Buckinghamshire New University

This article explores the perceived challenges experienced by first-year adult nursing students with no prior clinical exposure during their initial placements in UK healthcare settings. Drawing on current literature and educational policy, three core themes are examined: the persistent theory-practice gap, the emotional preparedness and resilience required for effective transition, and the value of peer learning in enhancing support and confidence. Students new to clinical practice frequently report feeling unprepared, anxious, and overwhelmed. Contributing factors include limited supervision, emotionally demanding environments, and a lack of belonging. The findings highlight the importance of emotionally safe placements, effective preceptorship, and structured opportunities for reflection and peer support. Peer learning has emerged as a powerful strategy for enhancing engagement, reducing stress, and fostering a professional identity. These insights are vital for nurse educators and practice partners to improve support mechanisms, reduce attrition, and prepare students for compassionate, competent practice.

Involving patients and the public in health research helps ensure that studies are of high quality and focus on the issues that matter most to the people affected. However, researchers do not always explain clearly how they have done this, making it hard to understand how these voices have shaped the research. This study looked at over 500 research papers published by authors from a UK Russell Group university to see how well the involvement of patients and the public was reported. Only one in five papers mentioned how patients and the public were involved in the main text, and fewer still acknowledged contributions from patients or public partners. Very few papers included patient authors or collaborators from charities and community organisations. Although most papers were freely available online, only 10% included a plain English summary to help non-specialists understand the research. To better understand these findings, the researchers worked closely with a group of patient co-authors who had experience collaborating with university researchers. Together, they developed seven recommendations to help improve how the involvement of patients and the public is reported in future studies. This work highlights the need for universities and research institutes to reflect on their practices and provide better support for researchers to work meaningfully and transparently with patients and the public. Clear and consistent reporting of the involvement of patients and the public is essential for building trust, improving research quality, and ensuring that health research truly serves the communities it aims to help. Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement is important to ensure research addresses the issues that matter most to patients and the public. However, reporting and publishing of these activities is variable and inconsistent. This rapid review aimed to assess how effectively, consistently, and transparently Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement is reported on in papers published by authors affiliated with a heath research institute at a UK Russell Group university. A rapid review of all papers published by institute-affiliated authors (1st August 2021 to 31st December 2024) identified using PubMed. We also consulted with a group of patient co-authors to understand their experiences of being a Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement co-author in collaboration with researchers from the same institute. We retained and reviewed 523 papers for inclusion of Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement. There was significant variation in the reporting across the papers included. Overall, 21% of papers had reference to Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement activity in the main body of the paper, and 17% of papers included Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement in the acknowledgements. In terms of co-authorship, 5% of papers included an author with an affiliation to a charity/non-governmental organisation that represented Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement -related interested, e.g. Alzheimer’s Society, Caribbean and African Health Network and 1% of papers included a patient/lived-experience author. A total of 97% of papers were published open access but only 10% of articles included in this review had a plain English or lay summary. Only one paper included a published GRIPP2 form. The Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement group reviewed and contextualised our findings, supporting analysis and development of seven key recommendations to improve comprehensive, consistent, and transparent reporting of Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement in health research at an institute level. This work demonstrates the challenges that Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement faces and the importance of institutions reflecting on the practices of their academics, and the structures they put in place to encourage good and equitable practices of working with patents and the public.

Advanced nurse practitioners are increasingly recognised worldwide as drivers of accessible, safe and cost-effective healthcare. Iraq presents a distinctive context for the evolution of this role. The Law on Nursing and Midwifery Practice No. 96, 2012, and Ministry of Health instructions issued in 2015 already provide a legal basis for independent nursing and midwifery clinics in Iraq. These licensed clinics operate under the supervision of the Iraqi Nurses Organisation and offer a comprehensive set of primary and community health services that demonstrate an existing framework for advanced-level practice.

With the increasing penetration of distributed photovoltaic (PV) generation in distribution grids, PV access locations significantly affect voltage stability and network losses. In this paper, we proposed a critical node identification and PV access planning method based on fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs). An FCM-based distribution grid model was established by incorporating time-varying load characteristics and PV output fluctuations, and the weight matrix was learned from historical operating data using a data-driven optimization approach. A node importance index derived from out-degree centrality was then proposed to identify critical nodes in the distribution grid. Simulation studies on the IEEE 33-node and 118-node standard test systems under different PV penetration levels demonstrated that connecting PV to non-critical nodes effectively mitigates voltage fluctuations and reduces system power losses compared with critical-node-based access strategies. The proposed method provides an interpretable and effective decision-support tool for distributed PV integration in distribution grids.

Microglia are the resident immune cells of the CNS, maintaining brain homeostasis partially through phagocytosis. In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), microglial phagocytosis is significantly impaired, contributing to the accumulation of pathological aggregates. Microglial phenotypes are dynamic and can shift depending on the disease stage and local environment. While some subpopulations retain or enhance phagocytic activity, especially under inflammatory conditions, others lose their capacity to clear toxic debris effectively. This variability underscores the need for a more nuanced understanding of microglial regulation and function. This paper explores the dual role of microglial phagocytosis in AD and discusses the emerging insights into microglial heterogeneity and how phenotypic shifts affect phagocytic capacity throughout disease progression. A comprehensive understanding of microglial phagocytosis and its dysregulation in AD is essential for designing targeted treatments. Modulating microglial activity to enhance their protective roles without triggering harmful inflammation represents a promising direction for therapeutic intervention in AD.

Societal Impact Statement Plants provide oxygen, food, shelter, medicines and environmental services, without which human society could not exist. Tackling pressing and global challenges requires well‐trained plant scientists and plant‐aware individuals. This manifesto provides a practical evidence‐based vision to strengthen plant science education, focused on five strategic priorities. It is relevant to all stakeholders within plant science and beyond: from frontline educators to institutional leaders; from commercial or charitable professionals to entrepreneurs and donors; from individual community members to their legislative representatives. Strengthening plant science education demands concrete actions from all stakeholders, ultimately to the benefit of us all. Summary Plant science education needs urgent attention. Skilled plant scientists are needed to address major environmental and societal challenges, and global communities require plant‐aware professionals to drive impactful policy, research and environmental stewardship. This manifesto was collaboratively generated by a community of educators who gathered to reflect on the state of plant science education. The forward‐facing document provides a clear strategy for plant science education, complementing existing research strategies. Five themes were identified as essential for meeting the evolving needs of plant science, educators and learners: (i) plants must be at the centre of an education that addresses global challenges and societal values; (ii) plant science education must prepare students for their futures using bold and effective pedagogies; (iii) equity, diversity and inclusion must be robustly embedded in educational practices; (iv) local and strategic partnerships (with industry and beyond) are required to strengthen academic education; and (v) plant science educators need resources and opportunities to develop and connect. The manifesto is intended as a framework for change. Educators, funders, publishers, industry representatives, policymakers and all other members of our communities must commit to sustained investment in plant science education. By proactively and collectively embracing the recommendations provided, the sector has an opportunity to cultivate a new generation equipped with the knowledge, skills and passion to unlock the full potential of photosynthetic organisms.