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Recent reports have identified that PIEDs use is rising within the Armed Forces leading to concerns over health and concomitant operational risks. The aim of this study was to identify the roles of gateways and gatekeepers on PIEDs use among a cohort of UK military veterans. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 ex-Service personnel. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed using NVivo12 software. Common themes were identified around the ways in which the veterans were introduced to PIEDs and how they accessed them. Gateways consisted of two categories of Circumstances and Behaviour, including excessive gym use, the need to cope with fitness demands of military service, overseas deployment, and previous experiences with nutritional and body-building supplements. Gatekeepers included friends, colleagues, and mentors and their roles were captured in two categories of Procurement of PIEDs and Information Dissemination. Recommendations include the need for further research on the roles of gatekeepers and gateways as important pathways to PIEDS use. Additionally, there is a need to build on themes suggested by earlier researchers to identify social, cultural, and economic factors that underpin motives for PIEDs use in the uniformed services. These two recommendations would inform the design and evaluation of PIEDs-related interventions.

This project aimed to identify if there were differences in coaching behaviours between coaches trained and educated in less-academic, traditional, governing body of sport approaches (n=6) and those who were educated and trained through Higher Education routes (n=6). Data were gathered from twelve coaches by videoing and audio-recording coaching sessions. The data were analysed using the REVISED ASUOI observation tool, employing an independent-samples t-test to establish differences between the graduate coaches and non-graduate coaches across each of the behaviour categories. Differences were identified in five categories – Learning Intention, Closed Questioning, Open Questioning, Coaches’ Model, and Observation. Graduateness as outlined by Coetzee (2014), was proffered as an explanation of differences. Further work is suggested using conversational analyses to provide a more subtle and nuanced examination of the coaches’ vocabularies and judgements as they communicate.

Masters swimming offers training and competition opportunities to adults over the age of 25 years through structured programmes. This study aimed to identify what influenced masters swimmers to engage in training and competition. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the experiences of 12 masters Swimmers (8 male, 4 females; age range = 23-76 years). Data was recorded, transcribed ‘verbatim’, and thematically analysed. Following analysis, a total of 237 meaning units were identified. They were located into 36 themes before being placed into 8 categories: Achieving Goals, Habituation, Health and Fitness, Organisational Influences, Significant Others, Psychological Benefits, Social, and Swim Specific. The most important findings were themes related to the impact of the coach in their participation, participants’ health and fitness, the positive atmosphere inside the squad /club, competitions (for most), and socialisation. This work has helped to identify a landscape that will assist clubs and organisations to develop and maintain masters swimming programmes. Future research is suggested to broaden the range and numbers of responses geographically and culturally, to consider masters swimming alongside other sporting and non-sporting physical activities in which older people participate and extend the work through theoretical discourse.

Objective: Hospital treated deliberate self-poisoning is common in young people. Internationally, estimates of rates of depression in this population are very wide (14.6% to 88%). The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of depression and the independent predictors of referral for psychiatric hospitalisation in young people (aged 16 to 25 years) following an index episode of hospital treated deliberate self-poisoning. Method: A retrospective cohort study design (n = 1410), with data drawn from a population-based clinical case register. Unadjusted and adjusted estimates of predictors of referral for psychiatric admission (after-care) used logistic regression models. Results: Prevalence of any depression diagnosis was 35.5% (n = 500); and 25.4% (n = 358) were referred for a psychiatric admission. The adjusted estimates for predictors of psychiatric inpatient referral were: high suicidal level (OR 118.21: CI 95% 63.23–220.99), low/moderate suicidal level (14.27: 9.38–21.72), any depression (2.88: 1.97–4.22), any psychosis (4.06; 1.15–14.36), older age (1.12: 1.04–1.21), and number of support people (0.88: 0.78–0.98). Conclusion: Depression was diagnosed in more than a third and was an independent predictor of psychiatric inpatient referral, so service providers need to account for this level of need in the provision of assessment and after-care services. Evidence-based guidelines for psychiatric inpatient after-care for deliberate self-poisoning and/or depression in young people are limited. Our explanatory model included suicidal level, depression, psychosis, older age, and available support persons, suggesting that the treating clinicians were making these discharge decisions for admission in keeping with those limited guidelines, although the balance of benefits and harms of psychiatric hospitalisation are not established. Future research examining patient experiences, effectiveness of psychiatric hospitalisation, and alternatives to hospitalisation is warranted.

"The exploration of factors underpinning Olympic success (number of medals won) extended to the Human Development Index (HDI). Analysis of the Rio Olympic Games supported the influence of geographic and social variables. Schooling was one of the most important predictors and together with population explained 64%; when adding geographic variables (North-West and temperature) 67% of Olympic medals won were explained. This relationship was validated in the last four Olympic Games (from 2004 to 2016). This is the first study ever to demonstrate that specific social and geographical factors determine more than two thirds of the variance in Olympic success. Keywords: Olympic medals, HDI, schooling, population size."

ObjectivesTo explore athletes’ past and current experiences and perceptions of the menstrual cycle in relation to its impact on sporting performance.Methods15 international female rugby players participated in individual semi-structured interviews (age: 24.5±6.2 years). All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim, resulting in 37 376 words of text for descriptive and thematic analysis. Inter-rater reliability checks resulted in a concordance of agreement of 83%.ResultsAlmost all athletes (93%) reported menstrual cycle-related symptoms. Thirty-three per cent perceived heavy menstrual bleeding and 67% considered these symptoms impaired their performances. Two-thirds of athletes self-medicated to alleviate symptoms. Thematic analysis generated 262 meaning units, 38 themes, 10 categories and 4 general dimensions. The four general dimensions were: (1) symptoms: physiological and psychological menstrual cycle-related symptoms such as dysmenorrhoea, flooding, reduced energy levels, worry, distraction, fluctuating emotions and reduced motivation; (2) impact: perceived impact of menstruation on different aspects of daily lives and performance including negative and neutral responses; (3) resolution: the methods/approaches in dealing with menstruation-related concerns including accepting, or adapting and managing symptoms with self-medication or expert treatment; (4) support: available support and comfortability in discussing menstrual cycle-related issues.ConclusionsThis study provides the first in-depth insight into athlete’s experiences of the menstrual cycle and perceived impact on training and competition. It highlights individual responses to menstrual ‘issues’ and emphasises the need for clinicians and support staff to undertake menstrual cycle profiling, monitoring and continue to develop awareness, openness, knowledge and understanding of the menstrual cycle.

In 1500, Scotland was a backward, impoverished country with a small population, an undeveloped economy and an indeterminate border with England. By 1800, the Industrial Revolution was in full swing; Scotland had become one of the most highly urbanized countries in Europe and its landscape had been radically altered by agricultural improvement. "The Changing Scottish Landscape" provides an analysis of these crucial centuries and examines the process by which the Scottish landscape changed in the transition from medieval to modern. Focusing directly on the countryside, Ian and Kathleen Whyte assess patterns of settlement and agriculture, and consider the widespread impact upon these by the first Improvers and the Agricultural Revolution. They examine the influence of the Church and the role played by improved communications and the rise of new industries. Each chapter highlights a range of sights which vividly recreate the character of the countryside during this period. This book should be of interest to students and teachers of history and geography of Scotland.

This study identified what effects project Handball at School had on target accuracy amongst primary aged school children (n=293) over a 6 month period, who undertook daily PE in school. They were grouped into 3 experimental schools in which intervention took place and 2 control schools. In order to examine target accuracy, technical form, and time in task, 2 tests were applied. The first test involved students in throwing sponge-handballs 5 times with no break at a target from a stationary straddle stand. The aim of the exercise was to hit a small box using an overarm throw. The other test involved running movement. Target accuracy and technical form improved in test 1 across all age groups. In the more dynamic activity with the preceding run technical form improved across all age groups and positive trends were identified in target accuracy, albeit that only one age group recorded significant improvements. The authors suggest that the results indicate the benefits of the Handball at School as a sport specific intervention programme. There is a cautionary note that adding further complexity or speed with children in these groups may contribute some confounding variables.

Hospital-treated self-harm rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) people are at least double those for other Australians. Despite this, limited research has explored the relationship between Indigeneity and the clinical management of hospital-treated deliberate self-harm. A retrospective clinical cohort study (2003–2012) at a regional referral centre (NSW) for deliberate self-poisoning was used to explore the magnitude and direction of the relationship between Indigeneity and discharge destination (psychiatric hospital vs. other) using a series of logistic regressions. There were 149 (4%) Indigenous and 3697 (96%) non-Indigenous deliberate self-poisoning admissions during the study period. One-third (31%) were referred to the psychiatric hospital at discharge; Indigenous 21% (n = 32) vs. non-Indigenous 32% (n = 1175). Those who identified as Indigenous were less likely to be discharged to the psychiatric hospital, OR 0.59 (0.40–0.87) at the univariate level, with little change after sequential adjustment; and AOR 0.34 (0.21–0.73) in the fully adjusted model. The Indigenous cohort had a lower likelihood of psychiatric hospital discharge even after adjustment for variables associated with discharge to the psychiatric hospital highlighting the need for further investigation of the reasons accounting for this differential pattern of clinical management and the effectiveness of differential after-care allocation.

To examine the relationship between plant presence and pollen presence, modern pollen samples were collected and counted from natural moss polsters in the UK uplands. The herbaceous pollen signal is difficult to interpret in paleoecological analysis as pollen presence is often rare for individual herb taxa. Indices of association have previously been used to determine association from over- and under-representation; however, previous surveys have used spatially limited single-source areas. Indices of Association (IOA) between pollen and plant presence at increasing distance from the pollen source, to 50 m, are presented in a new spatially extended IOA (SEIOA) method. For several pollen taxa, including Plantago lanceolata, Ranunculus acris-type, Rumex and the Cichorioideae family, association increased progressively, when plants at greater distance were included in the calculation, and over-representation was reduced. Other taxa become increasingly under-represented at the landscape scale, e.g., Filipendula, Apiaceae, Cerastium indicating true ultra-local source areas. A weak association and increasing under-representation indices, cautions that pollen absence of these types in paleoecological analysis is not a secure indicator of plant absence. Extended IOA values can aid the interpretation of the rare-type pollen spectra in paleoecological analyses. The method shows potential for developing individual pollen source areas (iPSAs) for herbaceous pollen types. These iPSAs together with the probability of correct application, determined by accuracy and association scores, are useful when applying pollen correction factors in pollen-derived vegetation community and landscape models. Further indices and significance testing are suggested to enhance understanding of the association and the rate of correct classification. The results can assist both interpretation of community composition from the herbaceous pollen spectra in local-scale paleoecological studies, and understanding the limits to this interpretation in paleoecological analysis.

The limitations of two-dimensional electrodes can be overcome by using three-dimensional materials having sufficient porosity and active area while offering moderate mass transport rates and a relatively low pressure drop at controlled electrolyte flow rate. In concept, a wide variety of metal, ceramic and composite materials are possible but restrictions are imposed by the need to avoid materials degradation, while maintaining adequate electrical conductivity, sufficient robustness and the possibility of facile scale-up. Despite its fragility, one of the traditional electrode materials used as a porous, three-dimensional electrode is carbon foam, particularly in the 97% vol. porous form of reticulated vitreous carbon, RVC. A time-line indicates that the history of this material dates back over 50 years to the mid-1960s, when it was primarily used as an uncoated material in small-scale, laboratory electroanalysis. Surface modification and diverse coatings have considerably extended the use of RVC. Recent applications are found in sensors and monitors, electrosynthesis, environmental processing and energy conversion. This review highlights the fundamental structure and summarises the physicochemical properties of RVC. Fluid flow through various porosity grades of the material, their active electrochemical area and rates of mass transport are quantified. The diverse applications of RVC in energy conversion, environmental treatment and electrosynthesis are illustrated by selected examples from the authors’ laboratories and others over the last 30 years. Recent research on coated RVC, energy conversion environmental remediation and sensors is highlighted. Critical areas deserving further research and development are proposed.

This study investigated the relationship between pre-competition mood state factors in gymnastics by gender, age and a national ranking. Participant-gymnasts (total n=116, male n=49, female n=67) completed a Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS) one day prior to their main competition of the year. Information was also gathered from gymnasts of gender, age and a national ranking. Consistent with theoretical predictions, results confirmed that a number of pre-competition mood states differed by age with both juniors and seniors having a higher level of anger than children (p

It is well known that in English society between the sixteenth and the nineteenth centuries the people who worked the land were often not those who were named in rentals and surveys as owning it. T...