Parent-to-parent support for parents with children who are deaf or hard of hearing: A conceptual framework

Background: Parent-to-parent support for parents with children who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH) is identified as an important component of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs for children with hearing loss

Sol-gel coatings for subaquatic self-cleaning windows

Self-cleaning windows are well known for their ability to function with airborne pollutants, but there is a growing industry for semi-permanent subaquatic optical devices, where the performance of such windows should be considered. Here sol-gel technology is explored as a means of producing self-cleaning, subaquatic, sapphire windows. We demonstrate removal of marine bacteria and, in the worst-case contamination scenario, dead North Sea crude oil (API 35). This greasy contaminant was smeared across the windows to effectively reduce optical transmission strength to just 54%. The titania-based sol-gel-coated windows can restore transmission to within 10% of the clean value in less than one day, unlike standard sapphire windows, which lose 68% transmission following contamination and aquatic submergence over the same duration. A range of theories to enhance the self-cleaning performance of the sol-gel coating were explored, but none of the tested variables were able to provide any enhancement for subaquatic performance

More haste, less speed? : an evaluation of fast track policies to tackle persistent youth offending in Scotland

In 2003 the Scottish Executive introduced a new 'Fast Track' policy on a pilot basis, which was intended to speed up the processing of persistent youth offending cases and reduce rates of persistent offending. Additional resources were provided to promote access to dedicated programmes, as well as quicker assessment, report delivery and decision making. This paper, based on a multi-stranded comparative evaluation, describes how the policy was welcomed by a wide range of practitioners, decision makers and managers involved with children's hearings who mostly thought it was a positive innovation consistent with the hearing system's commitment to a welfare-based approach. 'Fast Track' cases were handled more quickly than others. After two years, however, the policy was discontinued, largely because of negative evidence about re-offending

Fast Track Children's Hearings Pilot : Final Report of the Evaluation of the Pilot

The Scottish Executive decided that a Fast Track approach to the children's hearings system would be introduced in early 2003 on a pilot basis in selected parts of Scotland. The aim was to improve practice and outcomes with respect to the ways that the hearings system and associated services dealt with young people who persistently offend. Particular objectives were to: • reduce the time taken both overall and at each stage of decision-making • promote more comprehensive assessments which include appraisals of offending risk • ensure that all young people who persistently offend and who require an appropriate programme have access to one • reduce re-offending rates as a result of the concerted efforts made in such cases

Suspended-sediment induced stratification inferred from concentration and velocity profile measurements in the lower Yellow River, China

Despite a multitude of models predicting sediment transport dynamics in open‐channel flow, self‐organized vertical density stratification that dampens flow turbulence due to the interaction between fluid and sediment, has not been robustly validated with field observations from natural rivers. Turbulence‐suppressing density stratification can develop in channels with low channel‐bed slope and high sediment concentration. As the Yellow River, China, maintains one of the highest sediment loads in the world for a low sloping system, this location is ideal for documenting particle and fluid interactions that give rise to density stratification. Herein, we present analyses from a study conducted over a range of discharge conditions (e.g., low flow, rising limb, and flood peak) from a lower reach of the Yellow River, whereby water samples were collected at targeted depths to measure sediment concentration and, simultaneously, velocity measurements were collected throughout the flow depth. Importantly, sediment concentration varied by an order of magnitude between base and flood flows. By comparing measured concentration and velocity profiles to predictive models, we show that the magnitude of density stratification increases with sediment concentration. Furthermore, a steady‐state calculation of sediment suspension is used to determine that sediment diffusivity increases with grain size. Finally, we calculate concentration and velocity profiles, showing that steady‐state sediment suspensions are reliably predicted over a range of stratification conditions larger than had been previously documented in natural river flows. We determine that the magnitude of density stratification can be predicted by a function considering an entrainment parameter, sediment concentration, and bed slope

Suspended-sediment induced stratification inferred from concentration and velocity profile measurements in the lower Yellow River, China

Despite a multitude of models predicting sediment transport dynamics in open‐channel flow, self‐organized vertical density stratification that dampens flow turbulence due to the interaction between fluid and sediment, has not been robustly validated with field observations from natural rivers. Turbulence‐suppressing density stratification can develop in channels with low channel‐bed slope and high sediment concentration. As the Yellow River, China, maintains one of the highest sediment loads in the world for a low sloping system, this location is ideal for documenting particle and fluid interactions that give rise to density stratification. Herein, we present analyses from a study conducted over a range of discharge conditions (e.g., low flow, rising limb, and flood peak) from a lower reach of the Yellow River, whereby water samples were collected at targeted depths to measure sediment concentration and, simultaneously, velocity measurements were collected throughout the flow depth. Importantly, sediment concentration varied by an order of magnitude between base and flood flows. By comparing measured concentration and velocity profiles to predictive models, we show that the magnitude of density stratification increases with sediment concentration. Furthermore, a steady‐state calculation of sediment suspension is used to determine that sediment diffusivity increases with grain size. Finally, we calculate concentration and velocity profiles, showing that steady‐state sediment suspensions are reliably predicted over a range of stratification conditions larger than had been previously documented in natural river flows. We determine that the magnitude of density stratification can be predicted by a function considering an entrainment parameter, sediment concentration, and bed slope

Entrainment and suspension of sand and gravel

The entrainment and suspension of sand and gravel are important for the evolution of rivers, deltas, coastal areas, and submarine fans. The prediction of a vertical profile of suspended sediment concentration typically consists of assessing (1) the concentration near the bed using an entrainment relation and (2) the upward vertical distribution of sediment in the water column. Considerable uncertainty exists in regard to both of these steps, especially the near-bed concentration. Most entrainment relations have been tested against limited grain-size-specific data, and no relations have been evaluated for gravel suspension, which can be important in bedrock and mountain rivers. To address these issues, we compiled a database with suspended sediment data from natural rivers and flume experiments, taking advantage of the increasing availability of high-resolution grain size measurements. We evaluated 12 dimensionless parameters that may determine entrainment and suspension relations and applied multivariate regression analysis. A best-fit two-parameter equation (r² = 0.79) shows that near-bed entrainment, evaluated at 10 % of the flow depth, decreases with the ratio of settling velocity to skin-friction shear velocity (w_(si)/u_(∗ skin)), as in previous relations, and increases with Froude number (Fr), possibly due to its role in determining bedload-layer concentrations. We used the Rouse equation to predict concentration upward from the reference level and evaluated the coefficient β_i, which accounts for differences in the turbulent diffusivity of sediment from the parabolic eddy viscosity model used in the Rouse derivation. The best-fit relation for β_i (r² = 0.40) indicates greater relative sediment diffusivities for rivers with greater flow resistance, possibly due to bedform-induced turbulence, and larger w_(si)/u_(∗ skin); the latter dependence is nonlinear and therefore different from standard Rouse theory. In addition, we used empirical relations for gravel saltation to show that our relation for near-bed concentration also provides good predictions for coarse-grained sediment. The new relations extend the calibrated parameter space over a wider range in sediment sizes and flow conditions compared to previous work and result in 95 % of concentration data throughout the water column predicted within a factor of 9

Modeling deltaic lobe‐building cycles and channel avulsions for the Yellow River delta, China

River deltas grow by repeating cycles of lobe development punctuated by channel avulsions, so that over time, lobes amalgamate to produce a composite landform. Existing models have shown that backwater hydrodynamics are important in avulsion dynamics, but the effect of lobe progradation on avulsion frequency and location has yet to be explored. Herein, a quasi‐2‐D numerical model incorporating channel avulsion and lobe development cycles is developed. The model is validated by the well‐constrained case of a prograding lobe on the Yellow River delta, China. It is determined that with lobe progradation, avulsion frequency decreases, and avulsion length increases, relative to conditions where a delta lobe does not prograde. Lobe progradation lowers the channel bed gradient, which results in channel aggradation over the delta topset that is focused farther upstream, shifting the avulsion location upstream. Furthermore, the frequency and location of channel avulsions are sensitive to the threshold in channel bed superelevation that triggers an avulsion. For example, avulsions occur less frequently with a larger superelevation threshold, resulting in greater lobe progradation and avulsions that occur farther upstream. When the delta lobe length prior to avulsion is a moderate fraction of the backwater length (0.3–0.5L_b), the interplay between variable water discharge and lobe progradation together set the avulsion location, and a model capturing both processes is necessary to predict avulsion timing and location. While this study is validated by data from the Yellow River delta, the numerical framework is rooted in physical relationships and can therefore be extended to other deltaic systems

The exceptional sediment load of fine-grained dispersal systems: Example of the Yellow River, China

Sedimentary dispersal systems with fine-grained beds are common, yet the physics of sediment movement within them remains poorly constrained. We analyze sediment transport data for the best-documented, fine-grained river worldwide, the Huanghe (Yellow River) of China, where sediment flux is underpredicted by an order of magnitude according to well-accepted sediment transport relations. Our theoretical framework, bolstered by field observations, demonstrates that the Huanghe tends toward upper-stage plane bed, yielding minimal form drag, thus markedly enhancing sediment transport efficiency. We present a sediment transport formulation applicable to all river systems with silt to coarse-sand beds. This formulation demonstrates a remarkably sensitive dependence on grain size within a certain narrow range and therefore has special relevance to silt-sand fluvial systems, particularly those affected by dams

Entrainment and suspension of sand and gravel

The entrainment and suspension of sand and gravel are important for the evolution of rivers, deltas, coastal areas, and submarine fans. The prediction of a vertical profile of suspended sediment concentration typically consists of assessing (1) the concentration near the bed using an entrainment relation and (2) the upward vertical distribution of sediment in the water column. Considerable uncertainty exists in regard to both of these steps, especially the near-bed concentration. Most entrainment relations have been tested against limited grain-size-specific data, and no relations have been evaluated for gravel suspension, which can be important in bedrock and mountain rivers. To address these issues, we compiled a database with suspended sediment data from natural rivers and flume experiments, taking advantage of the increasing availability of high-resolution grain size measurements. We evaluated 12 dimensionless parameters that may determine entrainment and suspension relations and applied multivariate regression analysis. A best-fit two-parameter equation (r² = 0.79) shows that near-bed entrainment, evaluated at 10 % of the flow depth, decreases with the ratio of settling velocity to skin-friction shear velocity (w_(si)/u_(∗ skin)), as in previous relations, and increases with Froude number (Fr), possibly due to its role in determining bedload-layer concentrations. We used the Rouse equation to predict concentration upward from the reference level and evaluated the coefficient β_i, which accounts for differences in the turbulent diffusivity of sediment from the parabolic eddy viscosity model used in the Rouse derivation. The best-fit relation for β_i (r² = 0.40) indicates greater relative sediment diffusivities for rivers with greater flow resistance, possibly due to bedform-induced turbulence, and larger w_(si)/u_(∗ skin); the latter dependence is nonlinear and therefore different from standard Rouse theory. In addition, we used empirical relations for gravel saltation to show that our relation for near-bed concentration also provides good predictions for coarse-grained sediment. The new relations extend the calibrated parameter space over a wider range in sediment sizes and flow conditions compared to previous work and result in 95 % of concentration data throughout the water column predicted within a factor of 9