Postgraduate Research Students’ and their Supervisors’ Attitudes towards Supervision

There is a need for research exploring postgraduate research students’ expectations from research supervisors, the characteristics of effective student-supervisor relationships, and the opinions of students and supervisors about research supervision. We also need instruments to explore the student-supervisor relationship. The present study investigated postgraduate research students’ and research supervisors’ views about postgraduate research supervision and the student supervisor relationship. It also reports on factor analysis conducted to identify the underlying dimensions in their views about postgraduate research supervision and the student supervisor relationship. Such information can be used to develop strategies to promote student-supervisor relationships and enhance the student experience. Data were collected using an online questionnaire with 30 Likert-scale statements from 131 postgraduate research students and 77 supervisors. Following exploratory factor analysis, a three factor model consisting of leaderhip, knowledge, and support was extracted. Results indicate that students and supervisors agree about the attributes of effective supervision. Both supervisors and students consider that a supervisor should have an interest in the student’s research. The supervisor must provide timely and constructive feedback and should help the student to manage time effectively. Students and supervisors believe a supervisor should help the students where limitations and learning needs are identified. Students believe supervisors must encourage students to work independently and use opportunities to present their work

How have EU’s trade agreements impacted consumers?

Over the past two decades, the European Commission has negotiated a number of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) which contain both traditional elements of bilateral tariff reductions, as well as additional liberalisation measures like non-tariff barriers. According to economic theory, FTAs lower trade barriers on imported goods, leading to consumer welfare gains from increase in product variety, better quality products and lower prices for existing products. We estimate the variety, quality and price effects of EU FTAs, drawing on recent developments in the quality literature and using detailed import price and expenditure data. On average, trade agreements the EU has entered into over the past two decades increased the quality of UK imports from its FTA partners by 26 per cent and lowered the quality-adjusted price of imports by 19 per cent. We find that consumer prices fell by 0.5 per cent for UK consumers as a result of FTAs with trade partners that are not members of the European Community. Price reductions for UK consumers are greater than those for EU12 consumers, whose prices fell by 0.3 per cent from non-EC FTAs. Using the set of non-EC FTA estimates to predict the effects of future FTAs, we find a projected decline in consumer prices for UK consumers of 0.4 per cent from an FTA with the United States (TTIP) and 0.2 per cent an FTA with Japan (EPA). For EU12 consumers, the TTIP and EPA are predicted to reduce consumer prices by 0.3 per cent and 0.1 per cent

Dynamic interactions between foreign institutional investment flows and stock market returns: The case of India

There has been a marked increase in the magnitude of Foreign Institutional Investments (FIIs) into India since the 1990s, resulting in increased forex reserves and liquidity and a higher-valued Indian capital market. However, such investment is more volatile than other types of flows, causing disruptive effects in the form of sudden stops (for example, the crash of the Indian stock market on January 21, 2008). This study empirically examines the dynamic relationship between FIIs and Indian stock market returns. It also analyses the effects of FIIs on Indian capital market returns, using data from January, 2004 through September, 2012. The analysis employs a Cross Correlation Function (CCF) approach, a Granger Causality Test and Vector Auto Regression after dividing the data into two parts: Pre Global financial crisis and Post Global financial crisis periods. The results of the CCF suggest bi-directional causality between FIIs and Nifty returns, whereas the Granger Causality Test and the VAR analysis suggest uni-directional causality running Nifty returns to FIIs

Non-suicidal self-injury: clinical presentation, assessment and management

Non-suicidal self-injury is a common behaviour in adolescents and young adults, and may be associated with mental health disorders, risk of suicidal behaviour (ideation and attempts), and a need for clinical services. Nurses, in particular those working in emergency departments and mental health settings, have a crucial role in the assessment, treatment and care of individuals who have self-injured. It is essential for nurses to assess an individual’s risk of more serious harm or accidental death, regardless of intent. It is also important to understand the variations in non-suicidal self-injurious behaviour in terms of its presentation, features and functions, to provide appropriate person-centred care. Nurses should assist individuals in identifying the triggers or cues for their behaviour, exploring treatment options, and monitoring their behaviour and risk in the long term. This article describes the profile of people who self-injure, and the issues related to assessment and management of such patients presenting in emergency departments. A description of who self-injures and why, and how people self-injure; developmental aspects of these behaviours, including short and long-term outcomes; and the available treatments is presented

Methodology for finding optimum cell size for a grid based cellular automata traffic flow model

A methodology for determining optimum cell size for a grid based traffic flow model for heterogeneous traffic is proposed in this paper. The cell size is an important factor to determine as it affects the computational efficiency and model accuracy. The objective function minimizes three aspects namely the difference of distance headway in case of cellular automata and grid based traffic flow model, the total number of cells to represent different types of vehicles and multiple of cell width that gives closer representation of the different road widths. The presented method is found better then the previous attempt which tries to find the cell size by trial and error

Gender Differences in Risk and Protective factors for Resolved Plans and Preparations for Suicide among University Students

Background. Identifying the psychological predictors of suicide risk is essential because these variables may be amenable to change in treatment, unlike demographic or historical factors. Aims. The aim of this study was to examine the predictors of past two-week suicidal ideation for males and females separately. Method. Participants were 1184 healthy adults who completed an online survey. Results. A significant association between suicidal ideation and gender was found, such that mean levels were significantly higher in females than males. Separate regression analyses accounted for significant amounts of variance in suicide ideation, 54% for males and 68% for females. Moreover, the analyses revealed that suicide resilience Factor 2 (Emotional Stability) was a protective factor for both males and females; however, defeat, goal disengagement, and depression were independently associated with suicide ideation in males but not females. By contrast, entrapment, perceived burdensomeness, and hopelessness Factor 3 (Future Expectations) were significant risk factors only in females. Conclusions. The findings have clinical and practical implications, which may guide future practice, and supports the notion of targeted prevention and intervention strategies

Suicide attempts among incarcerated homicide offenders

The aim was to investigate the role of age, drug abuse, period of confinement, loneliness, difficulty in controlling emotions, having no friends in prison, victimization in prison, guilt over crimes, insomnia, nightmares, anxiety, depression, and mood change in predicating suicide attempts in a sample of homicidal young prisoners. Poisson regression model indicated that five variables contributed significantly to the prediction of suicide attempts. Specifically, participants reporting drug abuse, difficulty in controlling emotions, victimization in prison, nightmares, and depression were significantly more likely to report suicide attempts while incarcerated

Less trade and lower living standards in the UK: the price of Brexit

Those who say that leaving the EU is a win-win aren't being candid about the evidence, write Swati Dhingra, Gianmarco Ottaviano, Thomas Sampson and John Van Reene

Psychopathy, Gang membership, And moral disengagement among juvenile offenders

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of psychopathy factors and gang membership on moral disengagement while controlling for age, ethnicity, having run away from home, family member and/or friend arrests, substance misuse, parental physical fights, violence exposure (victimization and witnessing), and maternal warmth and hostility. Design/methodology/approach – The research is based on data collected from serious juvenile offenders (n=769) as part of the Pathways to Desistance Study. Findings – Six independent variables made a unique statistically significant contribution to the model: gang membership, age, gender, violence exposure, and psychopathy Factors 1 and 2. Psychopathy Factor 1 was the strongest predictor of moral disengagement. Originality/value – Results indicate that youth with heightened psychopathic traits make greater use of strategies to rationalize and justify their harmful behaviour against others. Implications in relation to theory and previous studies are discussed