An analysis of performance on the Rey auditory-verbal learning test after traumatic brain injury, and its association with reported everyday memory performance : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University

The current study was conducted in two parts. Study 1 examined the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) performance of 353 individuals who had been referred to an outpatient psychology clinic having sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Individuals were divided into subgroups based on their patterns of performance on the AVLT. Individuals with low trial 1 scores were divided into three groups based on their subsequent AVLT performance. Individuals with low delayed-recall scores were divided into four groups based on their performance on preceding AVLT trials. For the TBI group as a whole, significant correlations were found between AVLT scores and age, education, and general intelligence (as measured by verbal IQ). Study 2 investigated relative ratings of everyday memory performance on the Patient Competency Rating Scale). This data was available for 82 of the individuals in the initial sample. The relationship between reported everyday memory performance and test performance on the AVLT was examined for this group. No significant correlations were found between these two variables. Low correlations were found between patient and relative ratings on the PCRS. Individuals were divided in four groups based on their everyday memory and test performance. Individuals with low everyday memory performance were found to have a similar type and number of difficulties, regardless of their AVLT performance. The results of this study highlight the varied performance of individuals after TBI, both on memory tests such as the AVLT and reported everyday memory performance. The AVLT should not be used to predict the level of difficulty in daily life as the correlations are not significant

Fighting fire with fire: target audience responses to online anti-violence campaigns

With the Syrian civil war entering its third year, drawing an increasing number of young Westerners into the fray, this report sought to discover how audiences respond to government-sponsored and community-generated online efforts to counter violent extremism. Overview Prepared by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute under contract to New South Wales Police Force and funded by Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee (ANZCTC). As the Syrian civil war entered its third year, drawing an increasing number of young Westerners into the fray, ASPI spoke with young Muslim Sydneysiders about Australia’s online efforts in countering violent extremism (CVE). This report sought to discover how such audiences respond to government-sponsored and community-generated anti-violence campaigns. The summary report outlines the main findings and recommendations from the full report. On the whole this report challenges approaches that only discuss Muslim youth as being highly vulnerable and in dire need of empowerment to resist violent propaganda. Instead, it shows that some have taken a lead role in challenging violent narratives and are empowering themselves. This report is intended for use by government agencies and communities to inform their future work in this area. Appendix 2 in the full report, by Kristy Bryden, considers international approaches to countering violent narratives online, particularly those developed by the UK, the US, Denmark, Canada and the Netherlands

A classified list of practical mathematical problems for grades 9-12.

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston Universit

Analysis of coil slumping

Steel strip is usually stored as a coil, which will slump to some degree after the removal of the mandrel. More often than not, the amount of slumping is so minor that it is assumed not to have occurred. Occasionally, the amount, though minor, is sufficient to compromise the integrity of the cylindrical bore which compromises subsequent handling of the coil. In extreme situations, the slumping progresses to a complete collapse of the coil. Such a collapse is rare. It occurs when a coil cannot hold up its own mass and loses its circular cross-section. It is thought to be principally associated with the size and weight of the coil, inappropriate coiling tensions and/or poor re-coiler equipment design. Strip properties, especially inter-strip contact characteristics, have been demonstrated experimentally to be crucial determinants of whether or not coil collapse is likely to occur. The particular kind of slumping/collapse of interest to BlueScope Steel, who proposed this Study Group problem, is the minor slumping that compromises cylindrical bore integrity. It is referred to as coil slump. The Study Group was asked to investigate and model the phenomenon of coil slumping, and, if possible, to quantify the effect of critical parameters, especially coil mass, strip thickness and inter-strip friction. In particular, it was suggested that deliberations should aim to characterize the geometry of slumping and to predict the deformation profile at the innermost and outermost wraps. For BlueScope Steel, the long term objectives are: (1) the formulation of the governing equations for the stresses in a coil under self-weight, (2) the identification of analytical solutions and/or numerical schemes for the final coil shape after slumping, and (3) the formulation of exclusion rules-of-thumb which predict when a particular form of slump (oval or triangular) is likely to occur. The Study Group made some progress with (1), limited progress with (2) and most progress with (3). Though various computer programs were written to explore different force and energy balance scenarios, they only scratched the surface with regards to (2). Success with it is heavily dependent in substantial progress being made with (1). As explained in detail in the sequel, the Study Group’s deliberations resulted in an improved understanding of the coil slumping/collapse problem by identifying a number of specific issues that should be of direct assistance to BlueScope Steel’s future management of coil slumping/collapse. In particular, such issues included the need, from a modelling perspective, to draw a clear distinction between minor slumping and major slumping which can subsequently lead to collapse; the formulation of a heuristic hypothesis about the dynamics of coil slumping/collapse which can be compared with historical data and act act as a conceptualization guide for further investigations; the identification of a “tension-weight ratio” (R) as the relevant dimensionless group which represents an indicative rule-of-thumb which can be applied in practice; and proposed, on the basis of the hypothesis, an efficient procedure for recording collapse events and statistically identifying possible collapse situations

Conscientious objection – does it also apply to nursing students?

The conscientious clause in nursing can be defined as a kind of special ethical and legal regulation which gives nurses right to object to actively perform certain medical procedures which are against their personal system of values. Usually these values are associated with nurses’ religious beliefs, but not always. Scope of this regulation differs throughout the world. However, it is emphasized that right to the conscientious objection is not absolute and this regulation can not be used in cases of danger to life or serious damage to the health of the patient. Medical procedures to which nurses hold conscientious objection are often within reproductive health services. However, we can also find reports on the use of this right i.e. in end-of-life care and in the process of the implementation of medical experiments. The main issue underlined in the discussion regarding practising conscientious objection in the clinical setting is the collision of two human rights: the right to conscientious objection of medical personnel and the right of patients to specific medical procedures which are legal in their country. If a procedure is legally available in a country it means that patients can expect to receive it, on the other hand, all citizens, including health care workers, have the right to protect their moral identity and the right to object to the implementation of a procedure to which they have a specific objection. It is very difficult to find good ethical and legal balance between these two perspectives

Getting Real About Race and Prisoner Rights

This Article explores the connection between the dramatic increases in the incarceration of non-whites and the parallel decline in the legal protections for prisoners over the same period. Using the social sciences, the Article suggests that racial tensions play a role in the decisions made by both guards and prison administrators. Further, the authors argue that the communities of these non-white prisoners are the least well equipped to advocate for their well-being. Ultimately, the Article concludes that the law is not currently equipped to confront the possibility of dealing with race-based tensions and structural inequities that are present in the prison system. The authors call for the courts to reassert their role in protecting discrete and insular minorities that lack access to the political power necessary to assert their rights. The Article concludes by making five specific suggestions for reform

Net neutrality in the Netherlands: Dutch solution or Dutch disease?

The law of net neutrality has been in effect in the Netherlands since January 1, 2013, after having been passed on June 5, 2011 by the Lower House of the Dutch Parliament and then ratified by the Upper House a year later. This paper investigates the policy, its process, and its impact. It offers a review of the background of the problem; the design and conceptualization of the policy response, the implementation of the policy, the impact of the policy and an assessment of the policy. It also provides a discussion of the market for over the top (OTT) technology services and its role in the market. Interviews with key stakeholders were conducted to provide further insight. A financial analysis is also offered to help inform the issue. As net neutrality is on the agenda of regulators worldwide, such an analysis can be helpful to policymakers. Other countries looking to implement such a rule might learn from the Dutch example