A new method for order release

A new method for determining when to release jobs into a probabilistic manufacturing line is described. This new heuristic releases jobs only if their predicted waiting times are sufficiently estimated using simulation. Moreover, we use simulation to examine the performance of this heuristic and others CONWIP, Starvation Avoidance for a manufacturing flow line with exponential machine processing, failure, and repair times. The reasons why it is appropriate to compare order release mechanisms using tradeoff curves of lead time versus customer service are described. The simulation experiments show that the new 'waiting time heuristic' is superior to other order release mechanisms in situations where low lead time is required. small. Waiting times are     

Negotiating Informed Consent with Children in School‐Based Research: A Critical Review

The methods literature on research with children recognises the challenges of negotiating informed consent with this group. Special ‘child‐friendly’ techniques are advocated to overcome these challenges. We argue that, upon closer inspection, research with children foregrounds more fundamental problems with informed consent that are not easily resolved. Drawing from three ethical texts commonly consulted in our own research fields, we highlight problems of information, understanding, authority, capacity and voluntarity. We conclude that informed consent is more problematic than is generally admitted, and that researchers would benefit from more openly acknowledging its limitations.     

SMALL SAMPLE BIAS CORRECTION FOR HUBER'S PROPOSAL-2 SCALE M-ESTIMATOR

The most popular and perhaps universal estimator of location and scale in robust estimation, where the population is normal with possible small departures, is Huber's Proposal‐2 M‐estimator. This paper gives the first‐order small sample bias correction for the scale estimator, verifying the calculation through theory and simulation. Other ways of reducing small sample bias, say by jackknifing or bootstrapping, can be computationally intensive, and would not be routinely used with this iteratively derived estimator. It is suggested that bias‐reduced estimates of scale are most useful when forming confidence intervals for location and/or scale based on the asymptotic distribution.     

The Decline of Fertility in Malta: The Role of Family Planning

This paper examines the role that family planning played in the decline of fertility in Malta. In 1993 the authors carried out a survey of family planning, similar to one carried out by one the authors in 1971. The analysis of these two surveys suggests that the practice of family planning has not increased significantly in this period. However, there has been a sharp change in the type of method used. More specifically, there has been a shift away from traditional methods (such as coitus interruptus) to more efficient methods (such as the contraceptive pill). There are now a range of affordable methods of contraception available in Malta. Regression techniques are used to model the choice of contraceptive method. The main aim of the empirical analysis is to establish what characteristics are associated with the use of efficient methods of contraception.     

Maternal Into‐The‐Face Behavior,Shared Attention,and Infant Distress During Face‐to‐Face Play at 12 Months: Bi‐directional Contingencies

We describe a new maternal intrusion behavior, moving a toy or hand “into‐the‐face” of the infant, and we investigate its bi‐directional associations with infant‐initiated shared attention, infant distress, and infant gaze, during mother–infant face‐to‐face play at 12 months. The play was videotaped split‐screen, with infants seated in a high chair. Videotapes were coded on a 1‐sec time base for mother and infant gaze (at partner, toy, both, or gaze away); infant distress; and maternal intrusion behavior, “into‐the‐face.” We defined “infant‐initiated shared attention” as mother and infant looking in the same second at a toy that the infant‐initiated interest in. We documented that maternal into‐the‐face behavior decreased the likelihood of infant‐initiated shared attention, increased the likelihood of infant distress, and decreased the likelihood of infant gazing away. Reciprocally, infant distress and gazing away increased the likelihood of mother into‐the‐face. In moments when the dyad was engaged in infant‐initiated shared attention, mother into‐the‐face was less likely. This work documents bi‐directional contingencies in the regulation of maternal intrusion and infant behavior during face‐to‐face play at 12 months. We suggest that mother into‐the‐face behavior disturbs an aspect of the infant's experience of recognition.     

Family planning in Malta

Abstract The crude birth rate has dropped dramatically in Malta(1) over the post-war period, from 36·0 per 1,000 population in 1948 to 17·1 in 1971. A drop of this magnitude is not uncommon(2) although it rarely occurs so fast.     

Family planning in Malta

The crude birth rate has dropped dramatically in Malta¹ over the post-war period, from 36·0 per 1,000 population in 1948 to 17·1 in 1971. A drop of this magnitude is not uncommon² although it rarely occurs so fast.     

The intersection of employment and care: evidence from a UK case study

Working carers are a key focus of UK policies on health and social care and employment. Complementing national and European evidence, this paper presents a local case study of working carers. It draws on data from a county-wide survey containing a module on caring. Data were primarily categorical and were analysed using SPSS. Three quarters of all carers who responded to the survey were of working age: two thirds were employed and one third had been employed previously. The majority of working carers were mid-life extra-resident women. Over half of cared for relatives were elderly parents/in law; ‘physical illness’ was the primary cause of dependency. A tenth provided intensive care and half reported that caring adversely affected their health. Both were triggers for leaving employment. Two thirds of households received input from services and/or friends/family; being a co-resident carer appeared to mitigate against service allocation. Four issues were identified as pivotal to facilitating employment: access to advice and information, the availability of a matrix of affordable good-quality social-care services, ‘joined up’ needs assessment of the carer and cared for person, and employers identifying carers in their workforce. Europe's ageing profile underscores the study's timeliness.     

The characteristics and management of elder abuse: evidence and lessons from a UK case study

Despite older people representing a significant majority of victims of abuse in the UK and Europe, evidence about its characteristics and management is limited. This article reports on an analysis of adult protection referrals for older people over an eight year period in two English local authorities. It extends understanding of the characteristics of elder abuse and identifies lessons for its effective management. Findings suggest that older people are at particular risk of multiple and physical abuse. Those living alone are especially vulnerable to financial abuse and those living in a care home to multiple abuse. The most common sites of abuse were the person's own home or a care home. Just two fifths of abuse referrals were confirmed, with the vast majority involving multi-agency consultation and most resulting in ongoing monitoring. Findings also suggest that risk is a product of the intersection of dependency and setting and that information about user and carer need—especially the nature of disability—could enhance the quality of adult protection data and safeguarding responses. The study underscores the need for adult protection legislation and of committing professional resources to the prevention, identification, assessment and management of elder abuse across Europe.