The ethos, practice, parallels, and intersubjectivity of elite and community sport coaching: how coaches define personal meaning, motivation, and validation

There is a significant literature base relating to behaviors, motivations, and the principles and practices of coaches in the elite performance context, and a growing body of work related to the dispositions and practice of community coaches. However, despite acknowledgments of similarities between performance and community coaching in terms of fundamental postulates (i.e. managing groups/developing relationships), there is a dearth of research specifically exploring any deeper interface between elite-level coaching and community coaching. Given this, the present research focuses on understanding the intersectionality between both contexts as observed and disclosed by coaches with significant experience in both environments (elite-community). Semi-structured interviews with nine such coaches were undertaken, with the findings outlining the inter-related aspects of elite and community coaching, including increasing participants’ altruistic behaviors, facilitating their personal agency, and notably how the coaches saw the development of their participants as a critical part of their own motivation and self-validation

Optimising P2P energy trading using Internet of Things and agentic AI cluster zooming

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become the game changer in smart grids-an enabler of network autonomy, self-healing, and reconfiguration. This study integrates AI and Internet of Things (IoT) to organise peer-to-peer (P2P) energy prosumers into virtual clusters without altering the physical topology of the power network. The aim is to enable an autonomous, scalable and dynamic virtual microgrids (VMG) by leveraging federated learning, agentic AI, AI agents, IoT, and cluster zooming to optimise P2P energy trading costs for pro-sumers and operational expenditure (OPEX) for network operators, depending on the number of prosumers available. The study employs a central controller AI to coordinate multiple local AI agents. Each AI agent resides in the network server and monitors energy trading traffic for each long-range wide-area network (LoRaWAN) gateway to optimise trading and OPEX costs via cluster zooming achieved by the spreading factor (SF) via adaptive data rate (ADR) mechanism of LoRaWAN. The agentic AI module in the cloud autonomously selects and adapts the network coverage based on SF, via the AI energy trading agent configured in the LoRaWAN access network server, to zoom the clusters (i.e., VMGs) in grid-connected and island modes. The study formulates an energy trading model connecting the physical (electrical) and virtual (telecom) distances and OPEX in the VMG. With agentic AI-assisted cluster zooming, over 70% of the energy is traded at lower SF. At the same time, the energy costs decrease by 40% in proportion to the network size and the number of prosumers. For the network operator, OPEX reduces by 21% and 38% in base-station power consumption. Ultimately, grid-connected prosumers pay higher charges than their off-grid counterparts. The agentic AI model in this study exemplifies a use case of the 3GPP model of the future 6G network

Creative Writing and the Critical Commentary: Reflection, Influence, Process

In this unique collection of essays, published writers offer an intimate view of how their work has been informed, shaped and transformed by their literary, political, philosophical or personal influences. Providing models of the critical commentaries that all students of creative writing must write, each essay from contemporary authors of fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, scripts and digital writing demonstrates how what writers write is determined by what they have read, and what they read is then determined by what they are writing. As writers reflect on their process of moving from sources of inspiration to a finished and original piece of writing, they reveal their anxieties, passions, discoveries and motivations, offering fascinating insights into the imagination's journey. Introductory chapters explore why writers reflect on their own work, and place this practice in wider contexts, offering theoretical frameworks for understanding process, influence, and inspiration. As illuminating for aspiring writers as it is for students reflecting on their research and process as part of writing courses, Creative Writing and the Critical Commentary will change the way writers talk about and engage with other texts

Fractional-order differential model for knee implant recovery in smart health infrastructures

Recovery from knee replacement surgery in conventional orthopaedic healthcare systems can be delayed due to high costs, pain, limited monitoring, and insufficient follow-up, which may hinder early detection of poor healing and inflammation. This study presents a smart orthopaedic healthcare model for knee replacement recovery, where integrated sensors support continuous monitoring and improve the rehabilitation process, thereby reducing delays associated with traditional care systems. A mathematical modelling approach based on compartmental modelling and fractional-order dynamics is used to represent delayed healing responses following total knee replacement surgery. The analysis shows that prolonged delays in monitoring and treatment can lead to unstable recovery patterns, resulting in fluctuations in knee function and inflammation levels. To improve recovery outcomes, the study demonstrates that intelligent sensing devices providing real-time feedback effectively reduce inflammation and enhance joint performance. Results show that when delays are minimised, near-complete restoration of knee function is achieved (≥ 98%), accompanied by optimal inflammation suppression and functional recovery. However, in the presence of delays, recovery remains substantially improved, particularly in terms of inflammation control (≈ 92%), although overall functional gains and recovery efficiency are comparatively reduced. Overall, this work highlights the importance of early inflammation management and feedback-assisted rehabilitation in maintaining knee stability and accelerating recovery. The proposed model provides a theoretical foundation for developing advanced rehabilitation strategies and intelligent device-assisted therapies in smart orthopaedic healthcare systems

Integrating eco-therapy into coaching psychology: A dual case study of grounding, meaning-making, and emergent agency

Introduction: Climate change is increasingly recognised not only as an environmental crisis but also as a source of psychological distress. Eco-therapy and coaching psychology offer promising, complementary approaches – but little research has explored their integration. This dual-case study examines the impact of eco-therapy-informed coaching on individuals experiencing climate-related emotional distress. Methods: Two participants each engaged in a single coaching session – one outdoors and one online – designed to address eco-emotional challenges. Both sessions incorporated nature-based and somatic practices, followed by a semi-structured interview. Results: Reflexive thematic analysis identified four key themes: (1) from disconnection to grounded presence, including embodied reconnection and emotional regulation; (2) meaning-making and personal agency through metaphor and imagery; (3) integration beyond the session, as participants adapted eco-therapeutic practices into daily life; and (4) constraints and complexities, including the need for emotional containment and psychologically safe engagement with climate-related emotions. Discussion: The sessions facilitated shifts from emotional overwhelm to grounded clarity, helping participants reconnect with their bodies, reflect on their values, and develop sustainable practices. Nature-based metaphors and embodied experiences served as powerful tools for insight and agency, though emotional intensity and the scale of climate distress remained key challenges. Conclusions: This study provides insights into the integration of eco-therapy and coaching psychology. While limited by a small, self-selecting sample, the findings suggest potential for wider application and highlight the need for trauma-informed practice and further research across diverse populations and contexts

A battle for validation and understanding of people with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND): Effects of stigma and actions of others on well-being and self-perception

It is increasingly recognized that further research is needed to examine the effect of stigma, bias and the views of others in people experiencing Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). In this light, the present qualitative study focused on an exploration of how the well-being and self-perception of people with FND might be affected by the stigma of others. Seven participants (from England, Wales, Australia, and New Zealand) were recruited via adverts posted to online FND support group webpages and took part in in-depth online semi-structured interviews exploring the personal experiences of living with FND. Transcripts of the interviews were then analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Two superordinate themes were developed: dehumanization and self-perception. These superordinate themes comprised of the following subordinate themes: consent issues; disbelief and disregard; self-doubt; and self-stigma. Consent issues and disbelief and disregard reflected dehumanization, while self-doubt and self-stigma encompass self-perception. The present data highlighted just how impactful stigma and disbelief are in leading to negative self-perception and dehumanization of people with FND. Future research is needed to help those living with FND to overcome the negative consequences of this stigma and actions of others, such as reduced quality of life, deterioration of symptoms and decreased well-being

Finding the words to say how you feel: experiences of using embodied metaphors

Introduction: Metaphors play a crucial role in structuring understanding of experiences and enabling expression of thoughts and feelings that are otherwise difficult to articulate. While their use in counselling is well established, limited research has explored how embodied metaphors, grounded in sensory and bodily experiences, facilitate emotional expression. This study addresses a gap by examining participant experiences of using embodied metaphors and their perceived helpfulness in discussing difficult emotions. Method: 20 participants aged 18–52, excluding those with current mental health diagnoses or in therapy, took part in semi-structured interviews. They used embodied metaphors (visual, sound, smell, taste, touch, bodily sensation) to express emotions linked to a difficult experience and rated each metaphor’s helpfulness. Data was analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006, 2019, 2022). Results: Four themes were identified: Sensory Preferences, Memory Trumps Metaphor, Storytelling Through Metaphor, and Gaining Perspective. Sensory preferences, imagery vividness, and memory recall shaped participants’ engagement with metaphors. While embodied metaphors often supported emotional expression and insight, sensory sensitivities and strong memory recall sometimes acted as barriers, shifting focus from emotions to events. Conclusion: Embodied metaphors can facilitate emotional expression, particularly through storytelling. Variations in sensory preferences, imagery vividness, and memory recall influenced perceptions of helpfulness. Findings highlight the potential of embodied metaphors as a therapeutic multi-tool that extends beyond visual imagery to incorporate diverse sensory domains. This personalised approach may deepen emotional exploration and insight, with further research needed to refine clinical applications

Blackcurrant anthocyanin supplementation alters exercise-induced substrate utilisation – a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: blackcurrant anthocyanins have been investigated for the effects on exercise-induced substrate utilisation. Studies have addressed the effects of dose, duration of intake and exercise modalities. Results are mixed, with studies generally demonstrating fat oxidation to be increased, while carbohydrate oxidation to be decreased. Objective: to undertake a systematic review of literature and a meta-analysis of results. Data sources: Electronic database searches were undertaken in PubMed, Web of Science and EBSCOhost from 1st May up to 14th November 2025, using a pre-defined search strategy. Study selection: The inclusion criteria required studies to be controlled trials investigating the effects of blackcurrant supplementation on fat and carbohydrate oxidation during exercise in physically active adults (18-65 years). All forms, doses, and durations of blackcurrant supplementation were eligible, with outcomes reported as absolute rates of substrate utilisation during exercise. Data extraction and synthesis: two authors independently extracted data and assessed for risk of bias using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool, with a random-effects meta-analysis undertaken on the mean difference between control or placebo and consumption of blackcurrant extract on exercise substrate utilisation. Results: Searches returned 263 articles, with 15 studies included with 226 participants after full-text screening. Meta-analysis demonstrated blackcurrant extract to increase fat oxidation (0.042 g·min-1, P<0.001) and decrease carbohydrate oxidation (-0.099 g·min-1, P=0.012). Conclusions: Blackcurrant can increase fat oxidation and decrease carbohydrate oxidation during exercise. However, this finding is not consistent for individuals and factors such as training status, sex, dosage, duration of intake may determine responses

Countermovement jump testing

The most common approach to assessing neuromuscular capacity for informing physical preparation is through the countermovement jump. The rationale for using the countermovement jump over other jump tests is that it is relatively easy to control, requires little familiarisation to implement with athletes and with appropriate resources can glean detailed information regarding an athlete’s neuromuscular and slow stretch-shorten cycle function. The evolution of affordable and portable force platforms has enabled practitioners to gather extensive information from jump tests to inform athlete physical preparation programmes. However, to implement this test effectively for athlete monitoring purposes, practitioners need to fully consider a variety of factors to ensure valid and reliable data collection, which forms the primary aim of this chapter. This chapter provides guidelines for conducting the countermovement jump test, including the different equipment options that can be used to assess the countermovement jump, the protocols that should be employed when using this different equipment, how data should be analysed and how the practitioner can effectively use these data to inform their athletes’ training programmes

The influence of voice masculinity and femininity on parents' and teachers' expectations of children’s academic and occupational competence

Gender-related acoustic features of voices may play a role in perceived aptitude for academic subjects and occupations. In the present study, parents and teachers rated the perceived competence of children with respect to a range of gender-stereotyped academic subjects and future possible occupations. Ratings were based solely on re-synthesized recordings of 8 children (4 girls, 4 boys) saying a single sentence. Resynthesis involved changing format spacing only, either to the mean for each gender in the larger group from which the four speakers had been selected, or to one standard deviation above or below that mean. In Experiment 1, the speakers were rated for perceived competence in academic subjects by 61 parents and 38 teachers. Results showed that lowered or raised voices led to ratings of different levels of competence in traditionally masculine-typed or feminine-typed academic subjects, although the effects were clearer for boy speakers than for girl speakers. In Experiment 2, the speakers were rated for perceived competence in future occupations by 49 parents and 50 teachers. Results showed that perceptions of both boys’ and girls’ aptitude for gender-typed occupations were even more clearly affected in stereotypical ways by the raised or lowered voices. The results have implications for possible interventions with adults to prevent unintentional stereotyping of children, and also point to the value of this method as an implicit measure of parents’ and teachers’ stereotyping of academic subjects and occupations