Understanding how and when change occurs in the administrative justice system: the ombudsman/ tribunal partnership as a catalyst for reform?

This article explores the ongoing condition of the ombudsman sector through models of change adopted from the social science literature. Debates about change are fleshed out through an analysis of the ombudsman/tribunal’s partnership initiative currently underway. As well as providing an explanation for the slow process of reform, the article highlights the need for further research into the partnership initiative to detail the strengths, weaknesses and sustainability of such bottom-up reform agendas in the administrative justice system. We conclude that the impact of each individual initiative is likely to be minor but as a process they represent important moments of institutional learning which, in the context of current crisis, could operate as catalysts for major administrative justice reform

Attacks on midwives, attacks on women’s choices

Nadine Edwards, Jo Murphy-Lawless, Mavis Kirkham and Sarah Davies ask whether recent attacks on midwives are a Human Rights issu

Communications and control for electric power systems: Power system stability applications of artificial neural networks

This report investigates the application of artificial neural networks to the problem of power system stability. The field of artificial intelligence, expert systems, and neural networks is reviewed. Power system operation is discussed with emphasis on stability considerations. Real-time system control has only recently been considered as applicable to stability, using conventional control methods. The report considers the use of artificial neural networks to improve the stability of the power system. The networks are considered as adjuncts and as replacements for existing controllers. The optimal kind of network to use as an adjunct to a generator exciter is discussed

Factors associated with midwives\u27 job satisfaction and intention to stay in the profession: An integrative review

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To conduct an integrative review of the factors associated with why midwives stay in midwifery. BACKGROUND: Midwifery retention and attrition are globally acknowledged as an issue. However, little is known as to why midwives stay in midwifery as the focus has previously focussed on why they leave. DESIGN: A structured six-step integrative review approach was used, and this involved the development of a search strategy, study selection and critical appraisal, data abstraction and synthesis, interpretation of findings and recommendations for future practice. METHODS: The review was conducted using the databases MEDLINE, CINAHL and PsychInfo. Included studies were in the English language with an unlimited publication date. RESULTS: Six studies were included in this review: one qualitative, two quantitative and three using mixed methods. Seven themes emerged from synthesisation of the data reported for the six included studies that together help answer the question of why midwives stay in midwifery. CONCLUSION: This integrative review has highlighted some important factors that assist in answering the question why midwives stay in midwifery. However, it has also highlighted the need for quality data that reflects the range of contexts in which midwifery is practised. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: There is an abundance of literature focussing on why midwives leave the profession; however, the gap exists in the reasons why midwives stay. If we can uncover this important detail, then changes within the profession can begin to be implemented, addressing the shortage of midwives issue that has been seen globally for a large number of years

The evolution of depletion zones beneath mud volcanoes

Depletion zones are the least well understood component of mud volcanic systems. They are generally difficult to image using reflection seismic data, and have only rarely been identified and described in the subsurface. This study documents 277 mapped depletion zones in the western Nile Cone, offshore Egypt, of which the dimensions and stratigraphic characteristics of a sub-set of 86 depletion zones associated with mud volcanoes of early Pliocene to Recent age are recorded. The primary database used is a large (4,300 km2) 3D seismic survey in which depletion zones can be confidently interpreted using a set of simple criteria. The sub-set of 86 depletion zones were selected for morphometric analysis by virtue of the quality of seismic imaging. The depletion zones are characterised by circular to elliptical planforms with a bowl or conical geometry. They exhibit truncational stratal relationships with their parent stratigraphic unit, which in this area is the Mid-Late Miocene aged OM2 unit, and which occurs directly beneath the Messinian Evaporites. This geometry implies a top-down formation mechanism. Their diameters and relief range from is 600 m–3300 m, and 100 m–740 m, respectively, with a modest scaling relationship between diameter and relief. Flank angles of bowls and cones range from 11⁰ to 41⁰, with a crudely normal distribution, with median and mean values of 26⁰. A model for the evolution of depletion zones in the study area is based on two previous models developed for single source layer plumbing systems and invokes mobilisation of the source layer by sediment collapse and shear-induced liquefaction following initial seal failure by hydraulic fracturing of the evaporite seal. This mechanism may be more widely applicable to mud volcano systems than currently appreciated

Gorilla in our midst: An online behavioral experiment builder

Behavioral researchers are increasingly conducting their studies online, to gain access to large and diverse samples that would be difficult to get in a laboratory environment. However, there are technical access barriers to building experiments online, and web browsers can present problems for consistent timing—an important issue with reaction-time-sensitive measures. For example, to ensure accuracy and test–retest reliability in presentation and response recording, experimenters need a working knowledge of programming languages such as JavaScript. We review some of the previous and current tools for online behavioral research, as well as how well they address the issues of usability and timing. We then present the Gorilla Experiment Builder (gorilla.sc), a fully tooled experiment authoring and deployment platform, designed to resolve many timing issues and make reliable online experimentation open and accessible to a wider range of technical abilities. To demonstrate the platform’s aptitude for accessible, reliable, and scalable research, we administered a task with a range of participant groups (primary school children and adults), settings (without supervision, at home, and under supervision, in both schools and public engagement events), equipment (participant’s own computer, computer supplied by the researcher), and connection types (personal internet connection, mobile phone 3G/4G). We used a simplified flanker task taken from the attentional network task (Rueda, Posner, & Rothbart, 2004). We replicated the Bconflict network^ effect in all these populations, demonstrating the platform’s capability to run reaction-time-sensitive experiments. Unresolved limitations of running experiments online are then discussed, along with potential solutions and some future features of the platform