Academic aspirations in Languages

This chapter aims to highlight languages doctoral students’ voices and experiences through qualitative interviews with UK-based PhD students with a strong focus on languages. It investigates the students’ journeys into language studies, their formal university education, and their sense of belonging (or not) to particular learning communities. Narrative inquiry is the methodology underpinning this research, as it is particularly suited to relating and analysing the experiences of a single person or a small number of people. The chapter begins with a general introduction to the interviewees’ educational contexts and backgrounds. The chapter’s first substantive section then proceeds with a discussion of the students’ paths into language studies, their motivations and expectations and the reasons behind them. It examines the extent to which language studies have impacted their personal and professional identities. The middle section of the chapter reflects on the students’ experiences studying at tertiary level, focusing on course content and academic support. It discusses the extent to which the students feel the content covered in their studies is relevant for their aims, the most intellectually stimulating and challenging aspects of studying languages at this level, and the most valuable academic support they receive. The third and final substantive section investigates the extent to which the interviewees feel part of a learning/academic community. It looks at the additional language learning activities the interviewees engage with outside their studies and whether they have sought language-related opportunities abroad. The chapter concludes with recommendations for emerging opportunities and issues that could be taken forwards, which stakeholders (agents, institutions, etc.) should be involved and in what capacity, and what the value of language studies is at doctoral level

BISE : Enhance data sharing security through consortium blockchain and IPFS

Data sharing is pivotal in sectors such as healthcare, finance, and social networking. Encrypting sensitive data, while essential for privacy protection, introduces complexity to data sharing and poses privacy risks when leveraging cloud servers. Blockchain-based searchable encryption offers a balance between privacy preservation and data availability; however, user anonymity remains a significant concern. Traditional storage systems, which rely on centralized servers, limit data stability and scalability. To address these challenges, we have introduced BISE, a solution that leverages the power of blockchain to achieve data integrity, using searchable encryption for secure searches and IPFS for decentralized storage. Constructed on Hyperledger Fabric and IPFS, our system demonstrates efficiency through simulations. This integrated approach ensures data privacy, integrity, and availability, with efficient updates and queries, making it a robust solution for sensitive data sharing in various domains

Prioritizing human-centered cancer care in a digital era

Digital health tools improve the efficiency and quality of cancer care and are poised to have an even greater impact in the future. However, the extent to which these tools will enhance both disease-centered and human-centered care depends on which values, outcomes, and processes diverse stakeholders and sectors prioritize. Human-centered care recognizes the uniqueness and inherent value of individuals and values the inimitability of human relationships. In this Viewpoint, we call for prioritization of human-centered care in the design and implementation of digital health tools. After summarizing key ethical frameworks, we provide examples of digital innovations from Brazil, India, and the United States that demonstrate how choices in design, implementation, and evaluation can enhance human-centered care provision. In addition, we provide recommendations to support clinicians, researchers, and health systems in prioritizing human-centered care, including the involvement of patients, caregivers, and communities in all phases of design and implementation. Funding No funding was used in the creation of this manuscript. WER, ASE, and JEN are partially supported by the NIH/National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer center award P30 CA008748. WER is supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program

Lifting our Heads and Appreciating the Beauty

This is a chapter about discovering and rediscovering purposes, meanings and identities throughout our lives, of resilience and reflection, and of finding flow inside and outside of work. It’s a chapter about two female public sector professionals, Krista and Ruth, navigating career crises and rising to the challenges of an ever-changing professional landscape - a landscape, much like the area of outstanding beauty in which they live, full of wonder and awe but also sharp crags and deep valleys. While both authors’ accounts are very much about reinventions, they offer different perspectives in time with Krista exploring ways to remain meaningful and relevant at work and Ruth exploring ways to do the same in retirement

Monitoring amphibians in a changing climate : conservation assessment of Natterjack Toad Epidalea calamita using ecoacoustics

Amphibians are experiencing global population declines, with the Natterjack Toad Epidalea calamita facing significant range contraction and breeding failures across its European range. Effective conservation of this priority species requires robust, long-term monitoring, yet traditional survey methods are often labour-intensive and limited in scope. This study presents the first application of passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) to assess Natterjack Toad breeding activity. Acoustic recorders were deployed at multiple breeding ponds within the Caerlaverock Wetland Centre, Scotland, over three seasons (2022–2024). Acoustic data revealed consistent diel patterns, with peak calling activity around 22:00, and a seasonal peak between late April and mid-May. Interannual variation in calling onset and intensity was observed, likely influenced by temperature and rainfall. Spatial variation in call detections highlighted key breeding sites and local differences in habitat suitability. Due to weather patterns and resourcing limitations, traditional surveys detected minimal evidence of breeding activity, preventing statistical correlation with acoustic data; however, this disparity underscores the value of PAM in detecting presence and breeding behaviour when other methods are constrained. Our findings demonstrate that PAM is a scalable, non-invasive tool capable of capturing fine-scale temporal and spatial patterns in amphibian activity. This approach offers significant potential for long-term monitoring, particularly under changing environmental conditions, and should be integrated into conservation strategies for Natterjack Toad and other threatened amphibians

The Qualitative Exploration of Experiences of Suicide Attempts and the Nature of Memories of Attempts

This thesis explores the individuals experience of a suicide attempt, containing four sections: a literature review, research paper, critical appraisal and ethics section. In Section One, the literature review presents a meta-ethnography to increase our understanding of how individuals experience both in the moment of and post-attempt. A systematic search of five databases was conducted which identified 36 papers that met inclusion criteria. The meta-synthesis resulted in four key themes: (1) ordering chaos, (2) more pain than before, (3) the need to try and stay alive, and (4) the need for meaningful relationships. These findings highlight a challenging process a person goes through following a suicide attempt. Clinical implications include suicide awareness training for care staff to reduce stigma. In Section Two, empirical research is presented which aimed to explore the nature of momentary memories of suicide attempts in men in mid-life, with a focus on if they are experienced as traumatic and how that may impact future risk. Four men (40-64 years) participated and underwent a two-week daily diary period followed by individual semi structured interviews. Interview data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis which generated four themes: (1) memories forcing entry and being pushed back; (2) vivid nowness: like the back of my hand; (3) guilt and conflict resurface; and (4) recognising a positive change in mindset. Findings convey that memories can be experienced as traumatic and result in associated difficult emotions. Yet memories can also evoke helpful reflection on progress since the attempt. Implications include utilising psychological interventions to support people to accept memories, implement grounding techniques and increase coping. In Section Three, a critical appraisal summarises key findings across the systematic literature review and the empirical paper as well as highlighting key reflections that can inform future research with this population