Size Intervention Research Articles

Technical planning, control and validation. Quality and effectiveness in public procurement action

This paper recounts the experience of the scientific collaboration agreement of the research group from DiAP, Sapienza University, Rome, with the municipality of Rome’s CSIMU (Coordination of Infrastructure Development and Urban Maintenance) Department to provide technical support in the phase of drawing up the DIP (Technical Project Brief) and of verifying and validating the PFTE (Technical and Economic Feasibility Design) within the Institutional Development Contract programme titled “CIS – Roma Scuole Verdi”. For its articulation of involved parties, complexity of the operative and regulatory framework, and size of interventions, CIS is considered a best practice of inter-institutional partnership and of capitalisation of technical know-how and skills aimed at achieving quality objectives in processes implementing strategic works.

Exploring Mega‐Nourishment Interventions Using Long Short‐Term Memory (LSTM) Models and the Sand Engine Surface MATLAB Framework

AbstractCoastal protection is of paramount importance because erosion and flooding affect millions of people living along the coast and can largely influence countries' economy. The implementation of nature‐based solutions for coastal protection, such as sand engines, has become more popular due to these interventions' adaptability to climate change. This study explores synergies between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and hydro‐morphodynamic models for the creation of efficient decision‐making tools for the choice of optimal sand engines configurations. Specifically, we investigate the use of long‐short‐term memory (LSTM) models as predictive tools for the morphological evolution of sand engines. We developed different LSTM models to predict time series of bathymetric changes across the sand engine as well as the time‐decline in the sand engine volume as a function of external forces and intervention size. Finally, a MATLAB framework was developed to return LSTM model results based on users' inputs about sand engine size and external forcings.

When norm change hurts.

Applied cultural evolution includes any effort to mobilize social learning and cultural evolution to promote behaviour change. Social tipping is one version of this idea based on conformity and coordination. Conformity and coordination can reinforce a harmful social norm, but they can also accelerate change from a harmful norm to a beneficial alternative. Perhaps unfortunately, the link between the size of an intervention and social tipping is complex in heterogeneous populations. A small intervention targeted at one segment of society can induce tipping better than a large intervention targeted at a different segment. We develop and examine two models showing that the link between social tipping and social welfare is also complex in heterogeneous populations. An intervention strategy that creates persistent miscoordination, exactly the opposite of tipping, can lead to higher social welfare than another strategy that leads to tipping. We show that the potential benefits of miscoordination often hinge specifically on the preferences of people most resistant to behaviour change. Altogether, ordinary forms of heterogeneity complicate applied cultural evolution considerably. Heterogeneity weakens both the link between the size of a social planner's intervention and behaviour change and the link between behaviour change and the well-being of society. This article is part of the theme issue 'Social norm change: drivers and consequences'.

A little does a lot: Can small-scale planting for pollinators make a difference?

Insect pollinators are declining globally as a result of the anthropogenic pressures that have destroyed native habitats and eroded ecosystems. These declines have been associated with agricultural productivity losses, threatening food security. Efforts to restore habitat for pollinators are underway, emphasizing large-scale habitat creation like wildflower strips, yet ignoring the impact of smaller or more isolated patch-creation.A meta-analysis of 31 independent published studies assessed the effect of scale of pollinator planting interventions (herbaceous strips, hedgerows, fertiliser/grazing/mowing control). We assessed pollinator species richness and abundance against size of intervention and type. Pollinator conservation interventions increased species richness and abundance in almost all of the studies examined, with the greatest increases in pollinator ecological metrics seen from hedgerows covering 40 m² and herbaceous interventions at 500 m².We then analysed results from a 5-year study that deployed small pollinator habitats (30 m²) at community gardens and farms (<150,000 m²) practicing organic methods in the Pacific Northwest US. Small additions to pollinator resources had a significant local impact on pollinator abundance, but this effect was lost when these relatively small additions were introduced to sites in larger landscapes (>150,000 m²).Together, we show that small interventions (∼500 m²) can significantly benefit pollinators, but only when sufficiently densely distributed at a landscape level. Though we understand the effects of single interventions at various scales, future research is needed to understand how these relatively small interventions act cumulatively at a landscape scale, and within this context whether larger areas are still needed for some species. Nonetheless, these preliminary data are promising, and may play an important role in convincing smaller landowners to act to preserve insect pollinators.

Effect of attachment-based interventions on prenatal attachment: a protocol for systematic review

BackgroundParental attachment was defined as: series of inner behaviors that would cause the infant to develop an intimate relation with his/her parents. This emotional relationship is formed long before birth during the pregnancy and has been associated with psychosocial outcomes for women and children. This relationship is known as one of the major components of the child’s social and emotional development. Parents’ relationship with their fetus could be strengthened using various strategies, but efforts to augment the maternal-fetal relationship have not always been successful. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive systematic review and a meta-analysis survey of the effects of attachment-based interventions on prenatal attachment.MethodsA comprehensive search of relevant randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials will be performed in EMBASE (via Scopus), ProQuest, Pubmed, Scopus, Ovid and Web of Science, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, SID, MagIran, Irandoc, Barakat Knowledge Network System and Iranian registry of clinical trials website as Iranian databases using English and Persian keywords such as prenatal attachment, relationship, maternal attachment. Only randomized controlled clinical trials conducted between 2000 and 2016 will be included in this review. The study will be selected if their participants were expectant mothers, their partners or both. Our primary outcome will be the effect size of intervention. The quality of experimental studies will be evaluated using CONSORT checklist and Study Quality Guide by Cochrane Consumers and Communication Review Group.Two authors will independently assess the eligibility of the studies. Any disagreements will be resolved through a third reviewer. The risk of bias will be independently determined using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. The quality of the papers will be assessed based on the CONSORT checklist. If possible quantitative data will be pooled in statistical meta-analyzing with random effect model.DiscussionIn this review the current state of knowledge on prenatal attachment is examined. Effectiveness of attachment-based interventions during pregnancy is analyzed. Finally, practice and research implications based on analysis of the current status of maternal-fetal attachment are identified. The expected findings will help healthcare providers to develop pregnant women and infants’ health when offering prenatal care.

Włosi w wojnie domowej w Hiszpanii (1936–1939)

Osiemdziesiąt lat po rozpoczęciu wojny domowej w Hiszpanii (1936) nie można zapomnieć o zaangażowaniu w niej Włochów, ponieważ stanowili oni najważniejszy zagraniczny kontyngent kombatantów (tak liczny jak Marokańczycy). W studium przeanalizowano kilka elementów w celu zrozumienia wagi uczestnictwa Włochów w tym konflikcie. Po pierwsze, co historiografia mówi o tej kwestii. Po drugie, wielkość interwencji po stronie generała Franco (ludzie, dezercje, szczególnie Dywizja Littorio, straty, wysłany materiał wojskowy, działania sanitarne i hiszpański dług), a z drugiej strony – w obozie Frontu Ludowego (Batalion Włoski przekształcony w Batalion „Giuseppe Garibaldi”, a ostatecznie w Dywizję jego imienia). Po trzecie, uczestnictwo w walkach: z jednej strony zmagania po stronie Franco (70–80 tys. osób walczyło w ramach bardzo skomplikowanych i zmieniających się struktur wojskowych) i z drugiej – po stronie republikańskiej (3400 osób w Brygadach Międzynarodowych). Wspomniano najważniejsze operacje wojskowe wojny, w których brali udział Włosi.

Determining intervention thresholds that change output behavior patterns

AbstractThis paper details a semi‐automated method that can calculate intervention thresholds—that is, the minimum required intervention sizes, over a given timeframe, that result in a desired change in a system's output behavior pattern. The method exploits key differences in atomic behavior profiles that exist between classifiable pre‐ and post‐intervention behavior patterns. An automated process of systematic adjustment of the intervention variable, while monitoring the key difference, identifies the intervention thresholds. The results, in turn, can be studied and presented in intervention threshold graphs in combination with final runtime graphs. Overall, this method allows modelers to move beyond ad hoc experimentation and develop a better understanding of intervention dynamics. This article presents an application of the method to the well‐known World 3 model, which helps demonstrate both the procedure and its benefits. © 2017 The Authors. System Dynamics Review published by John Wiley &amp; Sons Ltd on behalf of System Dynamics Society

Optimal Maintenance Policy for a Compound Poisson Shock Model

Adverse environmental conditions cause infrastructure systems to deteriorate (e.g., loss capacity) over time. Modeling system deterioration is essential to define optimum design strategies, and inspection and maintenance (intervention) programs. In particular, the main purpose of maintenance is to increase the system availability by extending the life of the system. Most strategies for maintenance optimization focus on defining long term strategies based on the system's condition at the decision time (e.g., t=0). However, due to the large uncertainty in the system's performance through life, an optimal maintenance policy requires both permanent monitoring and a cost-efficient plan of interventions. This paper presents a model to define an optimal maintenance policy of systems that deteriorate as a result of shocks. Deterioration caused by shocks is modeled as a compound Poisson process, and the optimal maintenance strategy is based on an impulse control model. In the model, the optimal time and size of interventions are executed according to the system state, which is obtained from permanent monitoring.

Japanese foreign exchange intervention: A tale of pattern, size, or frequency

This paper contributes to the debate of the efficacy of different patterns of foreign exchange intervention (FXI). Daily data on the Japanese foreign exchange intervention and the Yen/Dollar exchange rates among other macroeconomic variables over the period 1992–2004, in an EGARCH time series model is used to measure the impact of intervention on both the level and volatility of the exchange rate. This paper offers two important results in regard to the effectiveness of the Japanese FXI. First, this study tests whether the pattern of FXI leads to conflicting outcomes with respect to the desired level and volatility of the exchange rates. Second, this study examines the asymmetric impact of the frequency and size of the Japanese FXI on the level and volatility of the exchange rate. This paper finds that successful depreciation of the yen has always been achieved at the expense of higher volatility, a result that supports the conflicting outcomes of the Japanese FXI. In addition, the frequency of intervention is found to be a crucial factor in affecting the level of the exchange rate while the size of intervention is more influential in affecting its volatility.

SPATIAL DISPLACEMENT AND DIFFUSION OF BENEFITS AMONG GEOGRAPHICALLY FOCUSED POLICING INITIATIVES

One of the most common criticisms of spatially focused policing efforts (such as Problem-Oriented Policing, police crackdowns‘ or hotspots policing) is that crime will simply relocate to other times and places since the root causes of crime were not addressed. This phenomenon, called crime displacement, has important implications for many policing projects. By far, spatial displacement (movement of crime from a treatment area to an area nearby) is the form most commonly recognized. At the extreme, widespread displacement stands to undermine the effects of geographically focused policing actions. More often, however, research suggests that crime displacement is rarely total.On the other end of the displacement continuum is the phenomenon of diffusion of crime control benefits‘ (a term coined by Ron Clarke and David Weisburd in 1994). Diffusion occurs when reductions of crime (or other improvements) are achieved in areas that are close to crime prevention interventions, even though those areas were not actually targeted by the intervention itself.The objective of this review is to synthesize the evidence concerning the degree to which geographically focused policing initiatives are related to spatial displacement of crime or diffusion of the crime control benefits.

Intervention policy of the BoJ: A unified approach

Intervening in the FX market implies a complex decision process for central banks. Monetary authorities have to decide whether to intervene or not, and if so, when and how. Since the successive steps of this procedure are likely to be highly interdependent, we adopt a nested logit approach to capture their relationships and to characterize the prominent features of the various steps of the intervention decision process. Our estimations based on Japanese data from 1991 to 2004 indicate that the Bank of Japan: (i) mainly reacted to deviations of the exchange rate with respect to fundamentals and (ii) tended to favour secrecy when its credibility was low. We also provide new insights on the so-called secrecy puzzle by modeling explicitly the risk for a secret intervention to be detected. Our results have important implications in terms of exchange rate policy, such as the emergence of a trade-off between intervention size, communication policy and secrecy. Our results tend to provide some explanation for the observed persistence of ineffective intervention policy during some sub-periods.

Bubbles, Crashes, and Sterilized Central Bank Intervention

We study the efficacy of sterilized foreign exchange intervention in a model where exchange rates are pushed away from their fundamental level by a rational bubble. The bubble is sustained by uncertainty about the post-crash price and about the market absorption capacity. We show that the bubble will be sustained in equilibrium if there is a reasonable probability that the bubble might burst in the first period. We then examine how sterilized interventions can change the equilibrium. In particular, we compare announced with secret interventions, when the central bank intervenes only once in the life of the bubble. We find that the degree of central bank commitment in bringing the exchange rate back to its fundamental level is crucial to determine whether the central bank will prefer to announce the intervention or keep it secret. We also study the conditions under which it is optimal to follow a state-dependent strategy where intervention takes place whenever the spot rate diverges from fundamentals by a set amount. Finally, we show that the central bank must gradually increase the size of interventions under a continuous intervention strategy.

Anticaries effectiveness of fluoride toothpaste: a meta-analysis

To carry out a meta-analysis on the effectiveness of fluoride toothpaste for reducing dental caries to calculate the effect size of different hypothesis. MEDLINE and LILACS databases were studied in the period from 1980 to 1998. To evaluate the quality of the studies, methodological rigor criteria proposed by Kay & Locker (1996) were applied after the criteria were submitted to an expert committee of CNPq (National Scientific Council of Brazil) senior researchers. Of 43 papers selected, 22 met the proposed criteria. The effect size of intervention was calculated from differences among the groups and the overall effect of five groups of hypothesis. The high concentration of fluoride in the toothpaste is associated with a larger effect (overall effect = -0.17 CI 95% -0.22/-0.12). The largest caries reductions were observed when comparing fluoride toothpastes and no fluoride toothpastes (overall effect = -0.29 IC 95% -0.34/-0.24). The addiction of antimicrobial agents (overall effect = -0.03 IC 95% -0.07/+0.02), differences in abrasive systems (overall effect = -0.02 IC 95% -0.09/+0.04) and active components do not increase the effectiveness of fluoride toothpastes (overall effect = -0.04 IC 95% -0.10/+0.01). The highest caries reductions were seen in studies where there was supervised tooth brushing. This review reinforced the importance of tooth brushing with fluoride toothpastes for controlling dental caries. However it showed the emphasis put on medical approaches for disease control rather than specific educational actions. The heterogeneity of the results shows the need to consider issues such as the scenario for implementing preventive methods in the evaluation process.