The Utility of Fusion Centres to Enhance Intelligence-Led Policing: An Exploration of End-Users

A developing literature on intelligence-led policing (ILP) and law enforcement fusion centres contends that intelligence and data-driven policing practices can be enhanced through improved intelligence dissemination from fusion centres. The literature has remained relatively silent on the extent to which law enforcement has connectivity with fusion centres, perceive fusion centre products to be useful, and further share intelligence products within their agency. The present study informs this knowledge gap using data gathered via an online survey of law enforcement subscribed to receive fusion centre products. Bivariate logistic regression models showed that rural agencies tend to be the most informed about the fusion centre of study while a disconnect was observed between the fusion centre with respect to frontline personnel and analysts; especially in urban police, health, and fire organizations. Implications for research and practice are discussed

The Role of People in Information-Sharing: Perceptions from an Analytic Unit of a Regional Fusion Center

Information sharing research has largely focused on capturing operational practices related to the exchange of information. A noticeable shortcoming of this developing literature is the lack of scholarly attention focused specifically on analytic personnel. The present study employs semi-structured interviews with 23 personnel that comprise the analytic unit within a regional fusion center located in a large metropolitan area in the United States. Findings indicate that there is significant ambiguity surrounding the organizational and geographic audiences to which intelligence products should be tailored. Moreover, it appears information sharing is sparse and reliant upon personal relationships between analysts and external organizations. Lastly, analysts do not receive feedback pertaining to the content and effectiveness of intelligence products created. These findings may be generalized to other analytical organizations whose primary goal is to gather, analyze and disseminate intelligence. Action steps for policymakers are provided

Teenagers' Perceptions of the Aged

Home Economics Educatio

Towards an Understanding of Valence in E-Government Services

The Australian government, to remind job seekers of appointments with employment services providers in order to cut costs and free up human resources, is using technologies such as Short Messaging Services (SMS). However, the technologies in-use are but one side of this equation – the specifics of how these technologies are used is the other side, and these specifics are highly undertheorized, particularly in regard to the views of the people to which these technologies are directed. The purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretical framing for this phenomenon as well as to introduce an emerging methodological direction that may allow for a better understanding of demographic-specific values and thereby better valence framing. The paper also theorizes reactions to information that could be applicable elsewhere, not just in e-government or with SMS, thereby contributing to discussions surrounding the ‘Big Data’ debat

The social cost of low wages

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2011.No page 1. Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 60-62).Introduction: Living wage ordinances require city-contracted firms to pay their workers a wage that is set above the state's minimum wage. The first ordinance was implemented in Baltimore in 1994, in recognition that workers earning close to the minimum wage do not earn enough to be able to meet their basic needs and support their families. Community leaders in Baltimore began a living wage campaign to place pressure on firms to pay higher wages. They focused their efforts on city-contracted firms as they believed that firms receiving taxpayer dollars should be held accountable to the public. Since the enactment of Baltimore's Living Wage ordinance, over 120 municipalities across the United States have also implemented ordinances with the goal of reducing poverty levels. The economic impact of living wage laws is still not completely understood which has lead to the emergence of a field of living wage research. Living wage studies have primarily focused on the affects of living wage laws on economic indicators such as employment levels, wages, poverty rates, prices and business growth. To capture the affects of ordinances, researchers typically examine how firms and workers affected by living wage laws have faired compared to those who are unaffected. Other studies attempt to contrast the experiences of workers and employers within a city before and after an ordinance is implemented. However, there has been limited research on how low wages impact workers and have ripple affects on the economy. Although it is generally accepted that low wages can lead to higher poverty rates and can have adverse impacts on families and communities, these affects are not often measured in substantive ways. Developing research methods that lead to more concrete measurements of how families and communities are affected by low wages, can strengthen the living wage movement and help policymakers design more effective anti-poverty and living wage laws. Additionally, measuring the cost of supporting poor working families through the use of public subsidies can serve to measure the magnitude of externalities. The purpose of this thesis is to expand the analytical scope of living wage research by illustrating the importance of analyzing the effects of low wages on families and taxpayers. To accomplish this, I conduct a qualitative study of two poor working families to depict how their lives are impacted by low wages. I then discuss how data on working families using public subsidies can be collected and reported for the purposes of living wage research. It is important to note that the research presented in this report is not necessarily intended to advocate for living wage laws but to strengthen and expand the scope of living wage research so that living wage laws can be more accurately evaluated. Overview of Chapters: -- In chapter one, I first explain the Boston Living Wage Ordinance in order to provide an example of the policy structure of living wage ordinances. Additionally, I discuss the scope of living wage studies and discuss the importance of measuring externalities. -- The second chapter explains the methodological approach that was used to select participants and conduct interviews. -- The third chapter describes who are Boston's low wage workers and the role they play in the economy and the occupations and industries that are most affected by low wages. -- Chapter four provides a summary of the qualitative study conducted with two low wage workers and how they manage to support their families on a limited income. -- In chapter five, an in-depth analysis of their budget is conducted to determine the costs of the public subsidies they use and how they manage to reduce their household expenditures. -- The sixth chapter discusses how researchers and administer of public subsidies can better track and report data that demonstrates the magnitude of worker dependency on public subsidies and its implication for tax payers. -- The final chapter focuses on key findings of this study and recommendations for the future.by Cassandria Campbell.M.C.P

Nucleic acids and growth of \u3cem\u3eCalanus finmarchicus\u3c/em\u3e in the laboratory under different food and temperature conditions

We examined the effects of food concentration and temperature on nucleic acids and protein content of Calanus finmarchicus in order to evaluate the use of RNA as a growth rate index for this species. We measured RNA, DNA, and protein content of copepods reared from egg to adult stage in 5 combinations of food and temperature conditions (25 to 500 µg C l-1, 4 to 12°C). At 8°C, DNA, RNA and protein content and RNA:DNA differed among food treatments during Stages N6 through to adult female. Protein:DNA ratios and RNA:protein ratios were significantly different among food levels for only 3 of the 8 stages examined. At excess food, DNA, RNA, and protein content and RNA:DNA ratios were inversely related to temperature for most stages from C1 onward, but the effect of temperature was relatively small over the range of temperatures investigated. The RNA:DNA and protein:DNA ratios increased with developmental stage whereas the RNA:protein ratio and growth rates (measured in terms of protein, nitrogen, DNA, and carbon content) declined with increasing stage. Although the relationship of RNA:DNA to growth rates was stage-specific, the two were related when standardized for temperature and developmental stage. RNA:protein ratios were directly related to growth rates regardless of stage, and the slope of the relationship increased with increasing temperature in a nonlinear fashion. Our results emphasize the importance of temperature and developmental stage for the relationship of growth rates to RNA concentration and RNA:DNA ratios. We propose 2 ways to estimate in situ growth rates of C. finmarchicus from RNA:DNA or RNA:protein ratios and environmental temperatur

Simulation as a Disruptive Innovation in Advanced Practice Nursing Programs: A Report from a Qualitative Examination

Simulation as a pedagogy is used extensively to educate healthcare professionals in both academic and clinical arenas with the intent to improve the delivery of care and patient outcomes. Advanced practice nursing (APN) programs use simulation as a pedagogy even though APN accreditation and certification organizations prohibit substituting simulation hours for the minimum 500 clinical hours. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore faculty perceptions of educating APN students using simulation. Focus groups were conducted with a convenience sample of APN simulation faculty. Disruptive innovation theory was used by the researchers to guide the data analysis. Themes emerging during analysis included: 1) extrinsic tension and pressure in the midst of chaos, 2) internal vulnerability, and 3) passion and tenacity to remain resilient. The study results provide clarity to understand integration of APN simulation in the current environment, and introduce the impact of simulation as a disruptive innovation

Growth and development rates of the copepod \u3cem\u3eCalanus finmarchicus\u3c/em\u3e reared in the laboratory

Development rates, nitrogen- and carbon-specific growth rates, size, and condition were determined for the copepod Calanus finmarchicus reared at 3 temperatures (4, 8, and 12°C) at non-limiting food concentrations and 2 limiting food concentrations at 8°C in the laboratory. Development rates were equiproportional, but not isochronal. Naupliar stage durations were similar, except for non-feeding stages, which were of short duration, and the first feeding stage, which was prolonged, while copepodite stage durations increased with increasing stage of development. Under limiting food concentrations at 8°C, development rates were prolonged but similar relative patterns in stage durations were observed. Body size (length and weight) was inversely related to temperature and positively related to food concentration. Condition measurements were not affected by temperature, but were positively related to food concentration. Growth rates increased with increasing temperature and increased asymptotically with increasing food concentration. At high food concentrations, growth rates of naupliar stages were high (except for individuals molting from the final naupliar stage to the first copepodite stage, in which growth rates were depressed), while growth of copepodites decreased with increasing stage of development. Neither nitrogen nor carbon growth rates, the former a proxy for structural growth, were exponential over the entire life cycle, but rather sigmoidal. Carbon-specific growth rates were greater than nitrogen-specific growth rates, and this difference increased with increasing stage of development, reflecting an augmentation in lipid deposition in the older stages. However, nitrogen and carbon growth rates were more similar under food-limited conditions. Based on this study, we recommend that secondary production rates of Calanus finmarchicus and possibly other lipid-storing copepods not be estimated from egg production measurements alone, as has been suggested for other species of copepods, because growth, including structural growth, is not equivalent for all stages

Strategies for the introduction and implementation of a guideline for the treatment of type 2 diabetics by general practitioners (GPs) of the Lazio region of Italy (IMPLEMEG study): Protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial [ISRCTN80116232]

BACKGROUND: Despite broad agreement on the necessity to improve quality of diabetic care through implementation of clinical guidelines, in Italy many people with diabetes still lack adequate care in general practice. In addition there is little evidence to support the choice of implementation strategies, especially in the Lazio region (central Italy), where comparative studies among general practitioners (GPs) are uncommon. The primary objective of the study is to assess the effectiveness of different strategies for the implementation of an evidence-based guideline for the management of non-complicated type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) among GPs of the Lazio region. METHODS/DESIGN: Three-arm cluster-randomised trial (C-RCT). 252 GPs were randomised either to arm 1 (comprising a training module and administration of the guideline), or to arm 2 (administration of guideline without training), or to arm 3 (control arm), continuing current practice. Arm 1 participants attended a two-day course with CME credits. Data collection will be performed using current information systems. Patients' health data was also collected to describe diabetic populations cared for by GP participants. Process outcomes will be measured at the patient level and at the cluster level one year after the intervention. We will assess GPs' adherence to guideline recommendations for diabetes management relative to: 1) pharmacological management of diabetes; 2) pharmacological management of cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension and dislypidaemia); 3) measurement of glycosilated haemoglobin as the principal indicator of glycaemic control; 4) micro- and macrovascular complications assessment tests. Outcomes will be expressed as proportions of patients cared for by GPs who will have prescriptions of drugs, requests for tests and for outpatient appointment visits. To estimate the efficiency of resource use associated with the intervention a cost-effectiveness analysis will be carried out. The design of the study is based on three Cochrane and one Health Technology Assessment systematic reviews of guideline dissemination and implementation strategies

Effect of Succimer on Growth of Preschool Children with Moderate Blood Lead Levels.

Growth deficits associated with lead exposure might be ameliorated by chelation. We examined the effect of succimer on growth in 780 children 12-33 months old who had blood lead levels of 20-44 microg/dL and were randomized to receive up to three 26-day courses of succimer or placebo in a multicenter, double-blind trial. The difference in changes in weight and height between succimer and placebo groups at 1-34 months was calculated by fitting cubic splines. The difference in height change in children on succimer compared with placebo was -0.27 cm [95% confidence interval (95% CI), -0.42 to -0.11] from baseline to 9 months, when 99% of children had completed treatment, and -0.43 cm (95% CI, -0.77 to -0.09) during 34 months of follow-up. Similar differences in weight gain were not statistically significant. Although succimer lowers blood lead in moderately lead-poisoned children, it does not have a beneficial effect on growth and may have an adverse effect.Other Research Uni