MHTRs and Female Offenders - Policy Brief

To date, there is no available evidence that details outcomes of MHTRs for females, which is critical to an assessment of the viability of MHTRs to provide an effective and alternative solution to custody. This brief, therefore, is the first to provide evidence specific to females to support the development of alternatives to custody through mental health intervention, via MHTR pathways, in support of the Female Offender Strategy

An Analysis of Current Continual Learning Algorithms in an Image Classification Context

Artificial Intelligence aims to mimic natural intelligent learning by using lifelong-machine-learning, which allows an AI to train and learn over it's lifetime. Various algorithms have been suggested and developed to allow lifelong learning, these algorithms require deeper analysis, to evaluate and highlight performance benefits. In this research, we will study with three state-of-the-art algorithms for lifelong learning: Rehearsal, elastic-weight-consolidation and synaptic-intelligence. We do an analysis and evaluation of their performance in a multiple task experiment, using different amounts of data, measuring several performance metrics. We found that these algorithms are similar in performance, but some algorithms perform better than others with less data, or show good performance in task one, but not subsequent tasks. These algorithms could be built upon and improved in future research. The evaluation demonstrated in this research are in the image classification context

Manning the British Empire: Gender, Identity and Emotions in Early Twentieth Century Britain

This article will provide a detailed analysis of the identity of one gentry man with an important role in making assessments of the manliness of others. It examines the way his gender identity was ‘structured in specific historical formations.’ Ralph Furse was a gatekeeper to elite masculine status through his prime position as a recruitment expert for the Colonial Office. His office was one of the ‘masculine spaces’ in Whitehall within which ideologies, power and authority were constructed. His position is all the more significant given that during this period of crisis in the empire the supply of manpower and the ‘…supply of men of a certain type – practical, resourceful and self-reliant…’ was particularly significant. Furse both reflected and helped influence wider gendered mentalities in the Colonial Service from his position at the centre of an ‘imperial power matrix.’ The interviews he recorded in his notes were a repetitive reinforcement and construction of his own masculinity as a young man finding his manly identity as well as a means of finding manliness in others. We then also see his masculinity as it had developed into his later life and as he reflected on it, after he retired from the colonial service, through his autobiography. The paper offers a number of arguments. Firstly, both sets of material remind us that ‘hegemonic masculinities’, if interpreted in a certain way, can reify subjective individual experiences and identities. Furse exhibits none of the assumed features of a ‘redundant gentleman’, arrogant though he certainly was. His ideal man for the job was broad and inclusive stretching to a diverse set of social groups, with whom, according to his autobiography, he seems to have felt an affinity. But secondly, this ideal referenced a matrix of masculine qualities considered desirable in the successful candidates he interviewed. This matrix included a sober and quiet character trained through ‘good schooling’, emotional self-control that was also exhibited in plain dress, an imposing and large bodily stature, preferable within a white body rather than a colonial one, a skilled or professional man that possessed harder masculine qualities, rather than the ‘softer’ assets of manhood. Overall, this matrix confirms the type of ‘imperial hero’ identified by John Tosh. It also confirms his broader argument that in the later nineteenth and early twentieth century a premium came to be placed on ‘tougher’ and ‘stoical’ men as an antidote to challenges to masculinity at home and to Britain’s imperial power overseas. But, thirdly, emotions played a role here too. Just as Furse sought out men who could control their own emotions and exhibited quite restrained emotional styles, he expected to experience a flat or muted emotional response to his favoured candidates. He reserved more emotive language for the candidates he dismissed as unsuitable

Community Sentence Treatment Requirements (CSTR) : Preliminary Analysis of those on Dual Requirements Policy Brief – July 2023

To date, there is limited evidence that describes the outcomes of MHTRs for individuals also sentenced to either an ATR or DRR. This data is critical to assess the viability of MHTRs as part of a Dual Requirement and therefore support the development of ATR, DRR and MHTR pathways. This brief, therefore, is the first to provide evidence specific to Dual Requirements

Overview of Surface Modification Strategies for Improving the Properties of Metastable Austenitic Stainless Steels

Metastable austenitic stainless steels (MASS) are widely used in various industrial applications due to their exceptional compromise between mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. However, the mechanical properties of these materials can be further enhanced by surface treatments. This paper reviews various surface treatment methodologies used to improve the mechanical properties of MASS, with particular attention to laser treatments. The effects of these surface treatments on the microstructure and chemical composition in the thermal affected zone of the MASS are discussed, and their impact on the material’s mechanical properties, such as hardness, tensile strength, and fatigue life, are investigated in detail. Additionally, the paper highlights the limitations of these surface treatments and points out some areas where further research is needed. The findings presented can be used to guide the selection of appropriate surface treatment techniques for specific applications, ultimately improving the performance and lifespan of MASS in various industrial settings

Influence of the different nanostructures of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene/carbon nanotubes nanocomposites on laser cutting properties: Machining and chemical aspects

Reported on in depth for the first time herein is the influence of the diverse nanostructures of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on its chemical, physical and electrical properties after laser cutting. Injection moulding was used to fabricate the nanocomposite samples in various structures with a thickness of 3 mm by adjusting temperature and pressure. The samples’ nanostructures were evaluated prior to cutting with a CO2 laser. Design of experiments (DoE) by a full-factorial method used three levels laser power 45, 55 and 65 W) and the cutting velocity at three levels (4, 8 and 12 mm/s) as independent variables. The findings from this work are significant and support new theories. It was revealed different surface damage modes such as shrink holes, cracks, decomposed smithereens and sink marks. These were affected by the laser energy density criterion which means that the ratio of power to cutting velocity was the governing factor, whilst the effect of primary nanostructures was negligible. Unlike surface damage, the width of heat affected zone (HAZ) was found to depend on the thermal conductivity, which directly relates to the samples’ nanostructure. Minimum HAZ was obtained at 0.45 mm for the sample with maximum thermal conductivity equal to 0.23 W/mK. Analysis of the post-laser cut surface and HAZ indicated that the MWCNTs were well dispersed with higher orientation and degrees of distribution. This, naturally, allows the inference that application of low laser energy density accounted for and governed oxidation of these regions. The results show that the nanotexture of the post-laser cut surface is completely changed in comparison with the as-moulded surface, leading to the lowest reduction in surface electrical resistivity to 3.2 kΩ for the sample produced at a temperature of 220 ◦C and a holding pressure of 70 bar

A critical analysis of the integration of blockchain and artificial intelligence for supply chain

The integration between blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) has gained a lot of attention in recent years, especially since such integration can improve security, efficiency, and productivity of applications in business environments characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). In particular, supply chain is one of the areas that have been shown to benefit tremendously from blockchain and AI, by enhancing information and process resilience, enabling faster and more cost-efficient delivery of products, and augmenting products’ traceability, among others. This paper performs a state-of-the-art review of blockchain and AI in the field of supply chains. More specifically, we sought to answer the following three principal questions: Q1 – What are the current studies on the integration of blockchain and AI in supply chain?, Q2 – What are the current blockchain and AI use cases in supply chain?, and Q3 – What are the potential research directions for future studies involving the integration of blockchain and AI? The analysis performed in this paper has identified relevant research studies that have contributed both conceptually and empirically to the expansion and accumulation of intellectual wealth in the supply chain discipline through the integration of blockchain and AI

Genetic distance and cross-border M&A completion: Evidence from Chinese firms

Using data drawn from Chinese firms from 1996 to 2019, we explored the effect of genetic distance on the completion of cross-border merger and acquisition (M&A). We found an inverted U-shaped relationship between genetic distance and cross-border M&A completion. Further research showed that this relationship is moderated by heterogeneity at the firm-, industry-, and country-levels. In particular, when the acquirer is a foreign-listed company and the host country institution is of good quality, genetic distance has a linear positive effect on M&A completion. When the acquirer belongs to the high-tech industry and the two countries involved have not signed any bilateral investment treaties, the effect of genetic distance is not significant. Our study sheds light on the impact of genetic distance on cross-border M&A completion and enriches the related theoretical perspective. Our findings also have a certain practical value

Presentation, Properties and Provenance: The Three Ps of Identifying Evidence of Contract Cheating in Student Assignments

This chapter describes document features, properties and metadata that can occur in contract-cheated assignments submitted by students. This is based on the author’s experience as an Academic Integrity Officer at the University of Northampton, UK, since 2012, plus invaluable discussions with colleagues at the university and elsewhere. The material is divided into three sections. First, presentation, i.e. assignment features that are apparent when reading a document. Second, document properties, i.e. features not immediately apparent upon reading but which are readily inspected using document software’s built-in functionality. Third, provenance, i.e. embedded information in the document that requires investigation more deeply than using document software’s built-in functionality, but which does not require specialist tools

'I feel more protective over my body': A brief report on pregnant women's embodied experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered the experiences of pregnant people. For example, the pandemic has disrupted access to healthcare, social distancing has reduced social support, and vaccine rollout has led to safety concerns. Consistent with the Developmental Theory of Embodiment, which posits that our experiences of our bodies are influenced by social factors, studies have revealed an uptick in body dissatisfaction and disordered eating during this time. However, research on pregnant people's experiences of their body and body image during the pandemic has been largely overlooked. In this exploratory qualitative study, we aimed to broadly understand how the pandemic and quarantine have impacted the way pregnant women (N = 190) in the US and UK relate to their bodies. We used Consensual Qualitative Research-Modified (CQR-M) to analyze pregnant women's brief textual accounts of their embodied experiences during the pandemic and identified eight core domains across the dataset. Some participants reported no change in their embodied experiences, whereas others reported accounts of appearance and weight concerns, health behavior self-judgment, gratitude for isolation, body appreciation, maternal healthcare concerns, COVID health concerns, and health and safety strategies. We conclude with implications and recommendations for supporting pregnant people and their embodied well-being during health crises. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.