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Co-Movement and Information Transmission Between Conventional and Islamic Equities in Sri Lanka
Full text linkPurposeThis study aims to investigate the co-movement and information transmission between conventional and Islamic equity indices in Sri Lanka.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses daily data of All Share Price Index and Dow Jones Islamic Market Sri Lanka Index from 2013 to 2023 for conventional and Islamic proxies. Descriptive statistics, cross-correlation, dynamic conditional correlation (DCC)-GARCH and wavelet analysis were used for the investigation.FindingsAnalyses reveal synchronous correlation yet lead-lag dynamics between the indices. The Islamic index has lower volatility, clustering and persistence than the conventional index. Localized volatility patches and scale-dependent synchronicity suggest diversification opportunities to optimize risk-adjusted returns.Research limitations/implicationsThe insights from this study are important for investors to optimize diversified portfolios by exploiting time-varying correlations. The identified lead-lag dynamics, bidirectional information flows and scale-dependent synchronization between the indices enable both investors to predict market movements for effective asset allocation and regulators to monitor market efficiency and stability and implement shock mitigation measures.Originality/valueThis study uniquely integrates DCC-generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH) and wavelet analysis to examine the dynamic, time-varying relationships between Islamic and conventional equity markets in Sri Lanka’s dual financial system. This approach helps embrace both short-run changes and long-run movements to gain in-depth co-movement and spillovers, as well as potential diversification gains within an emerging financial market
UK National Survey on Attitudes to AI Companions: Aggregate Data
No full textTo ascertain how the British public feel about AI companions, we conducted a UK-wide demographically representative national survey (implemented by professional company Walnut Unlimited - a human understanding agency, part of the Unlimited Group), across 10-12 December 2024, 2073 respondents aged 18 years or over, online omnibus). This was a part of a Responsible AI award, to create soft governance of autonomous systems that interact with human emotions and/or emulate empathy. The survey asks 22 closed-ended, multiple-choice questions on AI companions. The first set of questions (Q.1-2) glean participants’ familiarity with, and usage of, companion apps. The second set of questions (Q.3-4) explore the acceptability of design features of AI companions. The third set of questions (Q.5-7) explore the broad benefits and concerns from using AI companions. The fourth set of questions (Q.8-13) explore views on children and companion apps. The fifth set of questions (Q.14-15) explore views on older adults and companion apps. The sixth set of questions (Q.16-18) explore views on mental health issues and companion apps. The seventh set of questions (Q.19-21) explore views on desired governance of companion apps to consider the practicalities of what societies should do about AI companions, if anything. The final question (Q.22) is an evaluative question on whether participants feel AI companions are generally a positive or negative addition to society
Use of patient-centred outcome measures alongside the personal wheelchair budget process in NHS England: A mixed methods approach to exploring the staff and service user experience of using the WATCh and WATCh-Ad
Full text linkBackground and objective: Personal wheelchair budgets (PWBs) are offered to everyone in England eligible for a wheelchair provided through the National Health Service (NHS) to support their choice of equipment. The WATCh (Wheelchair outcomes Assessment Tool for Children) and related WATCh-Ad for adults are patient-centred outcome measures (PCOMs) developed to help individual users express their main outcome needs when obtaining a wheelchair and rate their satisfaction with subsequent outcomes after receiving their equipment. Use was explored in a real-world setting, aiming to produce guidance for use alongside the PWB process.Methods: Three wheelchair service provider organisations across four sites participated. Staff and users completed surveys about their experience of assessments using the WATCh and/or WATCh-Ad. Selected patients were interviewed after receipt of their equipment, and staff were interviewed after experiencing a number of assessments. Thematic analysis was undertaken using the tool, survey and interview data. Results of pre- and post-equipment provision were presented graphically.Results: Information on 75 assessments by 15 staff was obtained. Three-quarters of users or their carers rated the use of the tools in the assessment process as 'helpful' or 'very helpful'. Staff reported that the WATCh or WATCh-Ad had been considered 'useful' in developing individual care plans in around 1 in 3 cases and affected the prescription in 1 in 4 cases. Concerns were expressed about the length of time taken to administer the tools in clinic. However, some staff noted this reduced with more hands-on experience and by providing the tools to users in advance of the appointment.Conclusions: The WATCh and WATCh-Ad PCOMs are suitable for routine use by wheelchair service providers to assist the assessment process. It is recommended that tool materials are provided in advance to users/carers and that staff are allowed time to develop their ways of working with them
Bridging the gap: a qualitative study exploring the impact of the involvement of researchers with lived experience on a multi-site randomised control trial in the National Probation Service in England and Wales
Full text linkIntroductionMethodological and ethical arguments support the involvement of individuals with lived experience in research to reduce engagement barriers and ensure those directly affected by studies contribute to knowledge generation. However, there is limited evidence on the impact of including researchers with lived experience of serving a prison or community sentence in clinical trials. This qualitative study aimed to explore the value of involving researchers with lived experience of the criminal justice system as data collectors in the Mentalization for Offending Adult Males (MOAM), a multisite RCT conducted in the National Probation Service in England and Wales.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 trial participants and 17 key stakeholders, either in person or via telephone. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.FindingsFive themes emerged for trial participants and 11 for key stakeholders. For some, lived experience researchers helped overcome engagement barriers by fostering common ground with participants who were serving a prison or community sentence during recruitment. Participants reported that the involvement of lived experience researchers enhanced the study by facilitating knowledge transfer in certain instances. However, their inclusion did not eliminate all barriers and, for some participants, introduced new challenges to engagement.ConclusionForensic lived experience researchers bridged the gap by fostering trust between data collectors and participants. Future studies should ensure that lived experience researchers receive adequate clinical supervision to support their role. The adopted methodology challenged assumptions about knowledge generation and stereotypes associated with being an ex-offender, benefiting both lived experience and traditional researchers.Patient or Public ContributionThe study was developed in collaboration with User Voice (charity number: 1136047), who contributed to the study's design and conduct. The service user organisation co-designed the interview schedule and directed the protocol for participant payments, emphasising a consistent approach to avoid tokenism and ensure equal recognition of all contributions. The dissemination plan was developed in partnership with individuals with lived experience of the criminal justice system
Genocidal Speech and Speech Act Theory
Full text linkSpeech act theory has been applied to genocidal speech in an extension of its use in other forms of speech regulation. I detail how a misguided reliance on speech act theoretic tools has negatively impacted legal thinking in understanding direct and public incitement to commit genocide. I argue that undue factive and normative significance has been placed on the idea that incitement to genocide may be considered an illocutionary or performative speech act, rather than as a perlocutionary act, as an inchoate crime. With attention to the role of causation in the regulation of incitement to genocide within a speech act framework, I clarify legal applications of speech act theory which have confused or displaced the appropriate questions underpinning genocidal speech regulation. In doing so, I reinforce the role of causation with respect to inchoate speech crimes, and particularly the potential merits of a preventative risk assessment model when identifying genocidal speech. I demonstrate that while these speech act accounts present unique issues for genocidal speech regulation, they also in part stem from prior work applying speech act theory to other speech crimes such as hate speech and pornography
Resource characterization of a commercial tidal stream energy site: Morlais, Irish Sea
Full text linkTidal stream energy conversion is an attractive renewable energy option due to the predictability of tides and high energy density. Yet, before sites can be exploited to their full potential, detailed resource characterization is required to optimize device selection and array configuration, and to minimize environmental impacts. This study focuses on the Morlais tidal energy site in North Wales, where developers have been awarded 38 MW of tidal stream generation capacity by the UK Government. The study analyses sea bed and water column data collected across the site over the past decade, including multibeam echosounder data, multiple acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) time series, meteorological and wave data. Additionally, high-resolution tidal and wave models are applied to further characterize the spatio-temporal variability. The undisturbed power density exceeds at Morlais, with the most energetic locations closest to the shore — facilitating power export to the grid. There is significant interaction of waves and currents across the site. However, this mainly influences wave properties, which could affect maintenance of moorings or devices (due to increased wave steepness), rather than directly influencing the tidal energy resource. There are variations in flood/ebb asymmetry between ADCP moorings, and this is relatively strong at some locations