Best Practices for Self-Exclusion Reinstatement and Renewal

While many studies have examined self-exclusion few have focused on the processes through which gamblers return at the end of their agreements. In 2014, the RGC Centre for the Advancement of Best Practices examined voluntary self-exclusion reinstatement and renewal in an effort to develop evidence-informed best-practices for both land-based and online gambling operations. The presentation outlines the findings of the study and the recommended best practices for reintegration and ban renewal. The study examined a range of practices around the world. In the end the study recommended an active reinstatement process in which all participants are required to apply to return to the venue. The study also outlines a series of steps to reinstatement that takes into account the risks to the individual and the venue. Those who are found to have significant markers of gambling risks are required to participate in educational or support services before reinstatement is available. For those who complete their self-exclusion term without such markers, these services are offered on a voluntary basis. Active renewal of self-exclusion (i.e., an extension of the voluntary self-ban) is also available for those who want it. This best-practice research included a literature review, a review of self-exclusion training and procedural documents, key-informant interviews with gaming venue employees, two focus group discussions with players experienced with self-exclusion, and a round table panel discussion with experts. Findings are published in a report entitled Insight 2014: Best Practices for Self-Exclusion Reinstatement and Renewal by the Responsible Gambling Council

Mass and power modeling of communication satellites

Analytic estimating relationships for the mass and power requirements for major satellite subsystems are described. The model for each subsystem is keyed to the performance drivers and system requirements that influence their selection and use. Guidelines are also given for choosing among alternative technologies which accounts for other significant variables such as cost, risk, schedule, operations, heritage, and life requirements. These models are intended for application to first order systems analyses, where resources do not warrant detailed development of a communications system scenario. Given this ground rule, the models are simplified to 'smoothed' representation of reality. Therefore, the user is cautioned that cost, schedule, and risk may be significantly impacted where interpolations are sufficiently different from existing hardware as to warrant development of new devices

Biallelic and Genome Wide Association Mapping of Germanium Tolerant Loci in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Funding: This project was partially funded by a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) grant (BB/J003336/1) awarded to AHP. The work was also supported by a self-funded studentship (PT). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Selected literature on radicalization and de-radicalization of terrorists: monographs, edited volumes, grey literature and prime articles published since the 1960s

International audienc

Biosignatures in the solar system

Humanity's interest in whether or not we are alone in the universe spans generations, from Giordano Bruno's 16th century musings on other worlds and Giovanni Schiaparelli reporting seeing ‘canali’ in 1877 on the surface of Mars (which were thought to have been created by intelligent life) to alien invasions portrayed in today's movies. However, it is still unclear if other planetary bodies are capable of supporting life. In the search for life there are two broad areas we look into, the requirements of life and actual signs of life. The identification of the key requirements for life enables scientists to focus life detection efforts onto planets and satellites that are considered habitable and more likely to support life. However, our ability to find life or detect signs of life is based on our understanding of life on Earth

FSI simulations for explosions very near reinforced concrete structures

The analysis of explosives in contact or very near to reinforced concrete (RC) structures is an important aspect in the design of protective structures and vulnerability assessments. Although this remains a topic of high importance for defence, a more widespread interest has developed as civilian structures become the targets of terrorism. This type of assessment requires a robust simulation method for coupled fluid-structural interactions (FSI) which can handle the explosive detonation, air blast propagation, structural deformation, and damage evolution. This paper describes the application of a loose-coupling method which combines the FEFLO CFD code and SAIC’s CSD code for 3D numerical simulations of unconfined and semi-confined explosions near RC structures. This approach takes advantage of the unstructured tetrahedral mesh for the CFD and an embedded method for CSD structures inside the fluid domain. Comparisons of simulations with experiment provide validation, but also reveal some weaknesses of the method. A good agreement between simulation and experiment is found with moderate explosive loading. However, a severe explosive loading with confinement results in extensive damage to the structure which is difficult to reproduce in simulations

Commissioning a secondary dose calculation software for a 0.35 T MR-linac

Secondary external dose calculations for a 0.35 T magnetic resonance image-guided radiation therapy (MRgRT) are needed within the radiation oncology community to follow safety standards set forth within the field. We evaluate the commercially available software, RadCalc, in its ability to accurately perform monitor unit dose calculations within a magnetic field. We also evaluate the potential effects of a 0.35 T magnetic field upon point dose calculations. Monitor unit calculations were evaluated with (wMag) and without (noMag) a magnetic field considerations in RadCalc for the ViewRay MRIdian. The magnetic field is indirectly accounted for by using asymmetric profiles for calculation. The introduction of double-stacked multi-leaf collimator leaves was also included in the monitor unit calculations and a single transmission value was determined. A suite of simple and complex geometries with a variety field arrangements were calculated for each method to demonstrate the effect of the 0.35 T magnetic field on monitor unit calculations. Finally, 25 patient-specific treatment plans were calculated using each method for comparison. All simple geometries calculated in RadCalc were within 2% of treatment planning system (TPS) values for both methods, except for a single noMag off-axis comparison. All complex muilt-leaf collimator (MLC) pattern calculations were within 5%. All complex phantom geometry calculations were within 5% except for a single field within a lung phantom at a distal point. For the patient calculations, the noMag method average percentage difference was 0.09 ± 2.5% and the wMag average percentage difference was 0.08 ± 2.5%. All results were within 5% for the wMag method. We performed monitor unit calculations for a 0.35 T MRgRT system using a commercially available secondary monitor unit dose calculation software and demonstrated minimal impact of the 0.35 T magnetic field on monitor unit dose calculations. This is the first investigation demonstrating successful calculations of dose using RadCalc in the low-field 0.35 T ViewRay MRIdian system