Adolescent depressive disorders and family based interventions in the family options multicenter evaluation: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background
There is increasing community and government recognition of the magnitude and impact of adolescent depression. Family based interventions have significant potential to address known risk factors for adolescent depression and could be an effective way of engaging adolescents in treatment. The evidence for family based treatments of adolescent depression is not well developed. The objective of this clinical trial is to determine whether a family based intervention can reduce rates of unipolar depressive disorders in adolescents, improve family functioning and engage adolescents who are reluctant to access mental health services.

Methods/Design
The Family Options study will determine whether a manualized family based intervention designed to target both individual and family based factors in adolescent depression (BEST MOOD) will be more effective in reducing unipolar depressive disorders than an active (standard practice) control condition consisting of a parenting group using supportive techniques (PAST). The study is a multicenter effectiveness randomized controlled trial. Both interventions are delivered in group format over eight weekly sessions, of two hours per session. We will recruit 160 adolescents (12 to 18 years old) and their families, randomized equally to each treatment condition. Participants will be assessed at baseline, eight weeks and 20 weeks. Assessment of eligibility and primary outcome will be conducted using the KID-SCID structured clinical interview via adolescent and parent self-report. Assessments of family mental health, functioning and therapeutic processes will also be conducted. Data will be analyzed using Multilevel Mixed Modeling accounting for time x treatment effects and random effects for group and family characteristics. This trial is currently recruiting. Challenges in design and implementation to-date are discussed. These include diagnosis and differential diagnosis of mental disorders in the context of adolescent development, non-compliance of adolescents with requirements of assessment, questionnaire completion and treatment attendance, breaking randomization, and measuring the complexity of change in the context of a family-based intervention.

A review on artificial intelligence based load demand forecasting techniques for smart grid and buildings

Electrical load forecasting plays a vital role in order to achieve the concept of next generation power system such as smart grid, efficient energy management and better power system planning. As a result, high forecast accuracy is required for multiple time horizons that are associated with regulation, dispatching, scheduling and unit commitment of power grid. Artificial Intelligence (AI) based techniques are being developed and deployed worldwide in on Varity of applications, because of its superior capability to handle the complex input and output relationship. This paper provides the comprehensive and systematic literature review of Artificial Intelligence based short term load forecasting techniques. The major objective of this study is to review, identify, evaluate and analyze the performance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) based load forecast models and research gaps. The accuracy of ANN based forecast model is found to be dependent on number of parameters such as forecast model architecture, input combination, activation functions and training algorithm of the network and other exogenous variables affecting on forecast model inputs. Published literature presented in this paper show the potential of AI techniques for effective load forecasting in order to achieve the concept of smart grid and buildings.

Short-term cognitive-behavioural group treatment for hoarding disorder: a naturalistic treatment outcome study

The study aim was to test whether a 12-week publically rebated group programme, based upon Steketee and Frost's Cognitive Behavioural Therapy-based hoarding treatment, would be efficacious in a community-based setting. Over a 3-year period, 77 participants with clinically significant hoarding were recruited into 12 group programmes. All completed treatment; however, as this was a community-based naturalistic study, only 41 completed the post-treatment assessment. Treatment included psychoeducation about hoarding, skills training for organization and decision making, direct in-session exposure to sorting and discarding, and cognitive and behavioural techniques to support out-of-session sorting and discarding, and nonacquiring. Self-report measures used to assess treatment effect were the Savings Inventory-Revised (SI-R), Savings Cognition Inventory, and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales. Pre-post analyses indicated that after 12 weeks of treatment, hoarding symptoms as measured on the SI-R had reduced significantly, with large effect sizes reported in total and across all subscales. Moderate effect sizes were also reported for hoarding-related beliefs (emotional attachment and responsibility) and depressive symptoms. Of the 41 participants who completed post-treatment questionnaires, 14 (34%) were conservatively calculated to have clinically significant change, which is considerable given the brevity of the programme judged against the typical length of the disorder. The main limitation of the study was the moderate assessment completion rate, given its naturalistic setting. This study demonstrated that a 12-week group treatment for hoarding disorders was effective in reducing hoarding and depressive symptoms in an Australian clinical cohort and provides evidence for use of this treatment approach in a community setting. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. KEY PRACTITIONER MESSAGE: A 12-week group programme delivered in a community setting was effective for helping with hoarding symptoms with a large effect size. Hoarding beliefs (emotional attachment and responsibility) and depression were reduced, with moderate effect sizes. A third of all participants who completed post-treatment questionnaires experienced clinically significant change. Suggests that hoarding CBT treatment can be effectively translated into real-world settings and into a brief 12-session format, albeit the study had a moderate assessment completion rate.

Two-group randomised, parallel trial of cognitive and exposure therapies for problem gambling: a research protocol

BACKGROUND: Problem gambling is a serious public health concern at an international level where population prevalence rates average 2% or more and occurs more frequently in younger populations. The most empirically established treatments until now are combinations of cognitive and behavioural techniques labelled cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). However, there is a paucity of high quality evidence for the comparative efficacy of core CBT interventions in treating problem gamblers. This study aims to isolate and compare cognitive and behavioural (exposure-based) techniques to determine their relative efficacy.

METHODS: A sample of 130 treatment-seeking problem gamblers will be allocated to either cognitive or exposure therapy in a two-group randomised, parallel design. Repeated measures will be conducted at baseline, mid and end of treatment (12 sessions intervention period), and at 3, 6 and 12 months (maintenance effects). The primary outcome measure is improvement in problem gambling severity symptoms using the Victorian Gambling Screen (VGS) harm to self-subscale. VGS measures gambling severity on an extensive continuum, thereby enhancing sensitivity to change within and between individuals over time.

DISCUSSION: This article describes the research methods, treatments and outcome measures used to evaluate gambling behaviours, problems caused by gambling and mechanisms of change. This study will be the first randomised, parallel trial to compare cognitive and exposure therapies in this population.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study was approved by the Southern Adelaide Health Service/Flinders University Human Research Ethics Committee. Study findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

State of the art artificial intelligence-based MPPT techniques for mitigating partial shading effects on PV systems - a review

Given the considerable recent attention to distributed power generation and interest in sustainable energy, the integration of photovoltaic (PV) systems to grid-connected or isolated microgrids has become widespread. In order to maximize power output of PV system extensive research into control strategies for maximum power point tracking (MPPT) methods has been conducted. According to the robust, reliable, and fast performance of artificial intelligence-based MPPT methods, these approaches have been applied recently to various systems under different conditions. Given the diversity of recent advances to MPPT approaches a review focusing on the performance and reliability of these methods under diverse conditions is required. This paper reviews AI-based techniques proven to be effective and feasible to implement and very common in literature for MPPT, including their limitations and advantages. In order to support researchers in application of the reviewed techniques this study is not limited to reviewing the performance of recently adopted methods, rather discusses the background theory, application to MPPT systems, and important references relating to each method. It is envisioned that this review can be a valuable resource for researchers and engineers working with PV-based power systems to be able to access the basic theory behind each method, select the appropriate method according to project requirements, and implement MPPT systems to fulfill project objectives.

Chalk and cheese: Grounded theory case studies of the introduction and usage of activity-based information in two British banks

During the conduct of a research project into influences on the use of management accounting information, the use of activity-based techniques and information in two British banks was studied by the application of grounded theory principles. Juxtaposition of these two case studies reveals insights about the managers' significantly different experiences of ongoing applications, and the different outcomes of implementation that may arise, despite commonality in the organization and industry environment. This paper presents these two case studies, highlights the similarities and differences between them, and draws some conclusions about the causes of the differences. Factors that can be managed to achieve a greater use of these particular management accounting techniques, and the information they generate, are revealed. In particular, the findings suggest that the introduction of transfer charging between the bank's internal units highlights the need for activity-based techniques, and that education, communication and implementor support are vital, both for implementation success and for the widespread continuing use of the resultant applications. Further, between the two cases the greatest consensus was found in a common concern about the amount of detail in the databank and reports.

Consumers' readiness to eat a plant-based diet

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine consumers' readiness to change to a plant-based diet. Design: Mail survey that included questions on readiness to change, eating habits and perceived benefits and barriers to the consumption of a plant-based diet. Setting: Victoria, Australia. Subjects: A total of 415 randomly selected adults. Results: In terms of their readiness to eat a plant-based diet, the majority (58%) of participants were in the precontemplation stage of change, while 14% were in contemplation/preparation, and 28% in action/maintenance. Those in the action/maintenance stage ate more fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole-meal bread, and cooked cereals than those in earlier stages. There were statistically significant differences in age and vegetarian status between the stages of change, but not for other demographic variables. There were strong differences across the stages of change with regard to perceived benefits and barriers to plant-based diets. For example, those in action/maintenance scored highest for benefit factors associated with well-being, weight, health, convenience and finances, whereas those in the precontemplation stage did not recognise such benefits. Conclusions: These findings can be utilised to help provide appropriate nutrition education and advertising, targeted at specific stages of change. For example, education about how it is possible to obtain iron and protein from a plant-based diet and on the benefits of change, in addition to tips on how to make a gradual, easy transition to a plant-based diet, could help progress precontemplators to later stages.

Translocation of the socially complex black-eared miner manorina melanotis: a trial using hard and soft release techniques

We translocated five colonies of the highly social and co-operatively breeding Black-eared Miner Manorina melanotis, an endangered Australian honeyeater. Two colonies were released immediately (hard release) and two colonies were housed in aviaries for up to a week on-site and then supplied with food for a further week following release (soft release). A fifth colony was released using a combination of methods. All four hard and soft released colonies contained dependent fledglings at the time of release. This appears to be the first translocation of a co-operative species where intact colonies containing multiple breeding females, each with a suite of helpers have been translocated successfully. Both hard and soft release treatments appeared equally successful during an initial monitoring period of up to two months. All four colonies maintained social cohesion, and displayed high levels of survival and site fidelity. Both hard release and one soft release colony attempted to breed within 600 m of their release site within eight weeks of release. The other soft release colony bred 12 months later. We believe the inclusion of dependent young in each translocated colony provided a focus for translocated colonies that promoted site faithfulness and colony cohesion. Results of long-term monitoring remain inconclusive and it is recommended that monitoring be repeated during several future breeding events. Given our findings, we recommend that when translocating highly social species every effort is made to translocate the entire group, hard release techniques be applied and stimuli that enhance group cohesion and site faithfulness (the presence of dependent young) be exploited.

Fingerprint recognition system using hybrid matching techniques

With an increasing emphasis on the emerging automatic person identification application, biometrics based, especially fingerprint-based identification, is receiving a lot of attention. This research developed an automatic fingerprint recognition system (AFRS) based on a hybrid between minutiae and correlation based techniques to represent and to match fingerprint; it improved each technique individually. It was noticed that, in the hybrid approach, as a result of an improvement of minutiae extraction algorithm in post-process phase that combines the two algorithms, the performance of the minutia algorithm improved. An improvement in the ridge algorithm that used centre point in fingerprint instead of reference point was also observed. Experiments indicate that the hybrid technique performs much better than each algorithm individually.

Sexing little penguins eudyptula minor using bill measurements

In Little Penguins Eudyptula minor there are no reliable plumage or body size differences that can be used visually to distinguish the sex of individuals. However, sexual dimorphism of morphometric measures has been noted, with males always being a little larger than females. In this study, differences between E. minor sexes at eight colonies in south-eastern Australia were determined statistically via discriminant function analysis (DFA) and through the utilization of DNA-based techniques developed for non-ratite birds. The DFA correctly determined gender in 91.1% of cases and molecular methods were 100% accurate. Our DFA success rate of classification is similar to that previously published for Little Penguins in Victoria. In this study statistically significant differences in mean bill depths and lengths were found between Little Penguin colonies at St Kilda, Phillip Island and Gabo Island, compared to colonies at Kangaroo Island, Granite Island, Middle Island and London Bridge. As birds in eastern populations (St Kilda, Phillip Island, Gabo Island) exhibit statistically significantly smaller beaks (bill depth and bill length), separate discriminant functions were investigated for each phenotypically distinct geo-spatial cohort. Interestingly, cluster analysis for bill length identified three groups: western (Kangaroo Island and Granite Island), eastern (St Kilda, Phillip Island and Middle Island) and the London Bridge Little Penguin colony, which constituted a separate group. We conclude that while there is a slight increase in DF power for colonies west of Cape Otway and for some specific colonies, colony-specific DFA is not required to identify the sex of Little Penguins in south-eastern Australia.

Encouraging the reflection process in undergraduate teachers using guided reflection

This article reports on the findings of a study conducted with a group of early childhood education undergraduate students from the second year of the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education course offered at the University of Melbourne. The study trialled a number of guided reflection techniques that acted to stimulate and provide a structure for reflection. These techniques were further supplemented by focus group discussions based on reflective principles, in the hope of fully engaging the students in the reflective process over the course of a year. All techniques were designed to assist the student teachers in becoming aware of the current philosophy they hold in relation to teaching and learning, and also in understanding how this has been shaped by past experiences, beliefs and knowledge. The effectiveness of the guided reflection techniques was evaluated by the participants at the end of the project. The surveys showed that three of the techniques were particularly successful. Student perceptions as to the success of the process are reported in the article.

Data-based dynamic haptic interaction model with deformable 3D objects

The data-based modeling of the haptic interaction simulation is a growing trend in research. These techniques offer a quick alternative to parametric modeling of the simulation. So far, most of the use of the data-based techniques was applied to static simulations. This paper introduces how to use data-based model in dynamic simulations. This ensures realistic behavior and produce results that are very close to parametric modeling. The results show that a quick and accurate response can be achieved using the proposed methods.

A naïve, salience-based method for speaker identification in fiction books

This paper presents a salience-based technique for the annotation of directly quoted speech from fiction text. In particular, this paper determines to what extent a naïve (without the use of complex machine learning or knowledge-based techniques) scoring technique can be used for the identification of the speaker of speech quotes. The presented technique makes use of a scoring technique, similar to that commonly found in knowledge-poor anaphora resolution research, as well as a set of hand-coded rules for the final identification of the speaker of each quote in the text. Speaker identification is shown to be achieved using three tasks: the identification of a speech-verb associated with a quote with a recall of 94.41%; the identification of the actor associated with a quote with a recall of 88.22%; and the selection of a speaker with an accuracy of 79.40%.