Pathways through youth justice supervision: further analyses

The youth justice system manages children and young people who have committed, or allegedly committed, an offence. In Australia, youth justice is the responsibility of the states and territories, and each has its own legislation, policies and practices. However, the general processes by which young people are charged and sentenced, and the types of legal orders available to the courts, are similar. In Australia, young people can be charged with a criminal offence if they are aged 10 or older. The upper age limit for treatment as a young person under the law is 17 in all states and territories except Queensland, where the limit is 16. However, some young people aged 18 or older are also involved in the youth justice system (see ‘Technical notes’). A young person first enters the youth justice system when they are investigated by police for allegedly committing a crime. Legal action taken by police might include court actions (the laying of charges to be answered in court) and non-court actions (such as cautions, conferencing, or infringement notices). If the matter proceeds to court and the charge is proven, the court may hand down any of a number of orders, either supervised or unsupervised. This report looks at the complete youth justice supervision history of 24,102 young people in Australia, who experienced supervision, both in the community and in detention, between 1 July 2000 and 30 June 2014 when they were aged 10–17. More than one-third (37%) of young people experienced the most common pathway of sentenced community-based supervision only. Young people spent a median of 303 days (about 10 months) under supervision in total, and completed a median of 2 periods of supervision. About 11% of young people had a pathway that was considered ‘extensive’, and these young people accounted for about one-third (32%) of the total days of supervision and nearly half (45%) of all supervision periods

The Importance of Planning: Science Education from Many Points of View

The purpose of this thesis project was to bridge the divide between public lands, such as parks, and the education system; national parks and monuments are great resources for education. In addition to promoting outside of the classroom education, this project explores different teaching methods and how changing pedagogical practice can help more students learn in the long term. In order to explore different methods of teaching, I created three different lesson plans that could be used, for example, in places like Congaree National Park, to bring education outside of the traditional school environment. These lesson plans are supplemental materials to a traditional learning environment, but provide a way for students who do not thrive under traditional methods to have a deeper understanding. In addition, I brought my photography into the lessons as visual aids for learning, which is one of the ways of teaching as well. I have been active in photography for many years, but have had little use for my images of the natural world until this project. It was important for me to create different types of lessons to explore helping different types of learners, and incorporating photography in one lesson really helped this goal. Finally, this project addresses the importance of national parks and their history to the United States, and how educating students in these environments may increase conservation efforts in the future along with helping create passion for the STEM fields and science education. It is important that young learners have a science education when young that way they don’t shy away from these fields when they are older and ready to make career decisions

Environmental and Security Upgrades to Preserve Library Collections

The Rhode Island Historical Society (RIHS) seeks $400,000 to support a$1.3 million project to install an environmental and humidity control system to protect the most important collection of Rhode Island historical material. The upgrade uses geothermal and solar components to elevate efficiencies and enhance long-term sustainability. It will secure the building envelope from moisture penetration, improve its thermal qualities, and enhance safety and security systems. The RIHS has successfully completed similar systems and complex construction projects. Project designs have been approved by the state historic preservation organization. Fundraising is well advanced and an NEH award is expected to be the last element needed to complete the effort. Recently reaccredited by the American Association of Museums, the RIHS sustains high standards of collections care and management. Current RIHS strategic plans have identified the Library upgrade as its highest collections-related priority

Diffusion-mediated HEI10 coarsening can explain meiotic crossover positioning in Arabidopsis.

In most organisms, the number and distribution of crossovers that occur during meiosis are tightly controlled. All chromosomes must receive at least one 'obligatory crossover' and crossovers are prevented from occurring near one another by 'crossover interference'. However, the mechanistic basis of this phenomenon of crossover interference has remained mostly mysterious. Using quantitative super-resolution cytogenetics and mathematical modelling, we investigate crossover positioning in the Arabidopsis thaliana wild-type, an over-expressor of the conserved E3 ligase HEI10, and a hei10 heterozygous line. We show that crossover positions can be explained by a predictive, diffusion-mediated coarsening model, in which large, approximately evenly-spaced HEI10 foci grow at the expense of smaller, closely-spaced clusters. We propose this coarsening process explains many aspects of Arabidopsis crossover positioning, including crossover interference. Consistent with this model, we also demonstrate that crossover positioning can be predictably modified in vivo simply by altering HEI10 dosage, with higher and lower dosage leading to weaker and stronger crossover interference, respectively. As HEI10 is a conserved member of the RING finger protein family that functions in the interference-sensitive pathway for crossover formation, we anticipate that similar mechanisms may regulate crossover positioning in diverse eukaryotes

Efficacy and Safety of Approved First-Line Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Treatments in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Network Meta-Analysis

Introduction This network meta-analysis aims to deliver an up-to-date, comprehensive efficacy and toxicity comparison of the approved first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) in order to provide support for evidence-based treatment decisions. Previous NMAs of first-line mRCC treatments either predate the approval of all the first-line TKIs currently available or do not include evaluation of safety data for all treatments. Methods We performed a systematic literature review and network meta-analysis of phase II/III randomised controlled trials (RCTs) assessing approved first-line TKI therapies for mRCC. A random effects model with a frequentist approach was computed for progression-free survival (PFS) data and for the proportion of patients experiencing a maximum of grade 3 or 4 adverse events (AEs). Results The network meta-analysis of PFS demonstrated no significant differences between cabozantinib and either sunitinib (50 mg 4/2), pazopanib or tivozanib. The network meta-analysis indicated that in terms of grade 3 and 4 AEs, tivozanib had the most favourable safety profile and was associated with significantly less risk of toxicity than the other TKIs. Conclusion These network meta-analysis data demonstrate that cabozantinib, sunitinib, pazopanib and tivozanib do not significantly differ in their efficacy, but tivozanib is associated with a more favourable safety profile in terms of grade 3 or 4 toxicities. Consequently, the relative toxicity of these first-line TKIs may play a more significant role than efficacy comparisons in treatment decisions and in planning future RCTs

Comparing Self-Reported Sleep Quality and Sleep Disturbance with Physical Activity in Community Dwelling Older Adults

Purpose: To evaluate physical activity and sleep health in community dwelling older adults through use of activity monitors, physical capacity tests, self-reported sleep health, physical health measures, and participation in social roles. We wanted to know how these measures may or may not play a significant role in future physical therapy treatment. Our hypothesis was that self- reported sleep quality and sleep disturbance is correlated to physical activity in community dwelling older adults

Four scenarios of the energy transition : drivers, consequences, and implications for geopolitics

This opinion article offers insights into the geopolitics of the ongoing global energy transition. In doing so, it draws heavily on a workshop in Berlin in late 2018, and a subsequent paper in the journal Nature. Four scenarios are presented. First, the “Big Green Deal” offers a positive story of the future, under the assumption that there will be a multilateral approach to tackling climate change. Second, “Dirty Nationalism” explores the fallout of nations choosing to turn inward and pursue a short‐term, protectionist, and self‐interested agenda. Third, “Technology Breakthrough” illustrates how a technological leap forward could lead to a great power rivalry and distinct regional energy blocs. Finally, “Muddling On” investigates the outcome of an energy transition that reflect business as usual. By comparing and contrasting the different scenarios, the article highlights the potential winners and losers of the different scenarios, and the geopolitical consequences. It also sketches the implications for policy, theory, and scenario thinking more broadly

Mapping Emotional Attachment as a Measure of Sense of Place to Identify Coastal Restoration Priority Areas

Our applied case study demonstrates how knowledge from community stakeholders about emotional attachment (as a key component of sense of place) can inform and influence future coastal restoration priorities at various scales in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida (USA). We map aggregate measures of emotional attachment from community stakeholders using Geographic Information Systems. We then analyze this human systems level data with kernel density estimation measures at the broader lagoon scale and with inverse distance weighted measures at more localized scales. By connecting these mapped results back to the primary reasons that participants provided for having high or low emotional attachment in a location, we show how varying spatial patterns of emotional attachment as a primary component of sense of place within and across broader geographic regions can be represented, mapped, and visualized to enhance future restoration priorities. We demonstrate how aggregate results gained from community stakeholders can help restoration teams prioritize their science communication and education strategies to align human systems level data with natural systems level data

Program evaluation of an adapted PEERS® social skills program in young adults with autism spectrum disorder and/or mild intellectual impairment and social skills difficulties

Rationale, Aims and Objectives: Social challenges are common for young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or mild intellectual impairment, yet few evidence-based interventions exist to address these challenges. PEERS®, the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills, has been shown to be effective in improving the social skills of young adults with ASD; however, it requires a significant time commitment for parents of young adults. As such, this mixed-methods study aimed to investigate the experiences of young adults, parents and PEERS® social coaches participating in an adapted PEERS® program, and to evaluate its acceptability and efficacy. Method: Young adults with ASD and/or mild intellectual impairment participated in a 16-week PEERS® program. Parents and PEERS® social coaches attended fewer, condensed sessions, where they learnt program content to support the young adults' social skill development at home and in the community. Focus groups were conducted post intervention. Quantitative pre−post assessment using the Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults, the Test of Young Adult Social Skills Knowledge, and Quality of Socialization Questionnaire-Young Adults was completed by young adults. The Social Responsiveness Scale Second Edition was completed by young adults and their parents. Result: Qualitative results revealed that, taken together, young adults, parents and PEERS® social coaches all felt that the adapted PEERS® program was ‘challenging, but worth it’. The program was acceptable with a 93% attendance rate across all sessions. Whilst young adults' perceptions of their own social functioning did not change post-intervention, their knowledge of social skills content improved significantly (p < 0.05). Parent perceptions of young adults' social responsiveness also improved (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Social skill knowledge, social responsiveness, and social engagement improved significantly following the completion of the adapted PEERS® program. It was deemed acceptable and worthwhile by young adults, their parents and PEERS® social coaches