participatory methods can address these challenges effectively. This article examines the transformation of the UniCDent Toolkit, originally designed to capture patients\u27 perceptions of uncertainty in dental environments, for online participatory interactions with dentists. The toolkit, which uses the walking method, incorporates components such as imagery, gallery walks, quadrant mapping, and trade-offs to explore uncertainty in dental practice. Initially, dentists expressed discomfort in sharing their uncertainty in a group setting, prompting a shift to an online format that maintained participant engagement and created a safe space for open dialogue. Each component was carefully tailored for the virtual setting: dentists documented their uncertainty using auto-photography, shared insights through a structured slide walk, collaboratively mapped their uncertainty with a virtual grid, and participated in trade-off discussions using Mentimeter polling. This process highlights the importance of adapting participatory methods to meet the needs of remote participation, while preserving the participatory ethos. We provide an example of such an adaptation, demonstrating how the UniCDent Toolkit which was initially designed for dental environments can be applied to various healthcare settings and research questions
The State of Local Anaesthetic Systemic Toxicity in 2025: The Emergence of Lidocaine as Our Next Challenge
No full textLocal anaesthetics are an integral part of surgical and medical practice, but their systemic uptake can result in local anaesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST). A recent study by Fettiplace and colleagues examined the US Food and Drug administration’s Adverse Events Reporting System between 1968 and 2023. Although the reporting of death from longacting local anaesthetics decreased after the publication of relevant practice advisories, Fettiplace and colleagues also found that deaths from lidocaine remained essentially unchanged. The emergence of lidocaine as the leading reported cause of deaths attributable to LAST was unexpected, and the reasons behind the relatively higher number of deaths from lidocaine-induced LAST are not clear. One of the major limitations to this study is the lack of data on population level local anaesthetic administrations