182 research outputs found
Neurocognitive Risk Assessment for the Early Detection of Violent Extremists
This Brief provides a theoretical and conceptual development of a new Risk Assessment Toolbox (RAT) for the early detection of violent extremists. It is based on a neurocognitive perspective, conceptualized as âneuroplasticity-in-actionâ arising from brain-based neural patterns expressed in mind-based cognitive pathways likely to form a mind-set of violent extremism. This neurocognitive-based Risk Assessment Toolbox (RAT) is comprised of two distinct components: a cognitive indicators instrument that serves as an early detection checklist for trained practitioners, and a software visualisation program.
The Brief includes: A framework of contemporary approaches to the risk assessment of violence as well as the background context for the current research project on âviolent extremismâ and its related concepts of âterrorismâ and âradicalisation,â out of which the RAT was developed. A detailed overview of RAT and a pilot case study experiment to highlight the practical value and utility of this neurocognitive Risk Assessment Toolbox. Preliminary research findings of a study conducted with a sample of recognized experts (academics and practitioners) in several countries around the world, to fine tune and validate the risk parameters of the two components that constitute RAT (Risk Assessment Toolbox). The current stage of development of RAT as a practitioner-based system for the early detection of potentially violent extremists as well as its strategic intelligence implications for using a neurocognitive risk assessment approach to violent extremism is discussed. Research limitations and plans for future research studies.
This work will be of interest to researchers in Criminology and Criminal Justice interested in studying violent extremism, terrorism and crime prevention and intervention and policing, as well as researchers in related fields of Forensic Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience and Social Work or Social Intervention.No Full Tex
Integrating soil and plant tissue tests and using an artificial intelligence method for data modelling is likely to improve decisions for in-season nitrogen management
This paper hypothesizes that there is value in combining soil, climate and plant tissue data to give more reliable advice on nitrogen top-ups in-season when compared with models that are currently available. The benefit of soil and climate data is to factor in N mineralisation and potential yield while plant test data is a more direct approach of yield estimates when considering firstly plant N uptake from the whole soil profile and secondly biomass (important yield component). Plant test data are closer to yield in time and space than soil test data, shortening the time period for any yield prognosis by about 2-3 months, depending when plant testing occurred. A positive side-effect of plant testing is to check whether any other nutrients, apart from nitrogen, are limiting yield or an N response. Secondly, this paper explores an AI method as a comparison to the traditional modelling technique to further improve the accuracy and to turn the model into a self-calibrating model. Unlike a statistical autoregression technique, the tested AI method has dynamic functions that can be used not only on time series data but also on data such as used here
The Impact of Depression on Patient Outcomes in Hip Arthroscopic Surgery.
Background: Mental health impairments have been shown to negatively affect preoperative self-reported function in patients with various musculoskeletal disorders, including those with femoroacetabular impingement.
Hypothesis: Those with symptoms of depression will have lower self-reported function, more pain, and less satisfaction on initial assessment and at 2-year follow-up than those without symptoms of depression.
Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.
Methods: Patients who were enrolled in a multicenter hip arthroscopic surgery registry and had 2-year outcome data available were included in the study. Patients completed the 12-item International Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT-12), visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, and 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) when consenting for surgery. At 2-year follow-up, patients were emailed the iHOT, the VAS, and a rating scale of surgical satisfaction. Initial SF-12 mental component summary (MCS) scores
Results: A total of 781 patients achieved the approximate 2-year milestone (mean follow-up, 735 ± 68 days), with 651 (83%) having 2-year outcome data available. There were 434 (67%) female and 217 (33%) male patients, with a mean age of 35.8 ± 13.0 years and a mean body mass index of 25.4 ± 8.8 kg/m
Conclusion: A large number of patients who underwent hip arthroscopic surgery presented with symptoms of depression, which negatively affected self-reported function, pain levels, and satisfaction on initial assessment and at 2-year follow-up. Surgeons who perform hip arthroscopic surgery may need to identify the symptoms of depression and be aware of the impact that depression can have on surgical outcomes
Community engagement: A central feature of NOSMâs socially accountable distributed medical education
Background: Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) serves as the Faculty of Medicine of Lakehead and Laurentian Universities, and views the entire geography of Northern Ontario as its campus. This paper explores how community engagement contributes to achieving social accountability in over 90 sites through NOSMâs distinctive model, Distributed Community Engaged Learning (DCEL).Methods: Studies involving qualitative and quantitative methods contribute to this paper, which draws on administrative data from NOSM and external sources, as well as surveys and interviews of students, graduates and other informants including the joint NOSM-CRaNHR (Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research) tracking and impact studies.Results: Community engagement contributes throughout the lifecycle stages of preadmission, admission, and undergraduate medical education. High school students from 70 Northern Ontario communities participate in NOSMâs week-long Health Sciences Summer Camps. The MD admissions process involves approximately 128 volunteers assessing written applications and over 100 volunteer interviewers. Thirty-six Indigenous communities host first year students and third-year students learn their core clinical medicine in 15 communities, throughout Northern Ontario. In general, learners and communities report net benefits from participation in NOSM programs.Conclusion: Community engagement makes a key contribution to the success of NOSMâs socially accountable distributed medical education
An analysis of Australia's carbon pollution reduction scheme
The authors review the decision-making since the Labour Government came into office (November 2007). The Australian Governmentâs âCarbon Pollution Reduction Schemeâ White Paper (15 December 2008) proposes that an Australian Emissions Trading Scheme (AETS) be implemented in mid-2010. Acknowledging that the scheme is comprehensive, the paper finds that in many cases, Australia will take a softer approach to climate change through the AETS than the European Union ETS(EUETS). The paper assesses key issues in the White Paper such as emissions reduction targets, GHG coverage, sectoral coverage, inclusion of unlimited quantities of offsets from Kyoto international markets and exclusion of deforestation activities
Opposing roles of ZEB1 in the cytoplasm and nucleus control cytoskeletal assembly and YAP1 activity
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) facilitates cancer invasion and is initiated by mesenchyme-driving transcription factors and actin cytoskeletal assembly. We show a cytoplasmic-to-nuclear transport gradient of the EMT transcription factor Zeb1 toward sites of invasion in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), driven by the EMT inducer Tgfb, which is expressed in M2 polarized macrophages. We show that Zeb1 binds free actin monomers and RhoA in the cytoplasm to inhibit actin polymerization, blocking cell migration and Yap1 nuclear transport. Tgfb causes turnover of the scaffold protein Rassf1a, which targets RhoA. Release of this RhoA inhibition in response to Tgfb overcomes Zeb1's block of cytoskeleton assembly and frees it for nuclear transport. A ZEB1 nuclear transport signature highlights EMT progression, identifies dedifferentiated invasive/metastatic human LUADs, and predicts survival. Blocking Zeb1 nuclear transport with a small molecule identified in this study inhibits cytoskeleton assembly, cell migration, Yap1 nuclear transport, EMT, and precancerous-to-malignant transition
Crop Updates 2008 - Cereals
This session covers twenty four papers from different authors:
WHEAT AGRONOMY
1. Wheat variety performance in the Northern Agricultural Region in 2007, Christine Zaicou, Department of Agriculture and Food
2. Wheat variety performance on the Central Agricultural Region in 2007, Shahajahan Miyan, Department of Agriculture and Food
3. Response of wheat varieties to sowing time in the Great Southern and Lakes Region in 2007, Brenda Shackley and Steve Penny, Department of Agriculture and Food
4. Wheat variety performance in the South Coastal Region in 2007, Sarah Ellis, Department of Agriculture and Food
5. Flowering dates of wheat varieties in Western Australia in 2007, Darshan Sharma, Brenda Shackley and Christine Zaicou, Department of Agriculture and Food
BARLEY AGRONOMY
6. Barley variety options for Western Australia, Blakely Paynter, Andrea Hills and Jeff Russell, Department of Agriculture and Food
7. Vlaming A â the newest malting barley variety, Blakely Paynter, Jeff Russell and Andrea Hills, Department of Agriculture and Food
8. Barley yields higher in wide rows with stubble retained in a very dry season at Merredin, Glen Riethmuller, Bill Bowden and Paul Blackwell, Department of Agriculture and Food
HERBICIDE TOLERANCE
9. Herbicide tolerance of current/new wheat varieties, Dr Harmohinder Dhammu, Department of Agriculture and Food
10. Herbicide tolerance of new oat varieties, Dr Harmohinder Dhammu, Vince Lambert, and Chris Roberts,Department of Agriculture and Food
NUTRITION
11. Managing nitrogen inputs in malting barley, Andrea Hills and Blakely Paynter, Department of Agriculture and Food
12. Decision tools for optimal N on cereal crops, David and Sally Cox, Jeremy Lemon* and Andrea Hills*, *Department of Agriculture and Food
13. Wheat varieties respond differently to potassium application on potassium responsive soils, Paul Damon and Zed Rengel, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Western Australia
DISEASES
14. Leaf disease management in continuous barley in the northern and central grainbelt of WA, Geoff Thomas, Ciara Beard, Anne Smith, Kith Jayasena and Sean Kelly, Department of Agriculture and Food
15. Temperature and moisture requirements of leaf, stem and stripe rusts of wheat, Geoff Thomas, Rob Loughman and Bill MacLeod, Department of Agriculture and Food
16. Fungicide options for controlling diseases in oats, Raj Malik and Blakely Paynter, Department of Agriculture and Food
17. Survey of wheat root diseases under intensive cereal production in Western Australia during 2005-2007, Ravjit Khangura, William MacLeod, Vivien Vanstone, Colin Hanbury, Mehreteab Aberra, Gordon MacNish and Robert Loughman, Department of Agriculture and Food
18. Epidemiology studies on Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus in 2007, Brenda Coutts, Geoff Strickland, Monica Kehoe, Dustin Severtson and Roger Jones, Department of Agriculture and Food
19. Bacterial diseases that affect WA export hay quality, Dominie Wright and Megan Jordan, Department of Agriculture and Food
SOIL
20. Hardpan penetration ability of drought-stressed wheat under pot and field conditions, Xinhua He1, Eli Manyol1, Song-Ai Nio1, Imran Malik1, Tina Botwright-Acuña1,2and Len Wade1,3,1School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, 2Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research, University of Tasmania, TAS, 3E.H. Graham Centre, Charles Sturt University, NSW
HARVEST MANAGEMENT
21. Calculating the risk â the SEPWA Harvest Calculator, Nigel Metz, South East Premium Wheat Growers Association
22. The relationship between grain moisture and atmospheric conditions in cereal crop harvesting on the South Coast of WA, Nigel Metz, South East Premium Wheat Growers Association (SEPWA)
MARKETS
23. Varietal accreditation for Australian Barley, Linda Price, Barley Australia
STATISTICAL METHODS
24. Applying data mining tools to improve grain quality for growers, Dean Diepeveen1, Leisa Armstrong2, Peter Clarke1, Doug Abrecht1, Rudi Appels2 and Matthew Bellgard3,1Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia 2Edith Cowan University, Western Australia, 3Centre of Comparative Genomics, Murdoch Universit
A digitally-augmented ground space with timed visual cues for facilitating forearm crutchesâ mobility
Persuasive technologies for physical rehabilitation have been pro posed in a number of different health interventions such as post-stroke gait
rehabilitation. We propose a new persuasive system, called Augmented Crut ches, aimed at helping people to walk with crutches. People with injuries, or
with any sort of mobility problem typically use assistive devices such as crut ches, walkers or canes in order to be able to walk more independently. However,
walking with crutches is a learning skill that needs continuous repetition and
constant attention to detail in order to walk correctly with them and without
suffering negative consequences, such as falls or injuries. In close collaboration
with therapists, we identify the main issues that patients face when walking with
crutches. These vary from person to person, but the most common and hardest
challenges are the position and coordination of the crutches. Augmented Crut ches studies human behavior aspects in these situations and augments the
ground space around the user with digital visual cues where timing is the most
important factor, without the need for a constant therapist providing manual
help. This is performed through a mini-projector connected to a smartphone,
worn by the user in a portable, lightweight manner. Our system helps people to
learn how to walk using crutches with increased self-confidence and motivation.
Additionally, our work identifies timing, controllability and awareness as the
key design dimensions for the successful creation of persuasive, interactive
experiences for learning how to walk with crutches.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Shearwaters know the direction and distance home but fail to encode intervening obstacles after free-ranging foraging trips
While displacement experiments have been powerful for determining the sensory basis of homing navigation in birds, they have left unresolved important cognitive aspects of navigation such as what birds know about their location relative to home and the anticipated route. Here, we analyze the free-ranging Global Positioning System (GPS) tracks of a large sample (n = 707) of Manx shearwater, Puffinus puffinus, foraging trips to investigate, from a cognitive perspective, what a wild, pelagic seabird knows as it begins to home naturally. By exploiting a kind of natural experimental contrast (journeys with or without intervening obstacles) we first show that, at the start of homing, sometimes hundreds of kilometers from the colony, shearwaters are well oriented in the homeward direction, but often fail to encode intervening barriers over which they will not fly (islands or peninsulas), constrained to flying farther as a result. Second, shearwaters time their homing journeys, leaving earlier in the day when they have farther to go, and this ability to judge distance home also apparently ignores intervening obstacles. Thus, at the start of homing, shearwaters appear to be making navigational decisions using both geographic direction and distance to the goal. Since we find no decrease in orientation accuracy with trip length, duration, or tortuosity, path integration mechanisms cannot account for these findings. Instead, our results imply that a navigational mechanism used to direct natural large-scale movements in wild pelagic seabirds has map-like properties and is probably based on large-scale gradients
Hugs and behaviour points: alternative education and the regulation of 'excluded' youth
In England, alternative education (AE) is offered to young people formally excluded from school, close to formal exclusion or who have been informally pushed to the educational edges of their local school. Their behaviour is seen as needing to change. In this paper, we examine the behavioural regimes at work in 11 AE programmes. Contrary to previous studies and the extensive âbest practiceâ literature, we found a return to highly behaviourist routines, with talking therapeutic approaches largely operating within this Skinnerian frame. We also saw young people offered a curriculum largely devoid of languages, humanities and social sciences. What was crucial to AE providers, we argue, was that they could demonstrate 'progress' in both learning and behaviour to inspectors and systems. Mobilising insights from Foucault, we note the congruence between the external regimes of reward and punishment used in AE and the kinds of insecure work and carceral futures that might be on offer to this group of young people
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