Broadland:Shaping Marsh and Fen

Broadland, or ‘the Broads’, is a unique area of wetlands occupying the floodplains of a network of waterways in eastern Norfolk and north-eastern Suffolk, and which includes around forty shallow freshwater lakes. Since the nineteenth century it has been a major holiday destination, with countless visitors attracted by the seemingly timeless tranquillity of its rivers, fens and marshes. The area also provides a globally important habitat for numerous rare species of flora and fauna. But this is, nevertheless, very much a landscape shaped by its history, and even the ‘broads’ themselves, the shallow lakes which give the area its name, are flooded peat-cuttings dating from the Middle Ages. This is the first new academic study of Broadland for many decades and uses the latest research to explore the making of this distinctive landscape. With contributions from a team of prominent East Anglian local historians, archaeologists and natural scientists, Tom Williamson and Alison Yardy explain how the marshes were reclaimed and the fens were managed, explore the development of drainage technology and discuss the impact of commerce, industry and tourism. The landscape of the adjacent uplands is also considered, in chapters examining subjects as diverse as vernacular architecture and monastic foundations, prehistoric archaeology and medieval parish churches. Broadland's environments everywhere bear the marks of past human exploitation; its landscapes have always been changing. And all this has profound philosophical implications for the practice of conservation in what is now a National Park. Highly readable and copiously illustrated, this authoritative account will be essential reading for all with an interest in the history and ecology of Broadland. But it will also appeal to those who simply want to know more about the forces that have shaped the character of an iconic British landscape

In Conversation with Women Practitioners

The following section consists of six interviews with women practitioners. Despite their differences in roles, media systems, and the period in which they worked, similar themes emerged across all interviews, indicating that more work is necessary, if the creative industries are to become equitable and truly inclusive. Gruelling schedules, gendered job segregation, problems with representation both behind and in front of the camera, are just some of the issues discussed in these wide-ranging conversations

Using a picture-based book to support epilepsy care in clinical consultations for people with intellectual disabilities

Background and aims People with intellectual disabilities are more likely to have epilepsy than the general population. A picture-based book, Getting on with Epilepsy, may help to improve their epilepsy management and quality of life. The present study aimed to explore how the book could be best used in routine clinical care. Methods Twenty people with epilepsy and intellectual disabilities were video-recorded using the Getting on with Epilepsy book with a nurse or doctor. This was analysed using conversation analytic methods. Eighteen patients and five clinicians took part in interviews to explore their views on book use, which were thematically analysed. All data were then synthesised to form themes. Results Three themes were identified which demonstrated the importance of (1) understanding the book depicted seizures (2) relating the book to the participants’ experiences (3) using the book as an education and information tool. The themes highlighted the techniques and approaches that clinicians used to facilitate understanding. Some tensions and differences were noted between training and implementation in routine practice, particularly around prompts in themes 1 and 3 intended to correct or change participants’ interpretation of the book. Conclusions The Getting on with Epilepsy book can be used in routine clinical practice to support people with intellectual disabilities and epilepsy. There was a balance between exploring patients’ narratives and understanding with the need to convey clinical information, and this may also apply to the use of other accessible resources

Students' perspectives on the organisation of health in physical education

Purpose: This study explored students’ perspectives of the approaches to organising health in secondary school physical education lessons. Method: Utilising a qualitative methodology, forty-seven students (aged 11 to 16 years) from four secondary schools were interviewed. Data were analysed thematically, with Harris’ ‘approaches to organising health in physical education’ conceptual framework used to support the analytical process. Results: For the focused approach, many students reported that a positive aspect was its functional nature. They valued a dedicated lesson specifically for health-related learning and appreciated not having to concentrate on two aspects at once. For the permeation approach, views were mixed, while the combined approach was hardly mentioned from either a positive or a negative perspective. Conclusion: We provided the first insight into students’ perspectives of the organisation of health in physical education and highlighted the importance of consulting students in the development of effective health education programmes

A cognitive-behavioural psychoeducation intervention on childhood anxiety for school staff: A quantitative feasibility study

The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a newly developed online psychoeducation intervention on childhood anxiety for school staff using a within groups pre-post design. The intervention is informed by cognitive behavioural therapy principles. Seventy six participants volunteered to attend a brief online training, and complete two brief questionnaires pre and post the training. Following the intervention, school staff reported that they were significantly less likely to respond to children's anxious behaviours with anxiety-promoting responses (i.e., sanctions, avoidance reinforcement and overprotection), and were more likely to respond with autonomy-promoting responses in line with cognitive behavioural theory (i.e., problem-solving, reward and encouragement). On average, participants found the intervention engaging, useful, suitable, appropriate and easy-to-access. Participants also reported that they felt more confident in understanding childhood anxiety and implementing anxiety strategies in their work following the intervention. Areas of development were noted regarding the drop-out rates of the online intervention. Overall, the novel, online intervention appears to be a feasible and acceptable method for those who participated. In addition, the preliminary outcomes show promise and warrant further investigation. Limitations of the study are discussed with suggestions for future research and areas for improvement

The Politics of Recognition in the Age of Digital Spaces:Appearing Together

This book provides a philosophical analysis of the notion of selfhood that underlies identity politics. It offers a unique theory of the self that combines previous scholarly work on recognition and the phenomenology of space. The politics of identity occupy the centre of a contested terrain. Marginalised and oppressed peoples continue to seek the transformation of our shared social world and our political institutions required for their lives to be liveable. Public criticism and academic treatments of identity politics often take a disparaging view that treats it as subordinate to more general political questions about justice and the organisation of society and its institutions. This book argues that these polemics ignore the numerous ways in which all politics is concerned with matters of selfhood and identity. Through a rereading of Hegel’s account of recognition as an ongoing and dynamic process that constitutes the self, it presents selves—and the categories of identity that qualify these selves—as fundamentally conditioned by the environments in which they appear before themselves and others. It also argues that we do the work of identity in public spaces—particularly digital spaces—and that these spaces shape what identities we can assume and what those identities mean. Contemporary social media technologies facilitate the production of particular forms of selfhood through the combined logics of the interface, the profile, and the post. The Politics of Recognition in the Age of Digital Spaces will be of interest to scholars and advanced students working in a wide range of disciplines including political philosophy, phenomenology, philosophy of technology, sociology, political theory, and critical theory. It will also appeal to anyone with an interest in contemporary identity politics, whether as a matter of study or lived experience

Polyurethane infused with heparin capped silver nanoparticles dressing for wound healing application: Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial studies

Burn and diabetic wounds present significant challenges due to their complex nature, delayed healing, pain, and high susceptibility to bacterial infections. In this study, we developed and evaluated polyurethane (PU) nanofibers embedded with heparin-functionalized silver nanoparticles (hep-AgNPs) using an electrospinning technique. The choice to functionalize silver nanoparticles with heparin was based on heparin's established role in modulating inflammation and promoting angiogenesis. The electrospun nanofibers exhibited smooth, bead-free morphology with diameters ranging from 300 to 500 nm and demonstrated a sustained release of silver over seven days, offering continuous antimicrobial protection. Mechanical testing of the nanofibers revealed excellent strength and elasticity, making them well-suited for flexible wound dressings. The nanofibers also showed superior water absorption, fluid retention, and controlled water vapor transmission, essential for maintaining a moist wound environment conducive to healing. In vitro biocompatibility assays confirmed that the PU/hep-AgNPs bandages were non-toxic to keratinocytes and fibroblasts and significantly accelerated wound closure, as evidenced by scratch assays. The nanofibrous bandages also exhibited potent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella Typhimurium, two common wound pathogens. Overall, our findings demonstrate that PU/hep-AgNPs nanofibrous bandages are a promising candidate for chronic wound healing. They combine excellent biocompatibility, anti-inflammatory properties, and strong antimicrobial activity, which collectively contribute to faster wound healing and reduced risk of infection

Introduction: Indigeneity, Community and Participatory Practice:Methods, Concepts and Perspectives from the Global South

Introduction to Special Issue: Indigeneity, Community and Participatory Practice: Methods, Concepts and Perspectives from the Global South

Testing for strong exogeneity in Proxy-VARs

Proxy variables have gained widespread prominence as indispensable tools for identifying structural VAR models. Analogous to instrumental variables, proxies need to be exogenous, i.e. uncorrelated with all non-target shocks. Assessing the exogeneity of proxies has traditionally relied on economic arguments rather than statistical tests. We argue that the economic rationale underlying the construction of commonly used proxy variables aligns with a stronger form of exogeneity. Specifically, proxies are typically constructed as variables not containing any information on the expected value of non-target shocks. We show conditions under which this enhanced concept of proxy exogeneity is testable without additional identifying assumptions