Neutron scattering studies of disordered magnetic systems

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:D67670/86 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

An evolutionary approach to the optimisation of autonomous pod distribution for application in an urban transportation service

For autonomous vehicles (AVs), which when deployed in urban areas are called “pods”, to be used as part of a commercially viable low-cost urban transport system, they will need to operate efficiently. Among ways to achieve efficiency, is to minimise time vehicles are not serving users. To reduce the amount of wasted time, this paper presents a novel approach for distribution of AVs within an urban environment. Our approach uses evolutionary computation, in the form of a genetic algorithm (GA), which is applied to a simulation of an intelligent transportation service, operating in the city of Coventry, UK. The goal of the GA is to optimise distribution of pods, to reduce the amount of user waiting time. To test the algorithm, real-world transport data was obtained for Coventry, which in turn was processed to generate user demand patterns. Results from the study showed a 30% increase in the number of successful journeys completed in a 24 hours, compared to a random distribution. The implications of these findings could yield significant benefits for fleet management companies. These include increases in profits per day, a decrease in capital cost, and better energy efficiency. The algorithm could also be adapted to any service offering pick up and drop of points, including package delivery and transportation of goods

Indigenous youth justice programs evaluation

In this report, four programs that were already being implemented by states and territories and identified by them under the National Indigenous Law & Justice Framework as promising practice in diversion are examined. Executive summary Diversion from the youth justice system is a critical goal for addressing the overrepresentation of Indigenous young people in the criminal justice system. In this report, four programs that were already being implemented by states and territories and identified by them under the National Indigenous Law & Justice Framework as promising practice in diversion are examined. The programs were evaluated, as part of a broader initiative, to determine whether and on what basis they represent good practice (ie are supported by evidence). State and territory governments nominated the programs for evaluation. The four programs sit at different points along a continuum, ranging from prevention (addressing known risk factors for offending behaviour, such as disengagement from family, school, community or culture), early intervention (with identified at-risk young people), diversion (diverting from court process—usually for first or second time offenders) and tertiary intervention (treatment to prevent recidivism): • Aboriginal Power Cup (South Australia)—a sports-based program for engaging Indigenous young people in education and providing positive role models (prevention). • Tiwi Islands Youth Development and Diversion Unit (Northern Territory)—a diversion program that engages Tiwi youth who are at risk of entering the criminal justice system in prevention activities, such as a youth justice conference, school, cultural activities, sport and recreation (early intervention and diversion). • Woorabinda Early Intervention Panel Coordination Service (Queensland)—a program to assess needs and make referrals for young Indigenous people and their families who are at risk or have offended and have complex needs (early intervention and diversion). • Aggression Replacement Training (Queensland)—a 10 week group cognitivebehavioural program to control anger and develop pro-social skills, delivered to Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth assessed as ‘at risk’ of offending or reoffending (early intervention and tertiary intervention with offenders to reduce risk of reoffending). For each program, the evaluation team developed a ‘program logic’, identifying the activities and goals of the program, and how it articulates within a broader framework of criminal justice prevention. This informed the design of the evaluation and the approach to collecting both qualitative data (from young people participating in the program, program staff, family, or other service providers/community members) and quantitative data to identify any effects of the program on individuals, or the broader community

Safety survey data from Victorian youth-serving organisations: Survey data from workers, young people, and organisational leaders’ self-reflections after implementing the Victorian Child Safe Standards

In 2015, the Victorian Government Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) introduced the Victorian Child Safe Standards (the Standards). The aim was to promote the safety of children and young people by supporting the way in which organisations, their workforce (staff and volunteers) and members work so that protecting children and young people is always considered, taken seriously and acted upon. These Standards became fully operational in 2017. In 2019 DHHS began a review of the extent to which the Standards promote improvements in the child-safe culture, and the extent to which the regulatory scheme supports compliance by organisations. As part of the review, DHHS commissioned the Australian Catholic University’s Institute of Child Protection Studies (ICPS) to undertake surveys of staff, children, young people and leaders in a variety of youth-serving organisations. This report describes each survey in detail, presents an analysis of the participants, and describes the methodology. We It also presents our findings, addressing each standard individually, with a summary of overall findings related to the Standards as an overall regulatory framework for driving a culture of child-safety within all youth serving organisations across Victoria

A note on wave set-up

Seaward of the breaker zone, the observations of Saville are in good qualitative agreement with the prediction that the mean surface level is increasingly depressed towards the shoreline

Effective interventions to reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviours among children in contact with child protection and out-of-home care systems – A rapid evidence review

[Extract] Aim The aim of this rapid evidence review is to outline the role played by involvement in the child protection system—including placement in OOHC—as a risk factor for suicidal behaviour. We also aim to review the effectiveness of interventions focused on OOHC for at-risk children in reducing suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts and suicide deaths. The National Suicide Prevention Taskforce, through the Suicide Prevention Research Fund managed by Suicide Prevention Australia, commissioned the Institute of Child Protection Studies at Australian Catholic University to conduct this review of the literature. We aimed to answer the following research questions: 1. What role do risk factors associated with childhood trauma and interactions with the child protection and out-of-home system play in suicidal behaviour? 2. What interventions have been shown to be effective in reducing suicidal thoughts and behaviours among children involved in the out-of-home care system? 3. What recommendations could be made about interventions that may be most appropriate and feasible within the Australian context

Family foundations outcome evaluation

[Executive Summary] The ACT Community Services Directorate (CSD) commissioned the ACU Institute of Child Protection Studies (ICPS) to conduct a process and outcome evaluation of Family Foundations. CSD, a government agency responsible for various human services functions in the ACT, funds the Belconnen Community Service to deliver Family Foundations. Family Foundations is an early intervention therapeutic program designed to promote strong, secure and healthy relationships between children aged 0-5 years and their parents/carers. ICPS evaluators finalised the process evaluation in February 2018. It assessed the extent to which Family Foundations had been implemented as intended (see Barker, Thorpe and McArthur, 2018). The outcome evaluation assessed the extent to which Family Foundations achieved intended outcomes. It involved a mixed methods approach. This approach involved collecting, analysing and interpreting qualitative and quantitative data to address the key evaluation questions. The available evidence suggested that Family Foundations enhanced parenting capacity and contributed to improved outcomes for children. Changes in parenting capacity were evident in the test scores for quantitative outcome tools and the qualitative accounts of parents, practitioners and stakeholders. Test scores typically showed small, but statistically significant, improvements post-program participation. Parents, practitioners and stakeholders provided rich descriptions of how participating in Family Foundations had developed parenting knowledge and skills and improved parents’ sense of self-confidence in their ability to meet their child’s needs. Most parents noted an improved ability to recognise and manage their emotions when caring for their child. Parents and practitioners reported improvements in the emotional regulation and behavioural outcomes of their children. Parental participation in Family Foundations also appeared to have enhanced the quality of the parent-child attachment. ICPS evaluators identified an unintended consequence for one parent who had participated in the program. This parent exited Family Foundations with lasting feelings of distress. While unfortunate, this experience appeared to be a consequence of the practitioner acting in the interests of the child. Available evidence suggested that program staff adopted process to keep the focus on the child and supported parents to understand the importance of this focus even in the event it may cause the parent discomfort. A significant implication of the evaluation relates to whether Family Foundations reached the ‘right’ parents. Many parents entered Family Foundations with pre-program test scores that fell in the moderate band. While these families experienced improvements, the change was small. Yet, when the program engaged parent who demonstrated high need at the point of entry, the change in test scores post-program participation was more substantial than for parents with low to moderate parenting need. The important message here is that Family Foundations appeared to produce the most significant result for parents in greater need. ICPS evaluators recommend further reflection on whether BCS is appropriately set up to deliver ‘blended prevention’ (Prinz, 2015) – combining universal and targeted parenting supports in an integrated strategy

Multimorbidity and socioeconomic deprivation in primary care consultations

Purpose: The influence of multimorbidity on the clinical encounter is poorly understood, especially in areas of high socioeconomic deprivation where burdensome multimorbidity is concentrated. The aim of the current study was to examine the effect of multimorbidity on general practice consultations, in areas of high and low deprivation. Methods: We conducted secondary analyses of 659 video-recorded routine consultations involving 25 general practitioners (GPs) in deprived areas and 22 in affluent areas of Scotland. Patients rated the GP’s empathy using the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) measure immediately after the consultation. Videos were analyzed using the Measure of Patient-Centered Communication. Multilevel, multi-regression analysis identified differences between the groups. Results: In affluent areas, patients with multimorbidity received longer consultations than patients without multimorbidity (mean 12.8 minutes vs 9.3, respectively; P = .015), but this was not so in deprived areas (mean 9.9 minutes vs 10.0 respectively; P = .774). In affluent areas, patients with multimorbidity perceived their GP as more empathic (P = .009) than patients without multimorbidity; this difference was not found in deprived areas (P = .344). Video analysis showed that GPs in affluent areas were more attentive to the disease and illness experience in patients with multimorbidity (P < .031) compared with patients without multimorbidity. This was not the case in deprived areas (P = .727). Conclusions: In deprived areas, the greater need of patients with multimorbidity is not reflected in the longer consultation length, higher GP patient centeredness, and higher perceived GP empathy found in affluent areas. Action is required to redress this mismatch of need and service provision for patients with multimorbidity if health inequalities are to be narrowed rather than widened by primary care

The Effect of Preoperative Education on Psychological, Clinical and Economic Outcomes in Elective Spinal Surgery: A Systematic Review

Psychosocial factors related to different degrees of clinical impairment and quality of life in the preoperative period may influence outcomes from elective spine surgery. Patients have expressed a need for individualized information given in sufficient quantities and at the appropriate time. Therefore, this review article aims to determine whether a preoperative education session improves clinical, psychological and economic outcomes in elective spinal surgery. PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL Complete, Medline Complete and PsychINFO were searched in July 2018 for randomized clinical trials to evaluate the effects of a preoperative education intervention on psychological, clinical and economic outcomes in spinal surgery. The search yielded 78 results, of which eleven papers (seven studies) were relevant for inclusion. From these results, there is limited, fair-quality evidence that supports the inclusion of a preoperative education session for improving clinical (pain, function and disability), economic (quality-adjusted life years, healthcare expenditure, direct and indirect costs) and psychological outcomes (anxiety, depression and fear-avoidance beliefs) from spinal surgery. Other benefits are reported to be improved patient knowledge, feelings of better preparation, reduced negative thinking and increased levels of physical activity after the intervention. No differences in quality of life, return to work, physical indicators or postoperative complications were reported. From the limited evidence, it is not possible to conclusively recommend that preoperative education should be delivered as a standalone intervention before elective spine surgery; however, given the low risk profile and promising benefits, future research in this area is warrante