Biological sex minimally affects the free-weight back squat load-velocity profile when accounting for relative strength: An exploratory study

Research suggests that biological sex and strength level influence the load-velocity profile. However, existing research have not appropriately statistically accounted for the interdependencies between sex and relative strength. This exploratory study investigated load-velocity profiles of 24 resistance-trained participants (14 males, 10 females; back squat 1.69 × and 1.28 × body mass, respectively) using mixed-effects modelling to account for relative strength and individual variability. Participants completed 2–3 incremental back squat loading tests (20 kg to one-repetition maximum [1RM]). 1RM assessments showed excellent reliability, while mean concentric velocity (MCV) at 0–40% of 1RM demonstrated good-to-excellent reliability, with reliability systematically declining at higher relative loads. Small effects of biological sex on load-velocity profiles was found at 0–40% of 1RM (0.07–0.13 m/s, BF = 10.702–47.682, pd = 91–98%), while the effects of relative strength were more pronounced at 0–70% of 1RM (0.18–0.44 m/s, BF = 26.972–2399.000, pd = 96–100%), both with diminishing differences as relative load increased. These findings challenge assumptions about sex as a major load-velocity profile moderator when accounting for relative strength and individual variability. While exploratory and requiring replication, the study recommends future research employ more nuanced statistical methods, recruit homogeneously trained samples, and minimise measurement noise to avoid potential type-I errors

High Return to Competition Rate After On-Field Rehabilitation in Competitive Male Soccer Players After ACL Reconstruction: GPS Tracking in 100 Consecutive Cases.

Despite published guidelines describing on-field rehabilitation (OFR) frameworks for soccer, available evidence for practitioners who work with players with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is limited. To document the activity and workloads completed by a large cohort of amateur and professional soccer players during OFR following ACLR after completing their indoor rehabilitation and to establish their return to competition (RTC) outcomes. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. OFR measurements/activities, global positioning system (GPS), and heart rate data were collected from 100 male 11-a-side soccer players with ACLR undergoing a criteria-based rehabilitation process, concluding with a 5-stage OFR program. Consent was obtained directly from the players involved in this study before completing a follow-up questionnaire to document RTC outcomes. Differences between the level of play (professional and amateur) and 5 OFR stages were investigated using separate linear mixed models. A minimum 9-month follow-up was possible for 97 players (97%), with a median time of 2.3 years after ACLR and 84% RTC, with higher rates in professionals (100%) than amateurs (80%). Ten (10%) players sustained an ACL reinjury. Professionals completed more OFR sessions (20.6 ± 7.7 vs 13.2 ± 7.7; < .001) over a shorter period (44.7 ± 30.3 vs 59.3 ± 28.5 days; = .044) and achieved higher workloads mostly in the high-intensity GPS metrics in each OFR stage. Typical external workload outputs in the final OFR stage aligned with team training demands for the total distance (TD) (106%), high-intensity distance (HID) (104%), peak speed (PS) (88%), acceleration distance (ACC) (110%), and deceleration distance (DEC) (48%), but they were lower compared with match play demands (TD: 44%; HID: 51%; PS: 82%; ACC: 63%; and DEC: 26%). High RTC rates were reported in those players who participated in OFR after indoor rehabilitation. Completion of all five OFR stages almost prepared them for team training demands; however, workloads remain low compared to match play. [Abstract copyright: © The Author(s) 2025.

Mental health in Central and Eastern Europe: a comprehensive analysis

The post-communist WHO European region, often called Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), includes 28 countries with over 770 million people. Mental health systems remain shaped by the communist legacy of centralized institutions, a narrow biomedical focus, and neglect of social and psychological dimensions. Chronic underfunding persists, further strained by shrinking civic space in some countries and the war in Ukraine. Substantial progress has been made in the past decade, with modernization and rights-based approaches gaining ground. Yet reforms face entrenched barriers: underinvestment disproportionate to the burden; pervasive stigma, weak advocacy, and limited involvement of people with lived experience; dominance of institutional care over prevention, promotion, and community services; reliance on donor-driven projects that falter once funding ends; and human resource problems. Governance is often unstable, with low prioritization, clientelism, and personal biases undermining reforms. Research and data remain scarce, leaving systems unevaluated and vulnerable to reversal. Poor decision-making compounds these barriers: systemic missteps, driven by limited expertise, weak evidence, and personal biases, prevent resources from achieving the best possible outcomes. To move forward, CEE must integrate health, social, and education systems, secure sustainable crisis services, strengthen professional skills, involve people with lived experience, expand public mental health expertise, and, above all, commit greater and more transparent investment, closer to western European levels, if resilient and effective systems are to be built

Costs and return to scale analysis of extending the offer of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to key populations aged 15-17 years old in two Brazilian cities.

In Brazil, HIV infection incidence is increasing, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW). Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective prevention strategy, offered for free for those 15 years and over, in the Brazilian National Health System (SUS), but without a consistent demand creation strategy (DCS) to support the Sustainable Development Goals targets. The objectives of this study are to assess (1) the total incremental cost, and average total incremental costs of PrEP delivery, including DCS, targeting MSM and TGW adolescent aged 15-17 years old, and (2) the potential gains of scale for the expansion of PrEP at SUS, based on different scenarios to reach the UNAIDS goals for HIV targets. We estimated the total incremental and average total incremental cost, and the gains of scale for the expansion of PrEP delivery in SUS using Cobb-Douglas functions. The average total incremental cost per PrEP delivery was estimated at USD 321 in Salvador and USD 254 in São Paulo. Gains of scale were observed in both study settings and nationally for the Brazilian SUS. Our estimates show that investments in expanding PrEP delivery to 15-17 years old will likely reduce average total incremental costs to the Brazilian SUS. However, a cost-effectiveness analysis would be required to assess whether investments in an expansion of PrEP delivery would maximise the benefits of reducing the incidence of HIV/AIDS among the target population compared to the current Brazilian SUS practices. [Abstract copyright: Copyright: © 2025 Costa Santos et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Render Unto Caesar - an introduction

This chapter provides an introduction to the document on taxation and Catholic social thought and teaching published by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wale

Supporting international trainees and ECTs: being a culturally responsive mentor

Mentors play a significant role in supporting our trainees in school. In particular, when they: Speak to the trainee about what would be helpful for them while on placement. Offer more regular check-ins, if this would help the trainee feel confident in offering reminders to support the trainee. Model expert practice through trainee observations of lessons, clubs, and duties. Talk trainees through the policies and protocols (behaviour, safeguarding, code of conduct, and health and safety). Build trusting relationships with trainees. Direct trainees to expert colleagues who can support them with specific questions to develop understanding of the different roles in English schools. Talk through curriculum specifics; its design and sequence and assessment requirements

A Comparison of Maximal Isometric Force in The First Pull, Transition and Second Pull of the Clean and Their Contribution to Predict Performance in National and International Level Weightlifters.

This study aimed to examine differences in isometric peak force (PF) at the start of the first pull, transition, and second pull phases of the clean, and determine their contribution in explaining the variance in snatch and clean & jerk (C&J) performance. Thirty-one national and international level male and female weightlifters participated. Isometric start position pull (ISPP), isometric transition position pull (ITPP), and isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) PF, along with competition performance, were analysed both in absolute and allometrically scaled terms. Partial Least Squares Regression identified a single latent variable explaining 81.4% of the variance in Snatch and 79.6% in C&J. ISPP PF alone significantly contributed to explaining the variance the snatch and C&J. For allometrically scaled values, a single latent variable accounted for and 62.8% variance in Snatch and 60.7% of the variance in C&J, with ISPP PF significantly contributing to the Snatch and approached significance for C&J (p = 0.056). These results underscore the importance of evaluating maximal force in the initial lift phase and suggest that training to enhance strength in this phase may be crucial for improving weightlifting performance

‘No migration, no gender, no war’ : Contradictions and paradox in Hungarian migration discourse

The Hungarian Government’s long-standing politicisation of migration has recently become more complex. Two factors are particularly important here. First, following Russia’s war on Ukraine, over 60,000 refugees have arrived in Hungary seeking temporary protection. Second, Hungary’s FDI-based growth model and the country’s integration into global value-chains has exposed serious labour shortages. Hungary’s prime minister recently indicated the need for 500,000 new workers in the next two years. New government legislation now allows ‘third country’ nationals residence in Hungary as ‘guestworkers’ under strict conditions. More than 100,000 foreign workers are now in employment. The article explores contradictions between politicised anti-migrant discourse, the arrival of Ukrainian refugees and the introduction of guestworkers into the Hungarian labour market. It draws on qualitative data analysis including political speeches, social media postings and visual images. The article concludes by suggesting that Hungary can be understood as currently caught in a paradox between national economic imperatives on one hand and domestic political and public demands for the preservatio

The Indian draft digital competition bill and report: a critical perspective

This legislative note critically examines India’s proposed Digital Competition Bill 2024 (“DCB”), a significant shift towards ex-ante regulation of digital markets. The note analyses the DCB’s key provisions, including the designation of Systemically Significant Digital Enterprises, their obligations, and enforcement mechanisms. It draws comparisons with similar legislation in the European Union, United Kingdom, and Germany, highlighting the DCB’s alignment with global trends while noting its unique aspects. The note identifies potential challenges in implementation, including regulatory overlap, extraterritorial application, and impact on innovation. It offers recommendations for refining the DCB, emphasizing the need for clearer obligations, enhanced institutional capacity, and a balanced approach that fosters competition without stifling innovation. This analysis provides valuable insights into India’s evolving approach to digital market regulation and its implications for the global digital economy

Women in O'Casey's plays

Sean O’Casey is one of Ireland’s best-known writers. He is the most frequently performed playwright in the history of the Irish National Theatre (the Abbey); and his work is also frequently revived onstage elsewhere. O’Casey is also widely studied in schools, colleges, and universities in the English-speaking world. This book offers a new contextualisation of this famous writer’s work, revisiting his association with Irish nationalism, historical revisionism, and celebrated contemporaries such as W. B. Yeats and Lady Gregory. The volume also brings O’Casey’s work into contact with topics including disability studies, gender and sexuality ,postcolonialism, ecocriticism, and race. O’Casey in Context therefore explores a number of existing ideas about O’Casey in the light of new academic developments and understandings, and updates our understanding of this important writer by taking into account recent scholarly and theatrical thinking. ___________