LGBT+ inclusive primary education in England and Wales: overcoming objections and developing effective practice

Report/resource from British Academy/ Leverhulme funded research around the impact of protests on LGBT+ inclusive primary education. Includes key research findings and recommendations for overcoming objections and developing effective practice. This research began at the University of Sheffield in April 2020 and was completed mid-2022 at the University of Hertfordshire. The University of Leeds has also been a partner institution for the duration of the study

HPV-FRAME: A consensus statement and quality framework for modelled evaluations of HPV-related cancer control.

Intense research activity in HPV modelling over this decade has prompted the development of additional guidelines to those for general modelling. A specific framework is required to address different policy questions and unique complexities of HPV modelling. HPV-FRAME is an initiative to develop a consensus statement and quality-based framework for epidemiologic and economic HPV models. Its development involved an established process. Reporting standards have been structured according to seven domains reflecting distinct policy questions in HPV and cancer prevention and categorised by relevance to a population or evaluation. Population-relevant domains are: 1) HPV vaccination in pre-adolescent and young adolescent individuals; 2) HPV vaccination in older individuals; 3) targeted vaccination in men who have sex with men; 4) considerations for individuals living with HIV and 5) considerations for low- and middle-income countries. Additional considerations applicable to specific evaluations are: 6) cervical screening or integrated cervical screening and HPV vaccination approaches and 7) alternative vaccine types and alternative dosing schedules. HPV-FRAME aims to promote the development of models in accordance with an explicit framework, to better enable target audiences to understand a model's strength and weaknesses in relation to a specific policy question and ultimately improve the model's contribution to informed decision-making

Town of Ludlow Master Plan. Part I: Envisioning 2030

The Master Plan Committee for the town of Ludlow contracted with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) to prepare a new Master Plan. PVPC engaged the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning (LARP) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst to assist with a portion of the Master Plan work. This work included: executing analysis and assessment of existing community conditions, conducting a weekend visioning workshop, and developing land use scenarios for the purpose of providing concrete visualization of possible futures for the Town of Ludlow in 2030

The impact of immediate breast reconstruction on the time to delivery of adjuvant therapy: the iBRA-2 study

Background: Immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) is routinely offered to improve quality-of-life for women requiring mastectomy, but there are concerns that more complex surgery may delay adjuvant oncological treatments and compromise long-term outcomes. High-quality evidence is lacking. The iBRA-2 study aimed to investigate the impact of IBR on time to adjuvant therapy. Methods: Consecutive women undergoing mastectomy ± IBR for breast cancer July–December, 2016 were included. Patient demographics, operative, oncological and complication data were collected. Time from last definitive cancer surgery to first adjuvant treatment for patients undergoing mastectomy ± IBR were compared and risk factors associated with delays explored. Results: A total of 2540 patients were recruited from 76 centres; 1008 (39.7%) underwent IBR (implant-only [n = 675, 26.6%]; pedicled flaps [n = 105,4.1%] and free-flaps [n = 228, 8.9%]). Complications requiring re-admission or re-operation were significantly more common in patients undergoing IBR than those receiving mastectomy. Adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy was required by 1235 (48.6%) patients. No clinically significant differences were seen in time to adjuvant therapy between patient groups but major complications irrespective of surgery received were significantly associated with treatment delays. Conclusions: IBR does not result in clinically significant delays to adjuvant therapy, but post-operative complications are associated with treatment delays. Strategies to minimise complications, including careful patient selection, are required to improve outcomes for patients

Living Gender in Diverse Times: Young People’s Understandings and Experiences of Gender Diversity in the UK : A briefing for schools, youth service, charities and other third sector organisations working with young people

Newspapers, television, and online media often report that young people are increasingly rejecting traditional gender labels and embracing gender diversity. The popularity of gender diverse celebrities such as Miley Cyrus and Sam Smith and TV shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race are often cited in the media to suggest that young people are discarding gender norms. Academic research also indicates that traditional gender identities and expressions are being less rigidly experienced by young people. These cultural shifts are accompanied by an increasing social awareness of gender diversity and greater legal protections for gender diverse people in many countries. Yet, young people’s experiences continue to be characterized by regulatory gender norms and a rigid gender binary structured around the categories of male and female. This means that young people’s perceptions and life choices are still strongly influenced by persistent stereotypes about what it means to be a ‘girl’ or ‘boy’. Gender stereotypes influence and constrain us at every stage of our lives – often in ways of which we are unaware – and transphobic and sexist bullying remain commonplace. While many who work with young people are striving to support them to explore their own gender identities and understand those of others, negative assumptions about transgender continue to be pervasive. Worryingly, ‘gender critical’ assumptions about gender that stress the ‘naturalness’ of a male/female binary model have also found their way into schools under the guise of relationship and sex education materials