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Programming privacy—A Short Observational Study of Homomorphic Encryption Compilers for Bioinformatics Applications
No full textFully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) is an active research area with respect to the preservation of privacy, particularly given the recent attention to Post-quantum Cryptography (PQC). It is well known that existing public key crypto systems will be under threat in a quantum computation world, and FHE solutions provide an opportunity to replace existing ‘mathematically hard’ problems with ones that are thought to be quantum safe. FHE libraries have existed for some time, however they are difficult to use and require specialist cryptographic knowledge. To enter the mainstream of software development, suitable compiler technology is needed. Compiler development for FHE is in its infancy and this paper will evaluate two of the most promising solutions that have a potential application to bioinformatics, using suitable metrics to understand how mature or otherwise the leading contenders are
Fitness testing and readiness practices among female football practitioners: a survey study
Full text linkPhysical tests and subjective measures, such as readiness and wellness, aid in optimising training and recovery, however, many tools lack proper validation, risking inaccurate conclusions. This study explores physical testing and readiness practices in female football. A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted among practitioners working with female footballers. The survey, consisting of five sections and 24 questions, examined three key areas: testing, wellness, and readiness. A total of 51 practitioners from professional, semi-professional, and academy levels completed the survey, detailing their use of testing and monitoring data. Strength, speed, and aerobic capacity were rated as “extremely important” for soccer performance. Strength and aerobic capacity were tested 2–3 times per season (41% and 59%, respectively), while speed was tested weekly (76%), often integrated with regular monitoring. Qualitative tools were used daily to assess wellness and readiness, with validated questionnaires (55% and 39%), self-developed questionnaires (43% and 37%), and informal conversations (37% and 41%) being the most common methods. Research on physical qualities in readiness is extensive, yet subjective measures are more widely used in practice, with significant variability in their application. Practitioners prioritize a player's “feel” over their readiness to “perform.
Urban environments’ impacts on aging in post-industrial cities: reviewing the pathways to healthy aging
Full text linkPost-industrial cities are characterized by an aging population, deteriorating urban infrastructure, and a range of socio-environmental challenges, including pollution, economic decline, and out-migration. These conditions, alongside the legacies of industrial decline, make aging in such environments considered particularly challenging when studied through the lens of conventional analytical frameworks such as active aging and age-friendly cities and communities (AFCC). By examining the literatures critically and analyzing unique spatial and social features of the environment of post-industrial cities, the paper expands the discussion regarding the impacts of environments on the healthy aging process within a post-industrial context. Based on 42 selected articles as evidences in exploring association of healthy aging and post-industrial built environment, this review implies that despite the negative perceptions, post-industrial city and community’s strong social networks within their long-established communities identities hold untapped potential to play positive roles in the pathways to healthy aging. This fresh perspective challenge prevailing assumptions on aging in post-industrial cities, offering a more nuanced understanding of the strengths and opportunities inherent in post-industrial contexts for supporting the healthy aging of elderly residents
Hacia una hoja de ruta latinoamericana para la cooperación digital y la ciencia abierta: articulando prioridades científicas nacionales y regionales
No full textLa transformación digital de la ciencia y el conocimiento exige una respuesta estratégica, coordinada y regional. América Latina enfrenta el desafío y la oportunidad de construir una hoja de ruta común para la cooperación digital y la ciencia abierta, que articule las prioridades científicas nacionales y regionales, con un enfoque centrado en el bien común, la soberanía de datos, la inclusión epistémica y la justicia social.
En el marco de los principios establecidos por la Recomendación de la UNESCO sobre la Ciencia Abierta (2021), la Declaración de Dubái sobre REA (2021), la Declaración de París sobre REA (2012) y la Hoja de Ruta de las Naciones Unidas para la Cooperación Digital (2020), esta conferencia propone una reflexión crítica sobre cómo fortalecer las políticas públicas y las capacidades institucionales en la región, superando la fragmentación actual, e integrando la ciencia con la ciudadanía, la educación y la innovación tecnológica.
La propuesta aborda la necesidad de:
· Construir marcos de gobernanza regional de la ciencia abierta y la cooperación digital, con principios comunes pero adaptables a las realidades nacionales;
· Fortalecer la alfabetización en datos, inteligencia artificial y ciencia abierta desde una perspectiva interdisciplinar y orientada a la equidad;
· Impulsar modelos de evaluación científica y de impacto social que reconozcan la participación comunitaria, la pertinencia territorial y la integridad investigativa;
· Consolidar el rol estratégico de las bibliotecas como infraestructuras abiertas de conocimiento, datos y formación;
· Establecer mecanismos de cooperación horizontal entre países de la región, promoviendo sinergias en políticas de ciencia, educación y tecnología.
La presentación visibiliza la urgencia de desarrollar capacidades institucionales más allá del acceso abierto, incluyendo prácticas sólidas de gestión ética de datos, interoperabilidad bajo principios FAIR y CARE, e integración activa de la ciudadanía en los procesos científicos. A partir de experiencias concretas de transformación en instituciones de educación superior de Europa y América Latina, se argumenta que la cooperación digital regional no es solo un imperativo técnico, sino político, ético y epistémic
Dawn of a new information frontier? Artificial intelligence, the Aarhus Convention, and the right of access to environmental information
No full textIn contemporary environmental governance and democracy, environmental information acts as the foundation for effective decision-making. It is on this basis that the public's right of access to environmental information is guaranteed, with the Aarhus Convention acting as the chief normative framework upon which this right is implemented. Beyond this legal instrument, technological innovations, such as artificial intelligence (AI), also enhance how both the state and the public engage with the right to environmental information. Yet AI may also act to supplant the public's and the state's role in the right of access to environmental information. This article examines the underexplored intersection between AI and the right to environmental information, considering what impacts AI may have on the right's environmental democratic aims and whether the use of AI complies with the procedural obligations imposed by the Aarhus Convention
Effect of motivational interviewing and exercise on chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Full text linkBackground: The prevalence of chronic low back pain (CLBP) and its concomitant cost implications have continued to rise across the globe. Currently, there is no effective treatment for CLBP that leads to long‐term improvement. Hence, there is growing recognition of the need for behaviour techniques including motivational interviewing (MI) to address CLBP. Objective: To determine the effect of MI and exercise on pain in individuals with CLBP.
Method: We searched for trials in seven databases from inception to April 2024. Trials were included if MI was used alone or in addition to an exercise programme for improving CLBP in adults aged (≥ 18 years).
Results: From 3062 records retrieved, we included three randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Only one study was rated as having a low risk of bias. There is no evidence to support the benefit of MI and exercise on improving pain (SMD‐0.23, 95% CI‐0.55 to 0.09, I2 = 0%, p = 0.16), disability (MD‐1.80, 95% CI‐4.55 to 0.94, I2 = 85%, p = 0.20) and physical functioning (SMD 0.00,95% CI‐1.31 to 1.32, I2 = 93%, p = 0.99).
Conclusion: There is insufficient evidence to support the effect of MI and exercise on pain in individuals with CLBP. More large‐scale RCTs are needed in evaluating the effectiveness of MI and exercise in individuals with CLBP
The everyday pastoral: rural nostalgia and Englishness
No full textThis paper is an inquiry into debates around: Englishness; rural nostalgia and the anti-development narrative surrounding landscapes of ‘cultural significance’ and ‘natural beauty’. The text’s particular focus is structured around how these decisions are cultivated and impose a specific societal response to the landscape of Dedham Vale. It charts how these passive inferences have been imbedded in legislation for the last one hundred years and explores the current political debate around reviewing their ethical and practical legitimacy. The inquiry is underpinned through challenging the traditional reading of landscape and artistic practice through the paradigm of Constable’s paintings, which inform past and current positions on landscape preservation and cultural management. The country’s contemporary geopolitical landscape is examined through the prism of new nature writing and artistic practices, both of which provide an alternative model for establishing a new awareness of ‘landscape’
Barriers and enablers to physical activity participation among women in underserved communities: a mixed-methods study
Full text linkPhysical inactivity is a significant global health challenge, contributing to increased morbidity and mortality rates. Regular physical activity (PA) improves both physical and mental health, particularly for women, who are at higher risk of chronic condi-tions associated with inactivity. This study examines barriers and enablers to PA par-ticipation among women aged 18–65 in port and coastal communities in East England, a population disproportionately affected by socioeconomic and logistical challenges. Using a mixed-methods convergent parallel design, data were collected from 112 women recruited through local PA and weight loss programmes. Quantitative data were gathered using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Exercise Benefits and Barriers Scale (EBBS) and analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression in SPSS. Qualitative data obtained through scenario-based and open-ended questions were thematically analysed in NVivo. Key findings indicate that healthcare professionals were the primary source of PA information (40%), while health benefits (36%) were the most frequently cited motivator for participation. Bar-riers to engagement included family responsibilities (45%), low self-confidence (31%), and limited access to facilities (27%). Women with caregiving roles or chronic health conditions were significantly less likely to engage in PA. Qualitative analysis high-lighted additional psychological and environmental barriers but also identified moti-vators such as social support, medical advice, and personal goals. The study concludes that addressing socioenvironmental and psychological barriers to PA requires com-munity-based, multilevel interventions. Leveraging support networks and culturally relevant programming can play a crucial role in sustaining PA engagement among women in these underserved port and coastal communities
Influence of competitive match-play on countermovement jump perfor-mance, lower-limb isometric strength, and self-reported subjective measures 40-hours post-match in professional soccer
No full textThis study investigated the impact of competitive match play on Countermovement jump (CMJ) performance, hamstrings and adductor isometric strength, and subjective self-reported measures 40h post-competitive match play in professional soccer players. Twenty-eight pro-fessional players completed baseline assessments during pre-season. Assessment 40h post-match was limited to players who played ≥ 60 minutes, with players grouped into two cate-gories based on minutes played: 60–89 minutes or 90–110 minutes. Baseline measures for subjective self-reported measures were collected 24h before each match. Across both groups, significant reductions (p 0.05) in both conditions with trivial to small effects. Significant reductions (p 0.05) in the 60–89 minutes group, but significant decreases (p <.001) were observed for the dominant limb, non-dominant limb and total score in the 90–110 minutes condition. However, minutes played, and match demands were not significantly associated with reduction in adductor isometric strength (τᵇ = 0.18 - 0.22 and τᵇ = -0.15 - 0.11). Subjective measures revealed significant reductions in sleep quality (p < 0.05) and com-posite scores (p <.001), and significant increases in muscle soreness (p <.001) across both con-ditions. Mood was only significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in the 90-110 minutes condition. No significant associations were found between minutes played, match demand, and self-re-ported subjective scores (τᵇ = -0.07 - 0.05 and τᵇ = -0.09 – 0.00)