JUSTICE SUB-COMMITTEE ON POLICING - THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT: FACIAL RECOGNITION: HOW POLICING IN SCOTLAND MAKES USE OF THIS TECHNOLOGY

As a result of interest from the Sub-Committee in my recent study exploring theimpacts of body-worn cameras (BWC), I hereby provide further evidence thatexplores the views expressed by UK police officers on the use of live facialrecognition (LFR) technology

Policing faces:The present and future of intelligent facial surveillance

In this paper, we discuss the present and future uses of intelligent facial surveillance (IFS) in law enforcement. We present an empirical and legally focused case study of live automated facial recognition technologies (LFR) in British policing. In Part I, we analyse insights from 26 frontline police officers exploring their concerns and current scepticism about LFR. We analyse recent UK case law on LFR use by police which raises concerns around human rights, data protection and anti-discrimination laws. In Part II, we consider frontline officers’ optimism around future uses of LFR and explore emerging forms of IFS, namely emotional AI (EAI) technologies. A key novelty of the paper is our analysis on how the proposed EU AI Regulation (AIR) will shape future uses of IFS in policing. AIR makes LFR a prohibited form of AI and EAI use by law enforcement will be regulated as high-risk AI that has to comply with new rules and design requirements. Part III presents a series of 10 practical lessons, drawn from our reflections on the legal and empirical perspectives. These aim to inform any future law enforcement use of IFS in the UK and beyond

Modelamiento de la acumulación de contaminantes orgánicos en el suelo agrícola por el uso de lodos de aguas residuales y su significancia para la salud humana y el ambiente

La principal forma de gestionar los lodos generados en las plantas de tratamiento de aguas residuales es el reciclaje en tierras de cultivo. Sin embargo, esta práctica también puede introducir elementos potencialmente tóxicos (EPT), contaminantes orgánicos persistentes (COP) y compuestos orgánicos "emergentes" al suelo. Por ello, esta se ha regulado para los EPT; sin embargo, no para los contaminantes orgánicos (CO). Esta investigación evalúa la significancia potencial para la salud humana y el medio ambiente de la acumulación de CO en el suelo debido al uso a largo plazo de lodos en la agricultura, a través de un modelo. Las concentraciones contemporáneas de CO en los lodos muestran la presencia de COP y CO "emergentes". Se ejecutó el modelo usando estas concentraciones y la acumulación a largo plazo resultó en un incremento de las concentraciones en el suelo mezclado con lodos respecto a sus niveles de fondo. Comparando los resultados obtenidos con el modelo con valores de análisis del suelo (en inglés, soil screening values o SSV), se concluye que los esfuerzos de regulación de CO deben priorizarse para a los Perfluoro-n-octane (PFO) debido a su significancia potencial para la salud humana y el medio ambiente.The recycling of sewage sludge (SS) to farmlands is the main way to manage it, because of its benefits. However, it can also introduce PTE, POPs and “emerging” organic pollutants to the soil. To prevent risks to human health and environment, current regulatory framework applies to PTEs in agricultural soils that have been amended with SS. However, organic contaminants (OCs) have not been regulated in the United Kingdom. To assess their potential significance human health and environment, a model of the accumulation of OCs in soil due to long-term use of sewage sludge in agriculture has been performed. This model has a limit of 100 years of annual SS amendments, since Zn is the limiting element within the current regulatory framework for PTEs; and considers a quantity of SS applied annually to agricultural soil that is based on nitrogen best practices. Contemporary concentrations of OCs in UK sludges show the presence of POPs and “emerging” OC, which are not necessarily decreasing in reference to past years. The model was run with these concentrations and the long-term accumulation resulted in an increment in the mixed soil concentrations with respect to the background soil concentrations. The model was run with the limit values for OCs in sewage sludge that was suggested in the Working document on sludge - Third Draft; the results showed that within the current regulatory framework of PTEs, the regulation of the OCs is irrelevant. Comparing the results obtained in the long-term accumulation model with reported soil screening values (SSVs), it is shown that efforts must be redirected to PFOs because of their potential significance to human health and the environment.Reino Unido. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Beca Chevenin

El desarrollo del pensamiento variacional Y la formulación de problemas en los grados 2º, 3º, 4º y 9º de la educación básica

El desarrollo del pensamiento variacional ha sido considerado como tarea exclusiva de la educación secundaria y media, lo cual ha generado una escasa significación en los conceptos abordados, es por ello que surge la necesidad de iniciar un trabajo en dicho pensamiento desde el inicio de la escolaridad, tal y como lo proponen los Lineamientos y Estándares Curriculares, esto con la finalidad de que los procesos de generalización propios del álgebra, confieran significado y sentido al trabajo que se desarrolla en grados superiores; paralelo a ello y reconociendo la dificultad que presentan los estudiantes para formular un problema matemático, se diseña una propuesta metodológica que involucre los aspectos mencionados anteriormente

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for severe respiratory failure in newborn infants.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a complex procedure of life support used in severe but potentially reversible respiratory failure in term infants. Although the number of babies eligible for ECMO is small and the use of ECMO invasive and potentially expensive, its benefits may be high. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether ECMO used for neonatal infants with severe respiratory failure is clinically and cost effective compared to conventional ventilatory support. SEARCH STRATEGY: The Cochrane Neonatal Group Specialised Register, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and MEDLINE were searched for 1974 to 2007. SELECTION CRITERIA: All randomised trials comparing neonatal ECMO to conventional ventilatory support. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: The authors independently evaluated the trials for methodological quality and appropriateness for inclusion in the Review (without consideration of their results) and independently extracted the data. MAIN RESULTS: The four trials (three USA and one UK) recruited clinically similar groups of babies. Two trials excluded infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernias. In two trials, transfer for ECMO implied transport over long distances. Two trials had follow-up information. One study included economic evaluation. The three USA trials had very small numbers of patients. Two trials used conventional randomisation with low potential for bias. Two used less usual designs, which led to difficulties in their interpretation. All four trials showed strong benefit of ECMO on mortality (typical RR 0.44; 95% CI 0.31 to 0.61), especially for babies without congenital diaphragmatic hernia (typical RR 0.33, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.53). The UK trial provided follow up information about death or severe disability, and cost-effectiveness, and showed benefit of ECMO at one year (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.78), four years (RR 0.62, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.86), and seven years (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.86). Overall nearly half of the children recruited had died or were severely disabled by seven years of age, reflecting the severity of their underlying conditions. A policy of ECMO is as cost-effective as other intensive care technologies in common use. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: A policy of using ECMO in mature infants with severe but potentially reversible respiratory failure results in significantly improved survival without increased risk of severe disability. The benefit of ECMO for babies with diaphragmatic hernia is unclear. Further studies are needed to consider the optimal timing for introducing ECMO; to identify which infants are most likely to benefit; and to address the implications of neonatal ECMO during later childhood and adult life

Communicating in a mobile, connected world: the impact of digital transformation on the University of Aveiro

The main objective of the present work is to analyse the impact of digital transformation on the University of Aveiro (UA), with a special focus on the communication platforms and tools that allow students and staff faster and easier access to information, as well as to a wide range of services such as, for example, cloud housing/hosting, information storage space or academic software licensing. Furthermore, with the objective of better understanding what were the most significant changes introduced in recent years regarding UA’s digital communication strategy, this work shall also present the results of an interview to a representative of the Communications, Image and Public Relations Services.Not Publishe

The role of social capital in adoption of risky versus less risky subsidized input supplies:An empirical study of cocoa farmers in Ghana

This study evaluates the effect of social capital on farmers’ adoption of subsidized seedlings and fertilizer for cocoa farmers in Ghana. We distinguish three types of social capital: network social capital, relationship social capital, and community social capital. Network social capital refers to the peer-to-peer information flow about product benefits reaching farmers, therefore closing the information asymmetry that prevents farmers from social learning about crop risk management through inputs adoption. Relationship social capital considers the role of social status in getting facilitated access to inputs through connections with extension officers who facilitate information dissemination about input benefits, and moreover potentially help bypass the government criteria in getting access to inputs themselves. Finally, community social capital concerns the community collective income, community size and reachability relative to the cooperative main office. We find that network social capital has a significant effect on adoption of subsidized seedlings, to an extent where it allows farmers to bypass subsidy qualification criteria for access to seedlings imposed by the government. This applies even more so for group and village leaders. Subsidized fertilizer uptake, on the other hand, is less dependent on social capital. We argue that this difference results from the risk involved in adopting seedlings versus fertilizer. In the case of seedlings adoption, relying on information provided by the social network promotes sharing of benefits of hybrid varieties, and thus reduces the risk of its application. Adoption of fertilizer, on the other hand, is not correlated with social capital because fertilizer application is less risky to farmers. They can easily switch from using fertilizer to not using fertilizer. Access to both inputs is influenced by government inputs’ eligibility criteria, namely having mapped farm. However, we find that 15% and 29% of farmers respectively have access to seedlings and fertilizer, even though their farms are not mapped. Our findings suggest that for governments to stimulate uptake of substantive inputs, such as seedlings, subsidies should coincide with attention to social capital and fair distribution of inputs.</p

Policing the smart home:The internet of things as ‘invisible witnesses'

In this paper, we develop the concept of smart home devices as ‘invisible witnesses’ in everyday life. We explore contemporary examples that highlight how smart devices have been used by the police and unpack the socio-technical implications of using these devices in criminal investigations. We draw on several sociological, computing and forensics concepts to develop our argument. We consider the challenges of obtaining and interpreting trace evidence from smart devices; unpack the ways in which these devices are designed to be ‘invisible in use’; and reflect on the processes by which they become domesticated into everyday life. We also analyse the differentiated levels of control occupants have over smart home devices, and the surveillance impacts of making everyday life visible to third parties, particularly the police

Working with affective computing:Exploring UK public perceptions of AI enabled workplace surveillance

This paper explores public perceptions around the role of affective computing in the workplace. It uses a series of design fictions with 46 UK based participants, unpacking their perspectives on the advantages and disadvantages of tracking the emotional state of workers. The scenario focuses on mundane uses of biometric sensing in a sales environment, and how this could shape management approaches with workers. The paper structure is as follows: section 1 provides a brief introduction; section 2 provides an overview of the innovative design fiction methodology; section 3 explores wider shifts around IT in the workplace; section 4 provides some legal analysis exploring emergence of AI in the workplace; and section 5 presents themes from the study data. The latter section includes discussion on concerns around functionality and accuracy of affective computing systems, and their impacts on surveillance, human agency, and worker/management interactions

Carceral surveillance: Data flows within and beyond prison walls

In this article, we will analyse contemporary carceral surveillance dynamics, namely the increasing storage and exchange of prisoners' biometric data. Drawing on qualitative research conducted in prisons, policing and security settings, we will explore how prisoners' bodies are reduced to information and broken up into data flows. These flows move within and beyond prison walls, impacting how prisoner's data is shared (in)formally with other criminal justice actors (e.g. police forces). Such interstitial connections allow us to better explore the permeability and porosity of prison boundaries. Overall, we argue that prisoners' data doubles are not spatially or physically restricted within cells and walls, as they circulate and are virtually managed at a distance. We urge to revisit and rethink the use of panoptic conceptual models when researching carceral spaces, its technological infrastructures and surveillance dynamics