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Does data count? The politics of complaint, data and police accountability
Get PDFAdvances in technology have expanded the possibilities of state surveillance, but they have also expanded opportunities for citizens to collect data on the state.2 At present, cell phone videos, WhatsApp monitoring groups and crowdsourced mapping of real-time events are producing a raft of new data to add to older forms of civic data gathering. In the wake of global mobilisation around issues of police wrongdoing and accountability, it is important to reflect on the impact that data may have on the pursuit of justice, redress, and transformation.3While not discounting the rich policing literature that exists on police accountability and change, we have opted in this article to draw on the work of Sara Ahmed, who explores complaints in the United Kingdom higher education sector.4 Her work, we argue, can help us understand why counting people does not always make them count. In other words, Ahmed shows how the effectiveness of data in securing redress and reform is often curtailed by the same patterns of oppression and stigma that facilitate police wrongdoing in the first place. In this article, we explain Ahmed’s concept of a ‘complaint biography’ and her exposition of complaint work more broadly. We also apply her ideas to incidents of complaints against the police, and interrogate the role and importance of physical violence in this regard
On the Brink: Mapping the Last Strongholds of the Critically Endangered Flapper Skate (Dipturus intermedius)
Get PDFThe flapper skate (Dipturus intermedius) is a Critically Endangered skate distributed throughout the NE Atlantic and requiring urgent conservation measures. Existing models of the flapper skate's distribution are not detailed enough to inform management. The aim of this study was to develop more highly resolved predictions of the skate's distribution across its range, building on existing studies to provide a comprehensive baseline for flapper skate presence. Location The NE Atlantic shelf region. A Bayesian spatial binomial GAMM was used to model the distribution of flapper skate across the NE Atlantic shelf. Following an exhaustive search of fisheries-independent DATRAS catch records, skate presence was modelled as a function of environmental covariates and AIS fishing pressure data. Skate presence was highest in coastal areas approximately 40–50 km from shore, where fishing pressure and benthic productivity were low. A smoother for the bathymetry variable indicated presence was highest at depths of 100–200 m. Regions with the highest predicted probability of occurrence included the north and west coasts of Scotland, and the west coast of Ireland near Counties Clare and Galway. In contrast, very low support was given for presence in the southern and central North Sea, likely reflecting historical population collapse, as well as in deeper offshore waters beyond the shelf. This study presents the first large-scale model of flapper skate presence across the NE Atlantic shelf that integrates both environmental and fishing pressure data, providing new baseline insights into habitat use in the North Sea and around Ireland. Three core regions of presence were identified, likely reflecting natural refugia from fishing and critical habitats (EFHs). Future research should prioritise these strongholds, focusing on identifying critical habitats to support focused management strategies
Because we love our place: the role of emotions in place-based leadership
No full textPlace-based leadership (PBL) is critical to the economic and social vitality of places, as it emphasises collaboration, shared visions, and the mobilisation of human agency and collective action. While emotions are increasingly recognised as central to PBL, their role remains underexplored. This study investigates the case of the Valle dei Cavalieri cooperative in the region of Emilia-Romagna, Italy, to examine how PBL fosters the emergence of a community-based enterprise. We highlight the role of interaction rituals and collective effervescence in channelling emotions into collective action. Our findings contribute to the PBL literature, particularly regarding sustainable local development and rural resilience
Planning the reuse or recycling of structural timber in redevelopment projects - a practical guide
No full textIn this ECOS infographic, we outline the steps required to safely reuse structural timber in renovation and construction. Using wood for longer, following the cascading principle, helps to avoid waste and reduce carbon emissions
Optimizing cardiac rehabilitation: structuring dietary support for improved post myocardial infarction outcomes
No full textThis invited commentary refers to ‘Older adults with acute coronary syndrome: The impact of frailty and nutritional status on in-hospital complications’, by M. Jiménez-Salva et al., https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjcn/zvaf006
Neuroception of psychological safety scale (NPSS): validation with a UK based adult community sample
Get PDFBackground: Psychological safety plays a vital role in rest, recovery, and fostering social connections. However, a history of trauma can predispose individuals to perceive heightened levels of threat and danger. Research suggests that a lack of psychological safety may be a defining biopsychosocial characteristic of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Persistent feelings of threat and danger are associated with a lack of psychological safety and may be predictive of PTSD. Our pioneering work reported on the development of the neuroception of psychological safety (NPSS), rooted in polyvagal theory, and consists of social engagement, compassion, and body sensations dimensions. Understanding more about the dimensionality of the NPSS and further establishing its psychometric properties was our priority.Objective: Our current research aimed to validate and test the reliability and dimensionality of the NPSS, using a large community sample (n = 2035) of adult residents in the UKMethod: We examined the internal and test-retest reliability, convergent, discriminant, and concurrent validity as well as dimensionality of the NPSS.Results: The 3-factor structure of the NPSS was replicated with regard to the absolute fit indices. Internal consistencies ranged from acceptable to excellent across the NPSS’s subscales. Providing support for the validity of the NPSS, scores were predictably related to team psychological safety, wellbeing, post-traumatic stress, burnout, body awareness, and personality, with effect sizes typically in the high to medium range. Scores on the NPSS were found to show good test-retest reliability.Conclusions: This study demonstrates the validity, reliability and dimensionality of the NPSS with an adult sample. Further work is underway to support and enhance understandings of psychological safety with diverse clinical populations impacted by trauma. The NPSS has applicability across a range of health and social care contexts, such as shaping new approaches to evaluating trauma treatments and enhancing trauma informed care.HIGHLIGHTSPsychological safety is important for rest, restoration and social bonding, yet a traumatic history can bias individuals towards sensing threat and danger.The current study establishes the validity, reliability and dimensionality the Neuroception of Psychological Safety Scale, rooted in polyvagal theory, that we developed to measure feelings of psychological safety.The scale has wide applicability for both clinical and research purposes, for example, to track feelings of psychological safety during trauma therapy
Deploying Agrivoltaics in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Sustainable Pathway Towards Energy-Food Security-Challenges and Opportunities: A Review
Get PDFAgrivoltaics (APV) offer an innovative solution to the pressing energy and food security challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Over 600 million people in this region lack access to energy, and food insecurity remains pervasive. By combining photovoltaic (PV) systems with agricultural production, APV optimizes land-use efficiency, enabling concurrent renewable energy generation and enhancing agricultural productivity. This review critically evaluates the potential of APV systems to address these dual challenges, focusing on SSA’s unique socioeconomic and environmental contexts. Key findings highlight the APV’s ability to mitigate agricultural constraints, such as water scarcity and climate variability, while providing decentralized energy solutions to rural communities. The analysis emphasizes strategic APV design considerations, including panel height, spacing, and crop compatibility, which are essential for optimizing energy and crop yields. However, challenges such as high initial costs, limited technical capacity, and sociocultural acceptance pose significant barriers to its widespread adoption. This review discusses policy recommendations for addressing these barriers, including financial incentives, technology transfer frameworks, and stakeholder engagement strategies. The novelty of this work lies in its tailored approach to SSA, integrating evidence from global APV case studies and proposing localized implementation strategies that align with the region’s development priorities. This study advances the understanding of APV as a pathway to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in SSA by offering a dual-purpose model for energy access and food security. Overcoming adoption barriers through innovative governance, research, and community engagement will be pivotal to unlocking the transformative potential of APV in SSA’s energy-food landscape
The Impact of Minority-Race Status on the Cross-Race Effect: A Critical Review
Get PDFMeta-analyses have consistently demonstrated the robustness of the cross-race effect (CRE; i.e., better recognition of same-race faces compared to different-race faces). These analyses have unveiled variations in the dependent variables associated with the CRE across combinations of participant and target races (Lee & Penrod, 2022; Meissner & Brigham, 2001). However, the underlying factors driving these variations remain poorly understood. We posit that although the CRE is robust, its generalizability may be contingent on the specific racial groups compared, particularly when contrasting majority and minority racial groups. In this comprehensive review, we delve into the dynamics of the CRE across distinct racial groups and explore how minority status may influence research outcomes. We considered the manuscripts included in the latest meta-analyses of the CRE with a spotlight on minority status. We suggest that minority-race status may explain why many studies considering non-White participants do not show a CRE. The CRE might not be as robust as it appears to be because much of the research on the effect has focused on majority-race participants and minority-race faces. Going forward, researchers should consider incorporating measures relevant to the minority effect, fully crossing participant and target races, and studying a greater variety of races
ExtraCECI: a community-based person-centred-enhanced care intervention to improve the quality of life and person-centred outcomes for people living with HIV/AIDS in Ghana—protocol for cluster randomised controlled trial
Get PDFIntroduction - People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) have complex physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs following diagnosis and poorer health-related quality of life than the general population. Holistic assessment and care delivery incorporating person-centred principles is required to address these needs. This protocol describes a cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT) and process evaluation to evaluate the effectiveness of the extra community-based enhanced care intervention (ExtraCECI) to improve the quality of life and person-centred outcomes for PLWHA in Ghana.Methods and analysis - This cRCT will randomly assign 26 recruited HIV clinics using 1:1 allocation to either ExtraCECI intervention or standard HIV care, with each clinic recruiting an average of 25 participants, that is, 650 in total. Eligible participants are adult PLWHA aged at least 18 years and in HIV care for at least 6 months, with cognitive ability to consent as guided by the Mental Capacity Act, clinically well to participate, attending an outpatient clinic. Healthcare professionals (HCP) at clinics randomised to the ExtraCECI intervention arm will receive training on person-centred care and holistic assessment of PLWHA in the domains of physical, psychological, social and spiritual well-being. PLWHA will be empowered to contribute to their care decisions including HCP using telehealth for ExtraCECI delivery with ongoing mentorship, while participants in the Standard HIV Care arm continue with usual care. The primary outcome is quality of life measured at the individual level using Medical Outcomes Study-HIV (MOS-HIV). The primary analysis will compare MOS-HIV total scores between groups using repeated measure linear mixed model and adjusting for important baseline characteristics (including stratification factors) and random effect of clinic. The incremental costeffectiveness ratio will be used to estimate the costeffectiveness of the ExtraCECI intervention, and a process evaluation will be conducted.Ethics and dissemination - This protocol was approved by Edinburgh Napier University School of Health and Social Care Research Integrity Committee (REF: SHSC3681836) and the Ghana Health Service Ethics Review Committee (GHS-ERC:010/07/24). Results from this study whether positive or negative will be presented to participating sites, communities, at scientific conferences and published in peer reviewed journals
The role of antenatal relaxation practices in enhancing maternal psychological wellbeing and childbirth experiences: an observational study
Get PDFIntroduction: There is growing qualitative evidence that antenatal education on relaxation practices can enable women to deliberately induce a deep state of emotional calmness. Learning to shift focus from distressing emotions such as anxiety and fear to this altered state of calmness may significantly enhance women's confidence, thereby protecting maternal psychological wellbeing and leading to more positive childbirth experiences. However, the generalisability of these findings remains uncertain. This study aimed to bridge this gap by using quantitative methods to validate and extend the qualitative evidence. Methods: Through an observational study with a prospective longitudinal cohort design, ninety-one women attending a single antenatal relaxation class at a Scottish NHS maternity service completed online surveys including Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory (CBSEI), Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS), Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (W-DEQ), and Six-item State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-6) at pre-class, post-class and post-birth. Results: Findings indicated significant improvements in childbirth self-efficacy expectancy, mental wellbeing, fear of childbirth, and both trait and state anxiety after attending the class, and these improvements remained stable until 4–8 weeks after birth. Women widely reported using relaxation practices, with the majority perceiving a positive influence on their pregnancy and childbirth experiences. The majority also viewed their overall childbirth experiences as positive. Discussion: Consequently, maternity services should consider reforming current antenatal education to align with these findings
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