How do young people experience the transition from being a looked after child to living independently and how can it be improved in the eyes of the young people using the service? (Sharing our experience, Practitioner-led research 2008-2009; PLR0809/117)

The aim of this study was to research the transition from being a looked after child to moving into independence from the point of view of the young people and what they feel could improve this service for future generations. This research aimed to explore the transition between being looked after and living independently. To achieve these aims, face to face semi-structured interviews, phone interviews, email questionnaires and text interviews were employed with a relatively small sample of young people. A final sample of 30 participants was achieved and all young people were aged between 17 and 25. The majority, i.e. 25 people, were from a white British background. Some of the young people were living in independent accommodation and some were in supported lodgings. Although semi-structured, the interviews were flexible enough to allow the probing of issues that arose during the interview. Anecdotal evidence from young people interviewed during this study showed that young people making the transition from being a looked after child to independent living have issues with the amount of support they are getting from their social work team. It is thought that insufficient emotional support or financial preparation for young people will inevitably mean the young people are heading towards a downward spiral. The first main finding of the project was that many of the young people had to live on low levels of finance, due to either not having adequate benefits paid to them or the skills to manage the money they are given. The second main finding was that young people felt they were not supported enough in the early days of independent living. Many of the skills needed to live on their own, such as cooking, cleaning and DIY, as well as emotional skills, were learnt in practice. The implications for practice are stated and conclusions from the study are drawn in the full report

Creation of nonlinear density gradients for use in internal wave research

Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2007."June 2007."Includes bibliographical references.A method was developed to create a nonlinear density gradient in a tank of water. Such gradients are useful for studying internal waves, an ocean phenomenon that plays an important role in climate and ocean circulation. The method was developed by expanding on the two-tank system currently used to create linear density gradients. A mathematical model of the two-tank system was used and a Matlab script was written to solve the model for the required flow rates in the system given a desired density gradient. The method was tested by creating three different density gradients: a linear gradient, a hyperbolic gradient, and a two-layer gradient. It was discovered that for a two-layer gradient the flow rates for each layer must be calculated independently of each other, because of problems integrating over a density gradient with a non-continuous slope. It was also discovered that the system failed at very low flow rates; insufficient mixing in the two-tank system led to gradients weaker than expected. Overall, the measured gradients matched up well with the expected gradients, and it was concluded that the system can successfully produce nonlinear density gradients.by Victoria Siân Harris.S.B

Around the table: Are multiple-touch surfaces better than single-touch for children's collaborative interactions?

This paper presents a classroom study that investigated the potential of using touch tabletop technology to support children's collaborative learning interactions. Children aged 7-10 worked in groups of three on a collaborative planning task in which they designed a seating plan for their classroom. In the single-touch condition, the tabletop surface allowed only one child to interact with the digital content at a time. In the multiple-touch condition, the children could interact with the digital content simultaneously. Results showed that touch condition did not affect the frequency or equity of interactions, but did influence the nature of children's discussion. In the multiple-touch condition, children talked more about the task; in the single-touch condition, they talked more about turn taking. We also report age and gender differences

El monstruo de la ensalada

Victoria Rodrigo, PhD- Serie Leamos’ EditorProfessor of Spanish World Languages and Cultures DepartmentGeorgia State Universityhttps://scholarworks.gsu.edu/wcl_leamos/1005/thumbnail.jp

Histories of ‘Sex’, Histories of ‘Sexuality’

For Dagmar Herzog, writing the history of sexuality is an act of rebalancing. Sexuality becomes neither positive nor negative, but ambivalent. Herzog destabilises a dominant ‘narrative of gradual progress’, which misunderstands ‘how profoundly complicated the sexual politics of the twentieth century in Europe actually were’ (p. 2). Instead of a linear chronology, Herzog reveals a twentieth century of cyclical change – revolutionary liberalisations and conservative backlashes occur in quick succession, or even concomitantly. Repression appears even within developments considered liberalising by contemporaries. The ambivalences within ‘progress’ and ‘change’ shape sexuality and its history. A third ambivalence is no less important – happiness. Despite being an act inextricably connected with pleasure, sex does not consistently give rise to happiness.</jats:p

Revealing the unknown in creative supervision: a grounded theory

A supervisor uses psychotherapeutic supervision for professional development, to provide support to supervisees, to monitor quality and as quality control for the profession. It also allows therapists to explore their client work more fully. Although, traditionally, it takes place as a conversation between the supervisor and supervisee, it has been argued that supervisors can use an array of creative techniques to enhance the supervisory process. Yet, there has been limited empirical research in this area. This qualitative study aimed to develop a deeper understanding of the use of creativity in supervision. Using a classic grounded theory method, this study aimed to discover a theory that identified and explained how supervisors account for their use of creativity in supervision. A pattern in the creative supervision approach of 13 experienced psychotherapy supervisors in the United Kingdom and Ireland was identified. The study revealed a main concern that supervisors had regarding their experience of using creativity and how they dealt with this. When supervisors were faced with a lack of clarity concerning the supervision issue in supervision, they experienced a block in their path to understanding what the issue was and how to assist with it. The ‘Revealing the Unknown’ theory explains (a) the purpose of the supervisor’s use of creativity in supervision as assisting in attaining sight of the supervisory issue and (b) the various ways supervisors manage a lack of sight in supervision. When supervisors experienced a block in seeing and understanding the supervisory issue, they used creativity to help the supervisee see more clearly, to cope with their own discomfort in not seeing the issue, to facilitate a sense of connection with their supervisee and foster greater understanding, thus attaining a more favourable supervisory encounter

Detecting spatiotemporal clusters of accidental poisoning mortality among Texas counties, U.S., 1980 – 2001

BACKGROUND: Accidental poisoning is one of the leading causes of injury in the United States, second only to motor vehicle accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rates of accidental poisoning mortality have been increasing in the past fourteen years nationally. In Texas, mortality rates from accidental poisoning have mirrored national trends, increasing linearly from 1981 to 2001. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are spatiotemporal clusters of accidental poisoning mortality among Texas counties, and if so, whether there are variations in clustering and risk according to gender and race/ethnicity. The Spatial Scan Statistic in combination with GIS software was used to identify potential clusters between 1980 and 2001 among Texas counties, and Poisson regression was used to evaluate risk differences. RESULTS: Several significant (p < 0.05) accidental poisoning mortality clusters were identified in different regions of Texas. The geographic and temporal persistence of clusters was found to vary by racial group, gender, and race/gender combinations, and most of the clusters persisted into the present decade. Poisson regression revealed significant differences in risk according to race and gender. The Black population was found to be at greatest risk of accidental poisoning mortality relative to other race/ethnic groups (Relative Risk (RR) = 1.25, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.24 – 1.27), and the male population was found to be at elevated risk (RR = 2.47, 95% CI = 2.45 – 2.50) when the female population was used as a reference. CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study provide evidence for the existence of accidental poisoning mortality clusters in Texas, demonstrate the persistence of these clusters into the present decade, and show the spatiotemporal variations in risk and clustering of accidental poisoning deaths by gender and race/ethnicity. By quantifying disparities in accidental poisoning mortality by place, time and person, this study demonstrates the utility of the spatial scan statistic combined with GIS and regression methods in identifying priority areas for public health planning and resource allocation

Application of precise 142Nd/144Nd analysis of small samples to inclusions in diamonds (Finsch, South Africa) and Hadean Zircons (Jack Hills, Western Australia)

146Sm-142Nd and 147Sm-143Nd systematics were investigated in garnet inclusions in diamonds from Finsch (S. Africa) and Hadean zircons from Jack Hills (W. Australia) to assess the potential of these systems as recorders of early Earth evolution. The stud

Duration of Effectiveness of Permethrin-Treated Clothing to Prevent Mosquito Bites Under Simulated Conditions

Presented for World Environmental Health Day, September 26, 2016 in Greenville, North Carolina.Biological hazards such as exposure to ticks and mosquitoes can affect worker health. Permethrin is a repellant/insecticide approved for human use by the Environmental Protection Agency. Permethrin-treated clothing is commercially available to the public. Permethrin-treated clothing (50% cotton/50% nylon) has been shown to retain repellency through 70 washings. Work attire differs between state and consulting foresters, park rangers, etc.; hence, variation in protection from vector borne disease may existThis study was funded by the Southeast Center for Agricultural Health and Injury Prevention (# 3049025288-14-060)