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The Elision of Women’s Labour in Ciné Clubs: Crystal Productions
Full text linkThe Elision of Women’s Labour in Cine Clubs: Crystal Productions
Zoë Viney Burgess she/her
University of West London
Women’s work in the amateur sphere is often overlooked as result of entrenched patriarchal practices that replicate industry terminology and hierarchies. The informal environment of the ciné-club in the 1930s provided a fertile proving ground for aspiring filmmakers, men and women alike- from all walks of life. Yet, despite the diverse demographic composition of these groups the lasting attribution for club films most typically falls to the most prominent male club member to the detriment of others, including women. The case study of Crystal Productions offers a unique insight into the complicated ecosystem that cine-engaged women of the period had to navigate, exemplifying Gaines’s (2018) idiom that women ‘had the rug pulled from under them’
Cyberattack pattern analysis on mobile device data forensic investigations.
No full textMobile device data forensics investigations using open-source tools for cyberattack pattern analysis have become inevitable due to the changing attack surface and the
changing threat landscape. As mobile device usage increases, so do the vulnerabilities and security threats leading to attacks such as mobile app attacks, MITM attacks, bluejacking, malware, and social engineering attacks. The paper aims to explore a hypothetical scenario of mobile device compromise using a social engineering attack. The study focuses on forensic analysis techniques to investigate these compromises, including network traffic examination, malicious app analysis, and disk image inspection using open-source tools. The contribution of this paper is threefold. First, we explore the attack surface by implementing an existing attack pattern on Android devices and having a secure and controlled connection to the mobile device. The attack scenarios are simulated on an Android device. Further, we extract data on the forensic disk image using a digital forensics investigation process and an Autopsy tool in a virtual environment for cyberattack analysis on the mobile device to determine attribution. Furthermore, we implement the multifunctional digital forensic tool Autopsy to retrieve and analyze several types of digital evidence from mobile devices in standardized formats. This work underscores the importance of using cost-effective, reliable, advanced open forensic tools compliant with NIST SP 800-101 r1 for accurate forensic disk image analysis. We also highlight the risks associated with unverified app downloads and the exploitation of mobile vulnerabilities
Managing diabetes one step at a time in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICS): the promise of wearable devices
No full textThe global burden of diabetes mellitus disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), were limited healthcare infrastructure hampers timely and effective disease management. Wearable technologies, such as continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), insulin pumps, and fitness trackers, offer a transformative opportunity to bridge care gaps by enabling real-time monitoring, personalised feedback, and improved glycemic control. Evidence shows wearables enhance patient engagement, support clinical decision-making, and reduce complications. However, significant barriers such as cost, digital illiteracy, poor system integration, and data privacy concerns impede widespread adoption in LMICs. Case studies from Ghana, China, and Ethiopia illustrate these devices' potential and challenges in resource-limited settings. Policy interventions, such as public-private partnerships, subsidies, simplified interfaces, and digital literacy programs, are essential to overcome these obstacles. Furthermore, integrating wearable data into national health systems and leveraging artificial intelligence can improve individualised care and long-term outcomes. As mobile phone use increases in LMICs, coupling wearables with mHealth platforms could further empower self-management. With targeted investments and regulatory support, wearable technologies can be pivotal in advancing equitable, proactive, and data-driven diabetes care across underserved populations
Improving the punching-shear resistance of reinforced concrete flat slabs by engineered cementitious composites injection
No full textThis study investigates the enhancement of punching shear resistance in reinforced concrete (RC) flat slabs. It explores the use of circular holes filled with Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC). Within each drilled ECC hole, one of four strengthening configurations was embedded. These configurations were: Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) textile wrap, welded‐steel mesh (WSM), steel bolts, and post‐tensioned steel bars. This study aimed to permit a direct performance comparison under identical slab geometry and loading conditions. Despite the many studies on strengthening the punching of RC slabs, there is no study assessing ECC‐filled drilled holes, implementing active prestress via post‐tensioned bars inside ECC, and comparing four distinct strengthening strategies in such a configuration. The research evaluates the impact of these techniques on crack initiation, load capacity, and failure modes, demonstrating significant improvements in slab performance. The effectiveness of a novel pre-tensioning system is also assessed, showing promising results in increasing the slabs’ load-bearing capacity and energy absorption. Slabs strengthened with post-tensioned steel bars emerged as the clear outperformers as they exhibited a remarkable improvement in both crack resistance and overall load capacity. They displayed an impressive increase of over 50% in the load at which cracks first appeared, and a staggering increase of over 55% in the maximum load they could withstand. These benefits extended beyond ultimate strength, as the post-tensioned slabs also demonstrated a significant increase in stiffness
Designing from Within: HCI4D and PD4D in Sahrawi Refugee Camps
No full textThis article presents preliminary findings from the second phase of a broader study exploring the potential of situated design and mobile learning (m-learning) in contexts of protracted displacement, through the case of the Sahrawi Refugee Camps (SRC) in Tindouf, Algeria. Drawing on a qualitative methodology based on contextual ethnography and co-design workshops, the study analyzes the structural, cultural, and gender-related conditions that shape the self-managed Sahrawi educational system, as well as the training needs of primary school teachers, particularly women. The article examines the methodological and socio-political implications of conducting fieldwork in an environment marked by technological precarity, traditional gender norms, and strong community ties. It discusses the challenges and lessons learned from implementing Human Computer Interaction for Development (HCI4D) and Participatory Design (PD) approaches, with special attention to the role of culture in politics in shaping collaborative processes. Ultimately, the article argues that ethnography and situated design provide a frameworks for co-creating culturally relevant and sustainable educational technologies in complex and marginalized contexts
International banking law and regulation
No full textInternational Banking Law and Regulation offers a critical exploration of the legal and regulatory frameworks that govern the global banking sector. Tracing the development of banking from its mediaeval origins to today’s complex cross-border financial structures, this book examines how law and regulation underpin financial stability, guide corporate lending, and respond to technological and geopolitical change.
From foundational concepts such as money and payment systems to prudential supervision and corporate governance to the intricacies of syndicated lending, ESG finance, securitisation, and Islamic finance, each chapter considers the evolving interaction between legal norms, financial innovation, and regulatory oversight. Special attention is paid to cross-border lending, crisis management, anti-financial crime frameworks, and creditor hierarchies, with comparative insights from major jurisdictions, including the UK, EU, US, China, India, and Japan.
Written for students of law of banking and finance, early-career practitioners, and policymakers, this volume combines legal analysis with a practical, international outlook. It explains how banking law operates across jurisdictions, enabling financial institutions to manage risk, meet regulatory obligations, and support global economic activity.
In a rapidly evolving financial landscape, this book provides a timely and authoritative guide to the legal principles shaping the future of international banking
Adverse effects of high-fat diet consumption on contractile mechanics of isolated mouse skeletal muscle are reduced when supplemented with resveratrol
Full text linkIncreasing evidence indicates resveratrol (RES) supplementation evokes anti-obesogenic responses which could mitigate obesity-induced reductions in skeletal muscle (SkM) contractility. Contractile function is a key facet of SkM health that underpins whole body health, and the present study will for the first time examine effects of high-fat diet and RES supplementation on isolated soleus (SOL) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) contractile function. Female CD-1 mice, ~6-weeks old (N=38), consumed standard (SLD) or HFD, with or without RES (4g/kg-1 diet) for 12-weeks. SOL and EDL (n=8-10 per muscle, per group) were isolated and absolute and normalised (to muscle size and body mass) isometric force and work loop power output (PO) measured, and fatigue resistance determined. Furthermore, sirtuin-1 expression was determined to provide mechanistic insight into any potential contractile changes. For SOL absolute force was higher in HFDRES compared to HFD (P=0.033), and PO normalised to body mass and cumulative work during fatigue were reduced in HFD groups (P0.165). This study uniquely demonstrates that RES attenuates HFD-induced reductions in contractile performance of EDL, but this response is not explained by altered Sirtuin-1 expression. These results suggest RES may be an appropriate strategy to alleviate obesity-induced declines in SkM function
Effects of high-fat diet and nutraceutical resveratrol on maximal force, power and fatigue resistance of skeletal muscle
No full textBenefits of utilizing models of disease in order to facilitate and improve the drug discovery and development process is becoming increasingly recognized. Certain drug classes (ie Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and HMG-Co inhibitors) have been shown to induce skeletal muscle dysfunction as a side effect. Assessment of drug effects on skeletal muscle performance early in drug development process is important in understanding unplanned drug effects; healthy/disease models assessing skeletal muscle function, which replicate In vivo function, are limited. The objective of the present study was to compare the contractile properties of isolated soleus (slow-twitch) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL; fast-twitch) muscle in control and high-fat diet (HFD) conditions, in addition to effects of nutraceutical resveratrol. Four-week-old female mice (CD1; N = 40 starting sample; N = 38 final sample) were randomly assigned to control (SLD) or HFD, with (SLD RES, HFD RES) or without resveratrol (4 g.kg−1 diet) for 12-weeks. Soleus and EDL (N = 8–10) were isolated and absolute and normalized force and power output (PO) were measured, and measures of fatigue were determined. For soleus, absolute force was significantly greater in HFD RES Vs. HFD only (P = 0.030), and PO normalized to body mass was diminished in HFD treated groups (P 0.584). For EDL, absolute and normalized force did not differ between groups (P > 0.091). The HFD induced reduction in absolute and normalized EDL PO, and cumulative work production (P 0.101). Our data suggests that high fat diet conditions cause a decline in soleus and EDL skeletal muscle function. Despite the nutraceutical resveratrol having little effect on the contractile properties in SLD groups it did attenuate the decline in fast-twitch HFD skeletal muscle function. This data indicates that nutraceutical resveratrol may be effective in reducing the impact of HFD on skeletal muscle function. Furthermore, this data highlights that drug induced changes in skeletal muscle function should be explored in both healthy and disease models across multiple muscle phenotypes and modes of contractility, as drug induced changes are not uniform across populations, muscles or contractile modes
Enhancing the security of public key cryptography in addressing quantum computing threats
Full text linkThe potential of quantum computing to compromise traditional public-key cryptography (PKC) has led to a pressing need for more efficient and resilient cryptographic methods. Recent advancements, such as the 800x improvement in the logical error rate by Microsoft and QUANTINUUM, underscore the urgency of this issue. Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) offers a promising solution designed to withstand quantum attacks. This paper examines how PQC and other advanced cryptographic techniques can enhance the security and efficiency of PKC in the quantum era. Current PKC methods, despite revolutionizing secure online communication, are vulnerable to flaws in their underlying algorithms. The proposed hybrid model integrates PQC with traditional PKC, leveraging both technologies' strengths to mitigate quantum threats while preserving established security benefits. The investigation addresses critical research questions: how to enhance PKC key management for better efficiency and security, and which PQC techniques can protect PKC from quantum attacks. This paper's contribution includes identifying vulnerabilities in existing PKC, comparing RSA and post-quantum algorithms, and implementing a PQC algorithm between a client and server to analyze integration with existing protocols. Finally, the paper recommends security mechanisms to improve PQC protocols, ensuring robust protection against emerging quantum computing capabilities
Assessment of sexual dimorphism in the humerus among a Greek Cypriot population using binary logistic regression and linear discriminant analysis
Full text linkPurpose: Determining the sex of unknown human remains is pertinent to the reconstruction of biological profiles in forensic anthropology. The Greek Cypriot population is underrepresented in forensic anthropology literature, with only a handful of sex estimation studies having been produced thus far. The aim of this research is to provide accurate and reliable methods for estimating the sex of Greek Cypriot remains to forensically evaluate unknown human remains. Methods: This study created classification models using two statistical methods, binary logistic regression (BLR) and linear discriminant function analysis (LDA), to determine which method provided more accurate sex classification based on measurements of the humerus in a Greek Cypriot population. Additionally, cut points were calculated for use in classification. The sample consisted of 119 Greek Cypriots from the Cyprus Research Reference Collection (CRRC; 1975–2015). Four classification models were built, implementing BLR and LDA for both left- and right-side measurements. These models were analyzed using accuracy rates, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, area under the curve (AUC), and Cohen’s kappa. Results: The findings revealed that all four models demonstrated good to excellent classification rates based on AUC (0.88–0.91) and accuracy rates (85.56–87.92%). Maximized summed sensitivity and specificity ratios, ranging between 1.55 and 1.76, were used to determine the optimal cut points by measurement. Conclusion: Based on these results, BLR is a better choice to evaluate sexual dimorphism of the humerus in Greek Cypriots. Further, cut points based on individual measurements can serve as useful markers for classifying humeri by sex