A matter of confidence : an exploration of how magistrates' confidence in youth offending team service provision can make a difference to decision-making in the youth courts

Professional doctorate in youth justiceThe vast majority of children and young people appearing in criminal courts in England and Wales are sentenced through a youth court by lay magistrates. The magistrates court deals with 96% of all criminal cases in England and Wales and it is lay magistrates who decide on questions of fact, and sentence those convicted in 91% of these cases. Therefore, how Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) and magistrates work together is a matter of interest. This research explores the extent to which magistrates' confidence in the YOT's service provision can make a difference to the decisions made with regards to bail/remand, sentencing, enforcement and revocation on grounds of good progress. Furthermore, the research considers how YOTs might improve the confidence of magistrates in their service provision and makes recommendations for practice in this regard

Turnir model: Statistička investigacija ATP

In the competitive labor markets, labor is hired and paid based on their value of marginal product. However, when we observe and compare wages between top level managers, difference in those wages are very large. High wage differentials are needed to induce the incentive to provide substantial effort from the start of their careers. Structure of the marginal payoffs in professional tennis tournaments does not correspond to tournament theory. Marginal payoffs increase, but at the decreasing rate, and in the final round, final marginal payoff drops. Percentage change in marginal payoff is larger in the semi-finals than in the finals. Along the same lines, top four finishers receive less than 50% of the total purse, around 40%. Finally, output from regressions on total purse and marginal payoff (spread) show mixed results. In some instances players’ effort is related to the purse instead of marginal payoff, which contradicts the theory. In other cases, players’ effort is dependent on both variables, purse and marginal payoff. Thus, results are rather inconclusive.U konkurentnim tržištima, radna snaga plaćena je prema vrijednosti svoga rada. Ali kad usporedimo plaće visoko pozicioniranih menadžera, razlike u plaćama vrlo su velike. Svakako da su razlike u naknadama potrebne da bi se dao poticaj za postizanje najboljih rezultata od samog početka građenja menadžerske karijere. Međutim, struktura novčanih nagrada prema postignutim rezultatima u profesionalnom teniskom turniru ne korespondira teoriji turnira. Raspodjela novčanih nagrada prema rezultatima raste, ali po padajućoj stopi, te tako u finalnom kolu, visina novčane nagrade se smanjuje. Postotak promjene u visini novčane nagrade veći je u polufinalu nego li u finalu. U skladu s tim, četiri vrhunska teniska igrača u završnom kolu dobivaju samo 40% umjesto najmanje 50% od ukupnog fonda nagrada. Rezultati iz ekonometrijske radnje ukazuju na razlike u povezivanju rezultata rada s plaćama i ukupnim fondom nagrada. Međutim, rezultati nisu uvjerljivi, jer u nekim slučajevima, nagrađivanje truda statistički se temelji na ukupnom fondu nagrada umjesto na nagrađivanju prema postignutim rezultatima, dok se u drugim slučajevima temelji i na nagrađivanju prema postignutim rezultatima i raspodjeli ukupnog fonda nagrada, što je u suprotnosti s teorijama o turnirima

The tournament model: An empirical investigation of the ATP tour

In the competitive labor markets, labor is hired and paid based on their value of marginal product. However, when we observe and compare wages between top level managers, difference in those wages are very large. High wage differentials are needed to induce the incentive to provide substantial effort from the start of their careers.Structure of the marginal payoffs in professional tennis tournaments does not correspond to tournament theory. Marginal payoffs increase, but at the decreasing rate, and in the final round, final marginal payoff drops. Percentage change in marginal payoff is larger in the semi-finals than in the finals. Along the same lines, topfour finishers receive less than 50% of the total purse, around 40%. Finally, output from regressions on total purse and marginal payoff (spread) show mixed results. In some instances players’ effort is related to the purse instead of marginal payoff, which contradicts the theory. In other cases, players’ effort is dependent on bothvariables, purse and marginal payoff. Thus, results are rather inconclusiv

Turnir model: Statistička investigacija ATP

In the competitive labor markets, labor is hired and paid based on their value of marginal product. However, when we observe and compare wages between top level managers, difference in those wages are very large. High wage differentials are needed to induce the incentive to provide substantial effort from the start of their careers. Structure of the marginal payoffs in professional tennis tournaments does not correspond to tournament theory. Marginal payoffs increase, but at the decreasing rate, and in the final round, final marginal payoff drops. Percentage change in marginal payoff is larger in the semi-finals than in the finals. Along the same lines, top four finishers receive less than 50% of the total purse, around 40%. Finally, output from regressions on total purse and marginal payoff (spread) show mixed results. In some instances players’ effort is related to the purse instead of marginal payoff, which contradicts the theory. In other cases, players’ effort is dependent on both variables, purse and marginal payoff. Thus, results are rather inconclusive.U konkurentnim tržištima, radna snaga plaćena je prema vrijednosti svoga rada. Ali kad usporedimo plaće visoko pozicioniranih menadžera, razlike u plaćama vrlo su velike. Svakako da su razlike u naknadama potrebne da bi se dao poticaj za postizanje najboljih rezultata od samog početka građenja menadžerske karijere. Međutim, struktura novčanih nagrada prema postignutim rezultatima u profesionalnom teniskom turniru ne korespondira teoriji turnira. Raspodjela novčanih nagrada prema rezultatima raste, ali po padajućoj stopi, te tako u finalnom kolu, visina novčane nagrade se smanjuje. Postotak promjene u visini novčane nagrade veći je u polufinalu nego li u finalu. U skladu s tim, četiri vrhunska teniska igrača u završnom kolu dobivaju samo 40% umjesto najmanje 50% od ukupnog fonda nagrada. Rezultati iz ekonometrijske radnje ukazuju na razlike u povezivanju rezultata rada s plaćama i ukupnim fondom nagrada. Međutim, rezultati nisu uvjerljivi, jer u nekim slučajevima, nagrađivanje truda statistički se temelji na ukupnom fondu nagrada umjesto na nagrađivanju prema postignutim rezultatima, dok se u drugim slučajevima temelji i na nagrađivanju prema postignutim rezultatima i raspodjeli ukupnog fonda nagrada, što je u suprotnosti s teorijama o turnirima

Driving performance:International studies on performance management of hospital services and health care systems in times of the COVID-19 pandemic and lessons learnt for its aftermath

This thesis explored the field of healthcare performance management and provided insights into key drivers contributing to better performance. Performance management supports reaching individual, organisational, or system goals through setting objectives, developing strategies, organising work, monitoring progress, providing feedback, taking corrective actions, and evaluating outcomes. It is inextricably linked to data and involves managerial and collaborative efforts of healthcare workers in the context of healthcare systems and services. Measurement and management policies and practices across diverse healthcare settings were researched on both hospital and healthcare system levels. With an international scope, most of this work was done during the COVID-19 pandemic, which influenced research focus and methods. The crucial role of data, people and collaboration in organisational and system-level decision-making has been identified and highlighted. Contrasting approaches in utilising performance data were revealed between hospital managers in different geographies. Additionally, the research uncovered innovative, collaborative tools and practices emerging during the pandemic alongside persistent challenges such as data silos and governance issues. This work provides insights into healthcare performance management, guiding future research and policy development toward patient-centric, resilient healthcare. Policy implications stress the importance of investing in managerial training, aligning metrics with desired outcomes, and fostering collaboration for resilient healthcare systems

Driving performance:International studies on performance management of hospital services and health care systems in times of the COVID-19 pandemic and lessons learnt for its aftermath

This thesis explored the field of healthcare performance management and provided insights into key drivers contributing to better performance. Performance management supports reaching individual, organisational, or system goals through setting objectives, developing strategies, organising work, monitoring progress, providing feedback, taking corrective actions, and evaluating outcomes. It is inextricably linked to data and involves managerial and collaborative efforts of healthcare workers in the context of healthcare systems and services. Measurement and management policies and practices across diverse healthcare settings were researched on both hospital and healthcare system levels. With an international scope, most of this work was done during the COVID-19 pandemic, which influenced research focus and methods. The crucial role of data, people and collaboration in organisational and system-level decision-making has been identified and highlighted. Contrasting approaches in utilising performance data were revealed between hospital managers in different geographies. Additionally, the research uncovered innovative, collaborative tools and practices emerging during the pandemic alongside persistent challenges such as data silos and governance issues. This work provides insights into healthcare performance management, guiding future research and policy development toward patient-centric, resilient healthcare. Policy implications stress the importance of investing in managerial training, aligning metrics with desired outcomes, and fostering collaboration for resilient healthcare systems

Optimal Planning with State Constraints

In the classical planning model, state variables are assigned values in the initial state and remain unchanged unless explicitly affected by action effects. However, some properties of states are more naturally modelled not as direct effects of actions but instead as derived, in each state, from the primary variables via a set of rules. We refer to those rules as state constraints. The two types of state constraints that will be discussed here are numeric state constraints and logical rules that we will refer to as axioms. When using state constraints we make a distinction between primary variables, whose values are directly affected by action effects, and secondary variables, whose values are determined by state constraints. While primary variables have finite and discrete domains, as in classical planning, there is no such requirement for secondary variables. For example, using numeric state constraints allows us to have secondary variables whose values are real numbers. We show that state constraints are a construct that lets us combine classical planning methods with specialised solvers developed for other types of problems. For example, introducing numeric state constraints enables us to apply planning techniques in domains involving interconnected physical systems, such as power networks. To solve these types of problems optimally, we adapt commonly used methods from optimal classical planning, namely state-space search guided by admissible heuristics. In heuristics based on monotonic relaxation, the idea is that in a relaxed state each variable assumes a set of values instead of just a single value. With state constraints, the challenge becomes to evaluate the conditions, such as goals and action preconditions, that involve secondary variables. We employ consistency checking tools to evaluate whether these conditions are satisfied in the relaxed state. In our work with numerical constraints we use linear programming, while with axioms we use answer set programming and three value semantics. This allows us to build a relaxed planning graph and compute constraint-aware version of heuristics based on monotonic relaxation. We also adapt pattern database heuristics. We notice that an abstract state can be thought of as a state in the monotonic relaxation in which the variables in the pattern hold only one value, while the variables not in the pattern simultaneously hold all the values in their domains. This means that we can apply the same technique for evaluating conditions on secondary variables as we did for the monotonic relaxation and build pattern databases similarly as it is done in classical planning. To make better use of our heuristics, we modify the A* algorithm by combining two techniques that were previously used independently – partial expansion and preferred operators. Our modified algorithm, which we call PrefPEA, is most beneficial in cases where heuristic is expensive to compute, but accurate, and states have many successors

An investigation of changes to the tertiary entrance examination art history syllabus and art teachers\u27 perceptions of those changes

In 1986, a new Tertiary Entrance Examination Art Syllabus was introduced to the secondary school curriculum. Four years have passed since the implementation of this syllabus without 11 formal evaluation having taken place. Because the changes to the Art Syllabus were implemented swiftly, it is considered appropriate to investigate any discrepancies between the intended changes to the Tertiary Entrance Examination Art History Syllabus and art teachers\u27 perceptions of those changes, This study was prompted by concern expressed by art teachers over the changes in the Tertiary Entrance Examination (TEE) Art Syllabus. A foreshadowed minor change in the 1992 Art History Syllabus has refuelled the debate about the TEE Art Syllabus. Five art teachers were selected according to their teaching experience. The instrument used was a standardised open-ended interview of one hours duration. The interviews were transcribed. These verbatim records together with documents from the Ministry of Education and approved Secondary Education Authority documents, were analyzed in the light of the research questions. Michael\u27s (1982) Sudden Organisational Change Model is proposed as a possible means of describing teachers\u27 perceptions of extensive syllabus change, Art History as a compulsory section of TEE Art has had a stormy introduction. Art History was introduced at a time when other major changes such as the implementation of the Unit Curriculum and structural changes to the Ministry of Education occurred. Many teachers had a limited background in the area of Art History and the. inclusion of Art History in the new Syllabus presented them with a problem. The changes to the Art Syllabus occurred in a short space of time, the changes were at times, vague and confusing. Compounding the frustration and anguish felt by the teachers were the lack of resources and support from the change agents involved. The findings of this study do not accurately reflect the views of the total population of Western Australian art teachers although they highlight issues of concern. Significant issues arising from the data analysis focus on the development of the syllabus, the dissemination of information concerning the changes and the need for resources and support. Even with such a limited number of subjects, it seems apparent that future changes need to be developed and disseminated with sufficient time allowed. Teachers need to be seen as a main component of the success of change

PCL-Coated Multi-Substituted Calcium Phosphate Bone Scaffolds with Enhanced Properties

[EN] Ionic substitutions within the hydroxyapatite lattice are a widely used approach to mimic the chemical composition of the bone mineral. In this work, Sr-substituted and Mg- and Sr-co-substituted calcium phosphate (CaP) scaffolds, with various levels of strontium and magnesium substitution, were prepared using the hydrothermal method at 200 degrees C. Calcium carbonate skeletons of cuttlefish bone, ammonium dihydrogenphosphate (NH4H2PO4), strontium nitrate (Sr(NO3)(2)), and magnesium perchlorate (Mg(ClO4)(2)) were used as reagents. Materials were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Whole powder pattern decomposition refinements of XRD data indicated that increased magnesium content in the Mg- and Sr-co-substituted scaffolds was related to an increased proportion of the whitlockite (WH) phase in the biphasic hydroxyapatite (HAp)/WH scaffolds. In addition, refinements indicate that Sr2+ ions have replaced Ca2+ sites in the WH phase. Furthermore, PCL-coated Mg-substituted and Sr- and Mg-co-substituted scaffolds, with the HAp:WH wt. ratio of 90:10 were prepared by vacuum impregnation. Results of compression tests showed a positive impact of the WH phase and PCL coating on the mechanical properties of scaffolds. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were cultured on composite scaffolds in an osteogenic medium for 21 days. Immunohistochemical staining showed that Mg-Sr-CaP/PCL scaffold exhibited higher expression of collagen type I than the Mg-CaP/PCL scaffold, indicating the positive effect of Sr2+ ions on the differentiation of hMSCs, in concordance with histology results. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis confirmed an early stage of osteogenic differentiation.This research was funded by the Croatian Science Foundation (project IP-2014-09-3752) and the European Structural and Investments Funds (grant KK.01.1.1.07.0014.). The authors thank Inga Urli, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb for providing Hek293 and hMSC cells. Compression experiments were carried out at the Centre for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (CBIT), Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain under the PID2019-106000RB-C21/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 project. The authors would like to thank Jorge Mas-Estelles for his generous assistance.Bauer, L.; Antunovic, M.; Gallego-Ferrer, G.; Ivankovic, M.; Ivankovic, H. (2021). PCL-Coated Multi-Substituted Calcium Phosphate Bone Scaffolds with Enhanced Properties. Materials. 14(16):1-19. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14164403S119141