Language Issues: Readings for Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durkin, Diane Bennett

This book provides a collection of interrelated essays on language for teachers concerned with first and second language acquisition, non-standard English, the teaching of grammar, language change, and the attainment of literacy. A problem-oriented text, the book presents the various controversies surrounding each language area, offering competing…

Contrasting Controversies: Fracking and Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duggan-Haas, D.; Zabel, I. H. H.; Ross, R. M.

2014-12-01

Slickwater high-volume hydraulic fracturing (commonly known as "fracking") is highly controversial. So is global warming, and the two issues are closely related, but the natures of these two controversies have substantial and important differences. Building upon years of experience in teaching and developing resources and strategies for teaching about evolution and climate change, staff at the Paleontological Research Institution have engaged in public outreach and educator professional development to help nurture understanding of fracking and the broader energy system. How are these controversies similar to and different from one another, and how should understanding these similarities and differences inform educational programming (and about how you talk about these issues with your Uncle Fred at the family holiday dinner?). It is nearly universally agreed amongst scientists who study climate that changes now underway are real and human caused, and are posing or likely to pose very serious problems for humanity. Scientists who study slickwater high-volume hydraulic fracturing agree that it causes environmental damage, but there is no consensus as to whether fracking causes more or less harm (e.g., among different kinds of environment harm, across different temporal and spatial scales, and among different social contexts) than other ways of producing energy on a large scale. In other words, the basic tenets of climate change are not a matter of scientific controversy, though the implications for policy making obviously remain politically controversial, while fracking is an issue of both scientific and political controversy. Without advocating for or against fracking, we help audiences disentangle scientific and political issues, better understand the energy resources used in their own communities, and consider issues of scale, systems, and complexity. We will compare and contrast the overlapping controversies surrounding climate change and fracking and highlight effective and ineffective approaches for educational programming as well as for more personal discussions. We will draw attention to the important ways in which these topics differ and what that implies for the development of programming and resources for teaching.

Predictors for the Effects of Televised Executions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McEnteer, James B.

This paper discusses the controversy that has traditionally surrounded the issue of capital punishment. When a Texas television reporter sought permission to televise the execution of a convicted murderer by lethal injection in 1983, arguments were advanced both for and against televising executions. A recent poll shows that 84% of Americans…

Nature, Types and Scale of Rural Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Frances

The issue of rural development has been surrounded by a number of debates regarding its nature, types, and scale. Included among the sources of controversy relating to rural development are the following areas: (1) the relation between rural development and rural industrialization, (2) the distribution of benefits and costs associated with…

Sanctioning Success? Assessing the Role of Sanctions in the Militarization of Iran

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-01

PRESIDENCY AND PRIVATIZATION (2005-2010) ...........................................51 A. THE PERSISTENCE OF THE NUCLEAR ISSUE... President Carter’s opening volley, Executive 2 Irano-British Chamber of Commerce, The...attention as of the writing of this proposal. Controversy surrounding the 2009 re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the emergence of

Racially Biased Policing: Determinants of Citizen Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weitzer, Ronald; Tuch, Steven A.

2005-01-01

The current controversy surrounding racial profiling in America has focused renewed attention on the larger issue of racial bias by the police. Yet little is known about the extent of police racial bias and even less about public perceptions of the problem. This article analyzes recent national survey data on citizens' views of and reported…

Understanding "Othello": A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nostbakken, Faith

Although "Othello" has been one of William Shakespeare's most popular plays, its performance history has been marked with risk and tension because of the play's focus on racial prejudice, gender conflict, and sexuality. The controversies surrounding conflicting attitudes toward race and religion, love and marriage, and war and the…

Class Size: A Battle between Accountability and Quality Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Januszka, Cynthia; Dixon-Krauss, Lisbeth

2008-01-01

A substantial amount of controversy surrounds the issue of class size in public schools. Parents and teachers are on one side, touting the benefits of smaller class sizes (e.g., increased academic achievement, greater student-teacher interaction, utilization of more innovative teaching strategies, and a decrease in discipline problems). On the…

American Higher Education: A History. Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucas, Christopher J.

2006-01-01

The roots of controversy surrounding higher education in the US extend deep into the past. This original, incisive history goes far in offering a needed sense of perspective on current debates over such issues as access, costs, academic quality, social equity, and curricula. Eminently readable and always lively, this timely historical account is…

Reflective Engagement as Professional Development in the Lives of University Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyons, Nona

2006-01-01

This paper takes up two important issues in the professional development of university teachers: the controversy surrounding reflective inquiry and its purported benefits for professional development and the lack of research on what teachers learn from reflective inquiry and how that affects and/or changes their professional practice.…

Commentary: AERA and the Study of Non-English Languages in American Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valdés, Guadalupe

2017-01-01

Controversy surrounding the role of non-English languages in American education has a long history. In the 100 years in which the American Educational Research Association (AERA) has been in existence, two Supreme Court decisions have addressed this issue ("Meyer v. Nebraska," 1923, and "Lau v. Nichols," 1974); federal…

Educating Future Therapists about the Controversy Surrounding Managed Behavioral Healthcare.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambliss, Catherine

The mental health care delivery system is undergoing a metamorphosis of unprecedented proportion as managed care covers more and more patients. This dramatic change has its critics (many mental health professionals) and its enthusiastics (the managed behavioral health care companies). Some of these issues are presented in this paper. There is…

Test Theories, Educational Priorities and Reliability of Public Examinations in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baird, Jo-Anne; Black, Paul

2013-01-01

Much has already been written on the controversies surrounding the use of different test theories in educational assessment. Other authors have noted the prevalence of classical test theory over item response theory in practice. This Special Issue draws together articles based upon work conducted on the Reliability Programme for England's…

The Encultured Body: Policy Implications for Healthy Body Image and Disordered Eating Behaviours.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaskill, Deanne, Ed.; Sanders, Fran, Ed.

The purpose of this publication is to provide discussion of some of the most difficult and controversial issues surrounding body image and eating disorders, specifically, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. It includes contributions from a number of nationally and internationally recognized clinicians and researchers in the field. It also…

Do You Want Single-Gender Science Classrooms in Your Middle Schools?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sampson, Pauline M.; Gresham, Gloria; Leigh, Melissa M.; McCormick-Myers, Denice

2014-01-01

Controversy surrounds the issue of single-gender education, with advocates debating that the initiative decreases discrimination, improves educational experiences for males and females, and provides parents more choice. Opponents argue that single-gender education is a form of segregation and negates the gains that women have achieved in the area…

Adjunctive use of the diode laser in non-surgical periodontal therapy: exploring the controversy.

PubMed

Porteous, Mary Sornborger; Rowe, Dorothy J

2014-04-01

Despite the controversy regarding clinical efficacy, dental hygienists use the diode laser as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal therapy. The technique to maximize successful laser therapy outcome is controversial as well. The purpose of this review is to explore the scientific foundation of the controversy surrounding the use of the diode laser as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal therapy. Further, this paper addresses the weaknesses in study design, the heterogeneity of methodology in the published clinical studies, especially the laser parameters, and how these issues impact the collective clinical and microbial data, and thus conclusions regarding clinical efficacy. Evaluation of the literature identifies possible mechanisms that could contribute to the varied, often conflicting results among laser studies that are the foundation of the controversy surrounding clinical efficacy. These mechanisms include current paradigms of periodontal biofilm behavior, tissue response to laser therapy being dependent on tissue type and health, and that the successful therapeutic treatment window is specific to the target tissue, biofilm composition, laser wavelength, and laser energy delivered. Lastly, this paper discusses laser parameters used in the various clinical studies, and how their diversity contributes to the controversy. Although this review does not establish clinical efficacy, it does reveal the scientific foundation of the controversy and the need for standardized, well designed randomized controlled clinical trials to develop specific guidelines for using the laser as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal therapy. Using evidence-based laser guidelines would allow dental hygienists to provide more effective non-surgical periodontal care.

Educating Emergent Bilinguals: Policies, Programs, and Practices for English Learners. Second Edition. Language and Literacy Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia, Ofelia; Kleifgen, Jo Anne

2018-01-01

Now available in a revised and expanded edition, this accessible guide introduces readers to the issues and controversies surrounding the education of language minority students in the United States. What makes this book a perennial favorite are the succinct descriptions of alternative practices for transforming our schools and students' futures,…

Direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising: history, regulation, and issues.

PubMed

Huh, Jisu; DeLorme, Denise E; Reid, Leonard N; An, Soontae

2010-03-01

Direct-to-consumer advertising has changed the way prescription drugs are marketed in the United States. This article traces the history of direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription and over-the-counter medications and describes how drug advertising is regulated and by whom. It also discusses the controversies that surround direct-to-consumer marketing of prescription drugs.

Finance and the No Child Left Behind Act

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russo, Charles J.

2010-01-01

Enacted in 2002 as the cornerstone of President George W. Bush's educational policy, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act has been controversial since it became law. At its heart, NCLB is designed to have students perform at grade level by the year 2014. Yet as debate rages on an array of issues surrounding NCLB, the reauthorization process has…

Assessment and Management of Hypertension in Patients on Dialysis

PubMed Central

Flynn, Joseph; Pogue, Velvie; Rahman, Mahboob; Reisin, Efrain; Weir, Matthew R.

2014-01-01

Hypertension is common, difficult to diagnose, and poorly controlled among patients with ESRD. However, controversy surrounds the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension. Here, we describe the diagnosis, epidemiology, and management of hypertension in dialysis patients, and examine the data sparking debate over appropriate methods for diagnosing and treating hypertension. Furthermore, we consider the issues uniquely related to hypertension in pediatric dialysis patients. Future clinical trials designed to clarify the controversial results discussed here should lead to the implementation of diagnostic and therapeutic techniques that improve long-term cardiovascular outcomes in patients with ESRD. PMID:24700870

Frequency of Sex after an Intervention to Decrease Sexual Risk-Taking among African-American Adolescent Girls: Results of a Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milhausen, Robin R.; DiClemente, Ralph J.; Lang, Delia L.; Spitalnick, Josh S.; Sales, Jessica McDermott; Hardin, James W.

2008-01-01

Many controversies surround sex education in the United States. One particular issue of contention is whether comprehensive sexuality education increases frequency of sexual intercourse among program participants. The current investigation examined frequency of vaginal sexual intercourse in a sample of 522 sexually experienced African-American…

Better to Be Equal? Challenges to Equality for Cognitively Able Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in a Social Decision Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmitz, Eva A.; Banerjee, Robin; Pouw, Lucinda B. C.; Stockmann, Lex; Rieffe, Carolien

2015-01-01

Much controversy surrounds questions about whether humans have an aversion to inequity and how a commitment to equality might play a role in cooperation and other aspects of social interactions. Examining the social decisions of children with autism spectrum disorders provides a fascinating opportunity to explore these issues. Specifically, we…

Trauma Reports. Volume 12, Number 6, November/December 2011

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

symptoms often receive a chest CT early in the course of resuscitation to determine the severity of disease, but deciding which patients with...not eliminate the risk of having severe pulmonary dysfunction and respiratory compromise. Resuscitation . After arrival to the hospital, the...Fluid Resuscitation . There is per- sistent controversy surrounding the issue of fluid management in patients with pulmonary contusions. The

Regulatory accountability: Telecommunications and electricity agencies in the United Kingdom, France and Sweden

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rubinstein, Dorit

2007-12-01

This dissertation examines how administrative agencies deal with multiple and conflicting accountability pressures. Drawing on an empirical study of six agencies, the telecommunications and electricity regulators of the UK, France and Sweden, it describes how the agencies legitimized their behavior in relation to three major issues, network pricing, universal service and retail competition. I find that agencies use different forms of accountability in different circumstances, and suggest a classification of accountability strategies along two dimensions: internalizing v. externalizing authority, and the breadth of the target audience. What explains variations along these dimensions is the task characteristics of the issue an agency is dealing with, and specifically, its informational aspects and the degree of political controversy associated with it. The more an issue requires expertise, the more an agency will seek to rely on its professional judgment. The more an issue can be addressed only in terms of the values surrounding it, the more an agency will seek to externalize authority and defer to other actors. Also, the more politically controversial an issue, the broader the target audience before whom an agency will try to justify itself.

Twenty-Plus Years of Exclusion in the Boy Scouts of America: A Simulated Debate on Inclusion in Public and Private Recreation Agencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Corey W.

2015-01-01

This four-day learning activity on the controversy of exclusion of gays and subsequently atheists in Boy Scouting is particularly relevant because it highlights the complexities that surround issues of equality, equity, the provision of leisure services, First Amendment rights, and the implications of court decisions on social justice. This lesson…

A Legal Analysis of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Its Impact on Ballot Initiatives and Affirmative Action Programs in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waters, Harold Davon

2012-01-01

This dissertation explores the controversial issues surrounding affirmative action in higher education. Are anti-affirmative action ballot initiatives in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment by restructuring the political process of minorities in such a way that places special burden on their ability to secure…

Peer-led team learning in an online course on controversial medication issues and the US healthcare system.

PubMed

Pittenger, Amy L; LimBybliw, Amy L

2013-09-12

To implement peer-led team learning in an online course on controversial issues surrounding medications and the US healthcare system. The course was delivered completely online using a learning management system. Students participated in weekly small-group discussions in online forums, completed 3 reflective writing assignments, and collaborated on a peer-reviewed grant proposal project. In a post-course survey, students reported that the course was challenging but meaningful. Final projects and peer-reviewed assignments demonstrated that primary learning goals for the course were achieved and students were empowered to engage in the healthcare debate. A peer-led team-learning is an effective strategy for an online course offered to a wide variety of student learners. By shifting some of the learning and grading responsibility to students, the instructor workload for the course was rendered more manageable.

Networking expertise: discursive coalitions and collaborative networks of experts in a public creationism controversy in the UK.

PubMed

Allgaier, Joachim

2012-04-01

Experts do play a particular role in public socio-scientific debates, even more so if they form heterogeneous coalition with other actors and experts. A case study about a public science education controversy surrounding the teaching of evolution/creationism in the UK press is used to investigate in detail how connections and coalitions between experts and other actors involved in the controversy emerged and played out. The research focuses on the question of what role collaborative and other networks of experts played in terms of influence, visibility, credibility, consensus and weight of argument. Issues that are considered in the research are the status of the members of the coalitions forming during the debate and how it is displayed in media representations and letters and petitions, and also how these networks and coalitions of experts perform in relation to each other.

Networking expertise: Discursive coalitions and collaborative networks of experts in a public creationism controversy in the UK

PubMed Central

Allgaier, Joachim

2012-01-01

Experts do play a particular role in public socio-scientific debates, even more so if they form heterogeneous coalition with other actors and experts. A case study about a public science education controversy surrounding the teaching of evolution/creationism in the UK press is used to investigate in detail how connections and coalitions between experts and other actors involved in the controversy emerged and played out. The research focuses on the question of what role collaborative and other networks of experts played in terms of influence, visibility, credibility, consensus and weight of argument. Issues that are considered in the research are the status of the members of the coalitions forming during the debate and how it is displayed in media representations and letters and petitions, and also how these networks and coalitions of experts perform in relation to each other. PMID:23045882

Overcoming barriers to public understanding of climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayhoe, K.

2012-12-01

Humans are interfering with global climate, increasing the risk of serious consequences for human society and the natural environment. As the scientific evidence builds, however, so does the public controversy surrounding this issue. Why is climate change so contentious? What makes it so hard to comprehend? I argue that there is no single reason for this, but rather a perfect storm of multiple confounding factors; scientific, historical, ideological, psychological and even physiological in nature. Education—of both the messengers and the audience—can play a critical role in surmounting many of the common barriers to understanding, accepting, and acting this important issue.

The business of human embryonic stem cell research and an international analysis of relevant laws.

PubMed

De Trizio, Ella; Brennan, Christopher S

2004-01-01

Few sciences have held out such therapeutic promise and correspondingly stirred so much controversy in countries throughout the world as the developing science surrounding human embryonic stem cells. Since the first reported development of several lines of human embryonic stem cells in 1988, many governments around the world have attempted to address the thorny ethical issues raised by human embryonic stem cell research by the passage of laws. In some cases these laws have directly regulated governmental funding of the science; in other cases they have created a legal environment that has either encouraged or discouraged both governmental and private funding of the science. This article first differentiates human embryonic stem cells from other types of stem cells and frames the ethical controversy surrounding human embryonic stem cell research, then surveys laws governing human embryonic stem cell research in various scientifically advanced countries located throughout the Pacific Rim, Europe and North America and explains the impact these laws have had on governmental and private funding of human embryonic stem cell research.

Controversies surrounding human papilloma virus infection, head & neck vs oral cancer, implications for prophylaxis and treatment.

PubMed

Campisi, Giuseppina; Giovannelli, Lucia

2009-03-30

Head & Neck Cancer (HNC) represents the sixth most common malignancy worldwide and it is historically linked to well-known behavioural risk factors, i.e., tobacco smoking and/or the alcohol consumption. Recently, substantial evidence has been mounting that Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is playing an increasing important role in oral cancer. Because of the attention and clamor surrounding oral HPV infection and related cancers, as well as the use of HPV prophylactic vaccines, in this invited perspective the authors raise some questions and review some controversial issues on HPV infection and its role in HNC, with a particular focus on oral squamous cell carcinoma. The problematic definition and classification of HNC will be discussed, together with the characteristics of oral infection with oncogenic HPV types, the frequency of HPV DNA detection in HNC, the location of HPV-related tumours, the severity and prognosis of HPV-positive HNC, the diagnosis of oral HPV infection, common routes of oral infection and the likelihood of oro-genital HPV transmission, the prevention of HPV infection and novel therapeutic approaches.

Controversies surrounding human papilloma virus infection, head & neck vs oral cancer, implications for prophylaxis and treatment

PubMed Central

Campisi, Giuseppina; Giovannelli, Lucia

2009-01-01

Head & Neck Cancer (HNC) represents the sixth most common malignancy worldwide and it is historically linked to well-known behavioural risk factors, i.e., tobacco smoking and/or the alcohol consumption. Recently, substantial evidence has been mounting that Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is playing an increasing important role in oral cancer. Because of the attention and clamor surrounding oral HPV infection and related cancers, as well as the use of HPV prophylactic vaccines, in this invited perspective the authors raise some questions and review some controversial issues on HPV infection and its role in HNC, with a particular focus on oral squamous cell carcinoma. The problematic definition and classification of HNC will be discussed, together with the characteristics of oral infection with oncogenic HPV types, the frequency of HPV DNA detection in HNC, the location of HPV-related tumours, the severity and prognosis of HPV-positive HNC, the diagnosis of oral HPV infection, common routes of oral infection and the likelihood of oro-genital HPV transmission, the prevention of HPV infection and novel therapeutic approaches. PMID:19331691

Intelligent Design versus Evolution

PubMed Central

Aviezer, Nathan

2010-01-01

Intelligent Design (ID) burst onto the scene in 1996, with the publication of Darwin’s Black Box by Michael Behe. Since then, there has been a plethora of articles written about ID, both pro and con. However, most of the articles critical of ID deal with peripheral issues, such as whether ID is just another form of creationism or whether ID qualifies as science or whether ID should be taught in public schools. It is our view that the central issue is whether the basic claim of ID is correct. Our goal is fourfold: (I) to show that most of the proposed refutations of ID are unconvincing and/or incorrect, (II) to describe the single fundamental error of ID, (III) to discuss the historic tradition surrounding the ID controversy, showing that ID is an example of a “god-of-the-gaps” argument, and (IV) to place the ID controversy in the larger context of proposed proofs for the existence of God, with the emphasis on Jewish tradition. PMID:23908779

Intelligent Design versus Evolution.

PubMed

Aviezer, Nathan

2010-07-01

Intelligent Design (ID) burst onto the scene in 1996, with the publication of Darwin's Black Box by Michael Behe. Since then, there has been a plethora of articles written about ID, both pro and con. However, most of the articles critical of ID deal with peripheral issues, such as whether ID is just another form of creationism or whether ID qualifies as science or whether ID should be taught in public schools. It is our view that the central issue is whether the basic claim of ID is correct. Our goal is fourfold: (I) to show that most of the proposed refutations of ID are unconvincing and/or incorrect, (II) to describe the single fundamental error of ID, (III) to discuss the historic tradition surrounding the ID controversy, showing that ID is an example of a "god-of-the-gaps" argument, and (IV) to place the ID controversy in the larger context of proposed proofs for the existence of God, with the emphasis on Jewish tradition.

Pelvic pain: a pathway for care developed for both men and women by the British Pain Society.

PubMed

Baranowski, A P; Lee, J; Price, C; Hughes, J

2014-03-01

This paper aims to explain the key points and highlight some of the controversies in the development of the British Pain Society's pelvic pain patient pathway map. Many clinicians lack experience and confidence with this group of patients, and this issue is highlighted. Additionally, the difficulties of classification and definitions in this area are discussed in detail. These are historical causes of disagreement among specialists which can lead to confused clinical care. This group of patients have multiple issues that cross many professional boundaries; they are best managed by the co-ordinated involvement of multiple teams. Patients suffer from significant distress and disability that often needs specialist assessment and intervention (interdisciplinary). This suggests that an integrated approach is required across the historic boundaries of primary and secondary care. A variety of interventions, including opioids and neuromodulation are recommended in the pathway and the controversies surrounding these inclusions are aired in detail.

Cultural relativism and cultural diversity: implications for nursing practice.

PubMed

Baker, C

1997-09-01

This article examines the doctrine of cultural relativism in nursing practice. To introduce the issue, an overview of the intellectual history of cultural relativism is presented. The academic themes of the debate surrounding cultural relativism are illustrated with an example of the social controversy in France involving cultural relativism as used to defend the practice of female genital excision among immigrant communities. The dilemma faced by nursing in making cross-cultural judgments is then examined in the light of the academic and social debates. The article concludes with a theoretical resolution of the issue of cultural relativism for nursing practice that is based on hermeneutic philosophy.

Prevalence of LD from Parental and Professional Perspectives: A Comparison of the Data from the National Survey of Children's Health and the Office of Special Education Programs' Reports to Congress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pullen, Paige C.

2017-01-01

Since the emergence of the field of learning disabilities (LD) in the late 1960s and early 1970s, controversy has surrounded issues regarding methods used for identification. The prevalence of students identified as LD increased steadily from the 1970s until the beginning of the 21st century, at which time it has decreased until at least 2011 (the…

Controversies in Alzheimer's disease drug development.

PubMed

Cummings, Jeffrey L

2008-08-01

Understanding of the pathophysiological basis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasing rapidly and a variety of potential treatment modalities have emerged based on these improved mechanistic insights. The optimal way of proceeding with disease-modifying drug development remains to be clarified and controversies have emerged regarding the definition of Alzheimer's disease, the participation of mild cognitive impairment patients in clinical trials, the definition of disease modification, the potential impediments to satisfaction from patients receiving disease-modifying therapy, the importance of add-on therapy with symptomatic agents, the optimal clinical trial design to demonstrate disease modification, the best means of minimizing time spent in Phase II of drug development, the potential role of adaptive designs in clinical trials, the use of enrichment designs in clinical trials, the role of biomarkers in clinical trials, the treatment of advanced patients with disease-modifying agents, and distinctions between disease modification and disease prevention. The questions surrounding these issues must be resolved as disease-modifying therapies for AD are advanced. These controversies are framed and potential directions towards resolution described.

Scientific and Ethical Issues in Mitochondrial Donation

PubMed Central

Craven, Lyndsey; Murphy, Julie; Turnbull, Doug M.; Taylor, Robert W.; Gorman, Grainne S.; McFarland, Robert

2018-01-01

The development of any novel reproductive technology involving manipulation of human embryos is almost inevitably going to be controversial and evoke sincerely held, but diametrically opposing views. The plethora of scientific, ethical and legal issues that surround the clinical use of such techniques fuels this divergence of opinion. During the policy change that was required to allow the use of mitochondrial donation in the UK, many of these issues were intensely scrutinised by a variety of people and in multiple contexts. This extensive process resulted in the publication of several reports that informed the recommendations made to government. We have been intrinsically involved in the development of mitochondrial donation, from refining the basic technique for use in human embryos through to clinical service delivery, and have taken the opportunity in this article to offer our own perspective on the issues it raises. PMID:29529980

Allergic Aspergillus Rhinosinusitis.

PubMed

Chakrabarti, Arunaloke; Kaur, Harsimran

2016-12-08

Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) is a unique variety of chronic polypoid rhinosinusitis usually in atopic individuals, characterized by presence of eosinophilic mucin and fungal hyphae in paranasal sinuses without invasion into surrounding mucosa. It has emerged as an important disease involving a large population across the world with geographic variation in incidence and epidemiology. The disease is surrounded by controversies regarding its definition and etiopathogenesis. A working group on "Fungal Sinusitis" under the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM) addressed some of those issues, but many questions remain unanswered. The descriptions of "eosinophilic fungal rhinosinusitis" (EFRS), "eosinophilic mucin rhinosinusitis" (EMRS) and mucosal invasion by hyphae in few patients have increased the problem to delineate the disease. Various hypotheses exist for etiopathogenesis of AFRS with considerable overlap, though recent extensive studies have made certain in depth understanding. The diagnosis of AFRS is a multi-disciplinary approach including the imaging, histopathology, mycology and immunological investigations. Though there is no uniform management protocol for AFRS, surgical clearing of the sinuses with steroid therapy are commonly practiced. The role of antifungal agents, leukotriene antagonists and immunomodulators is still questionable. The present review covers the controversies, recent advances in pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of AFRS.

The socio-legal acceptance of new technologies: a close look at artificial insemination.

PubMed

Bernstein, Gaia

2002-10-01

Heated debates often surround the introduction of an important new technology into society, as exemplified by current controversies surrounding human cloning and privacy protection on the Internet. Underlying these controversies are disruptions to central socio-legal values caused by these new technologies. Whether new technologies will eventually be accepted by society is often contingent on the reaction of the legal system. This mandates the formulation of a conceptual framework for understanding and structuring the way the law should react in cases surrounding the adoption of new technologies. By using the case study of artificial insemination this Article develops the tools for structuring the legal role in the acceptance process of new technologies. The three-century controversy surrounding the innovation of artificial insemination results from the innovations' disruption of the socio-legal value of the family. Artificial Insemination--although invented in the eighteenth-century--was rarely used until the 1930s, and only legalized in the 1960s. Its application to surrogacy and its use by unmarried women extends the controversy into the twenty-first century. The case study demonstrates the nature of the relationship among the technological, social and legal acceptance processes of new technologies, and analyzes the legal acceptance debate. The conceptual framework produced is useful in understanding and structuring the legal role in current debates surrounding the introduction and acceptance of new technologies.

A lack of standardization: the basis for the ethical issues surrounding quality and performance reports.

PubMed

Suchy, Kirsten

2010-01-01

Consumers in the United States are taking advantage of the proliferation of publicly available, internet-based performance reports and quality appraisals of health plans, healthcare organizations, hospitals, and physicians to aid in their healthcare decision making. However, these appraisal practices have given rise to controversy and debate over certain distinctive ethical issues. This article advocates a standardized ethical framework to guide current and future development and implementation of performance reports. This framework, which would resolve a number of the major issues, includes the following ethical principles to guide the practice of public reporting on the Internet and facilitate enhanced quality improvement in the healthcare industry: legitimacy, data integrity and quality, transparency, informed understanding, equity, privacy and confidentiality, collaboration, accountability, and evaluation and continuous improvement.

An evidence based review of the assessment and management of penetrating neck trauma.

PubMed

Burgess, C A; Dale, O T; Almeyda, R; Corbridge, R J

2012-02-01

Although relatively uncommon, penetrating neck trauma has the potential for serious morbidity and an estimated mortality of up to 6%. The assessment and management of patients who have sustained a penetrating neck injury has historically been an issue surrounded by significant controversy. OBJECTIVES OF REVIEW: To assess recent evidence relating to the assessment and management of penetrating neck trauma, highlighting areas of controversy with an overall aim of formulating clinical guidelines according to a care pathway format. Structured, non-systematic review of recent medical literature. An electronic literature search was performed in May 2011. The Medline database was searched using the Medical Subject Headings terms 'neck injuries' and 'wounds, penetrating' in conjunction with the terms 'assessment' or 'management'. Embase was searched with the terms 'penetrating trauma' and 'neck injury', also in conjunction with the terms 'assessment' and 'management'. Results were limited to articles published in English from 1990 to the present day. Abstracts were reviewed by the first three authors to select full-text articles for further critical appraisal. The references and citation links of these articles were hand-searched to identify further articles of relevance. 147 relevant articles were identified by the electronic literature search, comprising case series, case reports and reviews. 33 were initially selected for further evaluation. Although controversy continues to surround the management of penetrating neck trauma, the role of selective non-operative management and the utility of CT angiography to investigate potential vascular injuries appears to be increasingly accepted. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Controversies in Alzheimer’s disease drug development

PubMed Central

Cummings, Jeffrey L.

2010-01-01

Understanding of the pathophysiological basis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is increasing rapidly and a variety of potential treatment modalities have emerged based on these improved mechanistic insights. The optimal way of proceeding with disease-modifying drug development remains to be clarified and controversies have emerged regarding the definition of Alzheimer’s disease, the participation of mild cognitive impairment patients in clinical trials, the definition of disease modification, the potential impediments to satisfaction from patients receiving disease-modifying therapy, the importance of add-on therapy with symptomatic agents, the optimal clinical trial design to demonstrate disease modification, the best means of minimizing time spent in Phase II of drug development, the potential role of adaptive designs in clinical trials, the use of enrichment designs in clinical trials, the role of biomarkers in clinical trials, the treatment of advanced patients with disease-modifying agents, and distinctions between disease modification and disease prevention. The questions surrounding these issues must be resolved as disease-modifying therapies for AD are advanced. These controversies are framed and potential directions towards resolution described. PMID:18925488

Deliberating International Science Policy Controversies: Uncertainty and AIDS in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paroske, Marcus

2009-01-01

International science policy controversies involve disputes over cultural differences in the assessment of knowledge claims and competing visions of the policy-making process between different nations. This essay analyzes these dynamics in the recent controversy surrounding AIDS policy in South Africa. It develops the notion of an epistemological…

Plutonium controversy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Richmond, C.R.

1980-01-01

The toxicity of plutonium is discussed, particularly in relation to controversies surrounding the setting of radiation protection standards. The sources, amounts of, and exposure pathways of plutonium are given and the public risk estimated. (ACR)

[Neurosis as a mental disease--controversies surrounding insurance certification].

PubMed

Jabłoński, Christian; Kobek, Mariusz; Kowalczyk-Jabłońska, Dorota

2011-01-01

In the years 2008-2009, experts from the Department of Forensic Medicine in Katowice issued a dozen of expert opinions on the nature of the neurosis, addressing the question whether neurosis is a mental disease as understood under the general insurance conditions or whether neurosis is a mental disease as such. All the submitted cases involved policemen who had been diagnosed as neurotic and were refused insurance payments since the insurance company claimed payments could not have been effected due to the diagnosis of mental disease, meaning neurosis in the discussed cases. The plaintiffs invoked the fact that medical terminology describes such states as "mental disorders". In the article, the authors present the adopted model of opinionating, make an attempt at explaining the controversy and discuss the subtleties of medical terminology and the core differences between the terms "mental disorder" and "mental disease" as employed in medico-legal opinionating in such cases.

Contested evidence: Exposure to competing scientific claims and public support for banning bisphenol A.

PubMed

Brewer, Paul R; Ley, Barbara L

2014-05-01

The public controversy surrounding bisphenol A (BPA) revolves around competing claims about what scientific evidence shows regarding the effects of the chemical on human health. This study uses an experiment embedded within a public opinion survey to test the effects of exposure to such claims on public support for banning the use of BPA in products. Exposure to the claim that "there is not enough scientific evidence that BPA harms human health" reduced support, whereas exposure to the claim that there "is enough scientific evidence" failed to increase support. No effect emerged among those simultaneously exposed to both claims. The "not enough evidence" claim influenced less educated respondents and women but not college-educated respondents or men. Aspects of the underlying structure of opinion also differed depending on which claim(s) respondents received. The results illuminate how members of the public respond to competing scientific claims regarding controversial issues.

From Classroom to Controversy: Conflict in the Teaching of Religion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neal, Lynn S.

2013-01-01

What happens when a class assignment becomes a source of controversy? How do we respond? What do we learn? By describing the controversy surrounding an assignment on religion and representation, this article examines conflict's productive role in teaching about New Religious Movements (NRMs) and religion. It suggests that we consider how our…

Minors or suspects? A discussion of the legal and ethical issues surrounding the indefinite storage of DNA collected from children aged 10-18 years on the National DNA Database in England and Wales.

PubMed

Mansel, Charlotte; Davies, Sharon

2012-10-01

There are currently over 250,000 children between the ages of 10 and 18 years who have their genetic information stored on the National DNA Database. This paper explores the legal and ethical issues surrounding this controversial subject, with particular focus on juvenile capacity and the potential results of criminalizing young children and adolescents. The implications of the adverse legal judgement of the European Court of Human Rights in S and Marper v UK (2008) and the violation of Article 8 of the Convention are discussed. The authors have considered the requirement to balance the rights of the individual, particularly those of minors, against the need to protect the public and have compared the position in Scotland to that of the rest of the UK. The authors conclude that a more ethically acceptable alternative could be the creation of a separate forensic database for children aged 10-18 years, set up to safeguard the interests of those who have not been convicted of any crime.

The ethics of animal research: a UK perspective.

PubMed

Perry, Pauline

2007-01-01

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics, an independent body in the United Kingdom, has published a 2005 report titled The Ethics of Research Involving Animals. The Report, produced by a Working Party that represented a wide range of views, seeks to clarify the debate that surrounds this topic and aims to help people identify and analyze the relevant scientific and ethical issues. The Working Party considered the arguments surrounding whether animal research yields useful results, and recommends that its predictability and transferability should be evaluated more fully, particularly in controversial areas. Commonly encountered ethical questions and arguments were considered in order to understand what lies behind disagreement on the moral justification of animal research. Four possible ethical positions on animal research, which represent points on a continuum, are described. Despite the range of views that exist among members of the Working Party, the Report presents a "Consensus Statement" that identifies agreement on several important issues. Building on this statement, recommendations are made for improving the quality of the debate and promoting the 3Rs (refinement, reduction, and replacement).

Commentary on "Studying eyewitness investigations in the field": a look forward.

PubMed

Steblay, Nancy Kay

2008-02-01

Schacter et al. (2007, this issue) address the controversy surrounding an Illinois pilot project that attempted to compare sequential versus simultaneous police lineup formats. The statement by these experts will guide the design and execution of future field lineup experiments. This commentary discusses three aspects of field studies that pose challenges as lineup experiments are interpreted: the imprecise meaning of the dependent measure (eyewitness decisions), the limitations of single studies, and the necessity to devise public policy from incomplete knowledge. A combination of laboratory and field information provides the means to determine best practices in eyewitness identification procedures.

The Rasch Rating Model and the Disordered Threshold Controversy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Raymond J.; Wu, Margaret L.; Wilson, Mark

2012-01-01

The Rasch rating (or partial credit) model is a widely applied item response model that is used to model ordinal observed variables that are assumed to collectively reflect a common latent variable. In the application of the model there is considerable controversy surrounding the assessment of fit. This controversy is most notable when the set of…

The Effect of Falsely Balanced Reporting of the Autism-Vaccine Controversy on Vaccine Safety Perceptions and Behavioral Intentions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dixon, Graham; Clarke, Christopher

2013-01-01

Controversy surrounding an autism-vaccine link has elicited considerable news media attention. Despite being widely discredited, research suggests that journalists report this controversy by presenting claims both for and against a link in a relatively "balanced" fashion. To investigate how this reporting style influences judgments of vaccine…

Why can't a man be more like a woman? Sex, power, and politics.

PubMed

Potts, Malcolm

2005-11-01

Conflicts between male and female reproductive agendas continue to play out in contemporary issues of sex, power, and politics. Viewing gender through the lens of biologic evolutionary psychology reveals persistent controversies surrounding women's rights. The history of oral contraceptives compared with that of erectile dysfunction drugs is just one example of the disparity between female and male reproductive choices. Contraceptives, maternal mortality, abortion, and domestic violence are issues directly influenced by politics, religion, and gender biases. Ultimately, everything that can we can do to give women control over their bodies and their fertility is not only just and humane, but it also changes the world for the better. The United States must restore its leadership in international family planning--ensuring reproductive freedoms could be the genesis of other freedoms.

Electroconvulsive Therapy Practice in New Zealand.

PubMed

Fisher, Mark Wilkinson; Morrison, John; Jones, Paul Anthony

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to describe the contemporary practice of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in New Zealand. A 53-item questionnaire was sent to all services providing ECT as of December 2015. Electroconvulsive therapy was provided by 16 services covering 15 district health boards funded by the New Zealand government. No private facilities provided ECT. All services providing ECT responded to an online survey questionnaire. Rates of ECT utilization were low relative to similar countries. Survey results indicated ECT was practiced to an overall good standard. Several resource and logistical issues potentially contributing to low ECT utilization were identified. Electroconvulsive therapy in New Zealand is provided using modern equipment and practices. However, overall rates of utilization remain low, perhaps as a result of controversy surrounding ECT and some resourcing issues.

What Is a Controversial Issue? Implications for the Treatment of Religious Beliefs in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooling, Trevor

2012-01-01

An important debate in the literature on controversial issues concerns how to identify them. This matters for teachers because settled issues should be taught directively and controversial issues should be taught nondirectively. Teachers are professionally accountable for this decision. This article examines the contribution of Michael Hand to the…

A Moment in "The Times": Law Professors and the Court-Packing Plan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Kyle

2002-01-01

Discusses how the controversy surrounding Franklin Roosevelt's court-packing plan was crucial in convincing law teachers that engagement with popular controversies through punditry could and indeed should become part of their job description. (EV)

Debating restrictions on embryonic stem cell research.

PubMed

McClain, Colleen

2009-09-01

This study investigates the emotional and behavioral effects of interpersonal online communication, focusing on the controversy surrounding the loosening of restrictions on human embryonic stem cell research. The issue, central to national and statewide elections in 2008, generated heated debate among candidates and voters and evoked strong emotional sentiments among partisans. Using the theory of affective intelligence, this study proposes a predictive model connecting levels of enthusiasm and anxiety with behavioral and information-seeking outcomes. Cognitive appraisal theory is also employed to provide a role for political emotion in accounting for interactive media effects. To investigate the ways that online deliberation may influence discussions surrounding stem cell research, a between-subjects experimental study was conducted that systematically varied the tone of feedback received (reinforcing or challenging) and type of interaction (synchronous or asynchronous) experienced by users. Results indicate that emotional responses play a significant role in predicting behavioral intentions arising from the user-to-user interactive experience.

Lessons Learned: Tribal Community Engagement, Remediation and Restoration of a Uranium Mine Tailings Site, Navajo Nation - 12484

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wadsworth, Donald K.; Hicks, Allison H.

2012-07-01

In May, 2011 New World Environmental Inc. was awarded a contract by the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency to remediate an illegal radioactive waste disposal site located in the Navajo Nation. The initial scope included the excavation and shipment of an estimated 3,000 cubic yards of Uranium mine tailings and associated industrial waste. In this instance Stakeholders were supportive of the project, remediation and restoration, yet the movement of residual radioactive materials through tribal communities was a controversial issue. Other Stakeholder issues included site security, water sources for remediation activities, local residents' temporary re-location and care of livestock, right ofmore » way permissions and local workforce development. This presentation recaps the technical and non-technical issues encountered in the remediation and restoration the seven acre site and the outreach to surrounding communities. Cultural and equity issues resulting from historical problems associated with this and other sites in the immediate area and education and training. (authors)« less

The Controversy over Controversial Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zimmerman, Jonathan; Robertson, Emily

2018-01-01

Avoiding the discussion of controversial topics in U.S. classrooms deprives students of an important part of their learning. Jonathan Zimmerman and Emily Robertson, authors of "The Case for Contention: Teaching Controversial Issues in American Schools" (University of Chicago Press, 2017) say Americans are terrible at having informed,…

Literature for Children: Avoiding Controversy and Intellectual Challenge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Dennis M.

1986-01-01

Discusses lack of literature on controversial subjects that can help prepare children and young adults to deal perceptively with complexities of modern world. Highlights include meeting the issues head-on, glorifying armed conflict in video media, avoiding issues of nuclear war, and intellectual depth and dealing with controversial issues. (12…

Controversial Issues in United States History Classrooms: Teachers' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nichols-Cocke, Cathy

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to understand how secondary level United States History teachers approached controversial issues in their standards-based, high-stakes testing classrooms. Controversial issues consisted of multiple points of view, were socially constructed, and had the potential to challenge belief systems. The audience and their…

Teaching controversial issues in the secondary school science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Rooy, Wilhelmina

1993-12-01

A sample of fourteen secondary school biology teachers chosen from twelve schools were interviewed. The purpose was to determine their views on how controversial issues in science might be handled in the secondary school science classroom and whether the issues of surrogacy and human embryo experimentation were suitable controversial issues for discussion in schools. In general, teachers indicated that controversial issues deserve a more prominent place in the science curriculum because they have the potential to foster thinking, learning, and interest in science. The issues of surrogacy and human embryo experimentation were seen as appropriate contexts for learning, provided that teachers were well informed and sensitive to both the students and to the school environment.

Black hole evaporation: information loss but no paradox

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Modak, Sujoy K.; Ortíz, Leonardo; Peña, Igor; Sudarsky, Daniel

2015-10-01

The process of black hole evaporation resulting from the Hawking effect has generated an intense controversy regarding its potential conflict with quantum mechanics' unitary evolution. A recent set of works by a collaboration involving one of us, have revised the controversy with the aims of, on one hand, clarifying some conceptual issues surrounding it, and, at the same time, arguing that collapse theories have the potential to offer a satisfactory resolution of the so-called paradox. Here we show an explicit calculation supporting this claim using a simplified model of black hole creation and evaporation, known as the CGHS model, together with a dynamical reduction theory, known as CSL, and some speculative, but seemingly natural ideas about the role of quantum gravity in connection with the would-be singularity. This work represents a specific realization of general ideas first discussed in Okon and Sudarsky (Found Phys 44:114-143, 2014 and a complete and detailed analysis of a model first considered in Modak et al. (Phys Rev D 91(12):124009, 2015.

Cancer therapy in the necroptosis era

PubMed Central

Su, Z; Yang, Z; Xie, L; DeWitt, J P; Chen, Y

2016-01-01

Necroptosis is a caspase-independent form of regulated cell death executed by the receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIP1), RIP3, and mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL). Recently, necroptosis-based cancer therapy has been proposed to be a novel strategy for antitumor treatment. However, a big controversy exists on whether this type of therapy is feasible or just a conceptual model. Proponents believe that because necroptosis and apoptosis use distinct molecular pathways, triggering necroptosis could be an alternative way to eradicate apoptosis-resistant cancer cells. This hypothesis has been preliminarily validated by recent studies. However, some skeptics doubt this strategy because of the intrinsic or acquired defects of necroptotic machinery observed in many cancer cells. Moreover, two other concerns are whether or not necroptosis inducers are selective in killing cancer cells without disturbing the normal cells and whether it will lead to inflammatory diseases. In this review, we summarize current studies surrounding this controversy on necroptosis-based antitumor research and discuss the advantages, potential issues, and countermeasures of this novel therapy. PMID:26915291

Politics and Power in Global Health: The Constituting Role of Conflicts

PubMed Central

Askheim, Clemet; Heggen, Kristin; Engebretsen, Eivind

2016-01-01

In a recent article, Gorik Ooms has drawn attention to the normative underpinnings of the politics of global health. We claim that Ooms is indirectly submitting to a liberal conception of politics by framing the politics of global health as a question of individual morality. Drawing on the theoretical works of Chantal Mouffe, we introduce a conflictual concept of the political as an alternative to Ooms’ conception. Using controversies surrounding medical treatment of AIDS patients in developing countries as a case we underline the opportunity for political changes, through political articulation of an issue, and collective mobilization based on such an articulation. PMID:26927399

Muzzle flash issues related to the Waco FLIR analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grant, Barbara G.; Hardy, David T.

2001-09-01

The controversy surrounding the origin of flashes on the Mt. Carmel FLIR videotape acquired on April 19, 1993, is introduced. The characteristics of muzzle flash are reviewed. A comparative weapons description is offered. The temporal, spatial, and radiance characteristics of thermal infrared muzzle flash are addressed. Data acquired from a field experiment are presented. The authors conclude that the spatial characteristics of muzzle flash enable its detection by equipment such as the FLIR in use at Mt. Carmel on April 19, 1993; that while flashes obtained in the field appear highly radiant, measurements are necessary to quantify their values; and that the temporal behavior of muzzle flash deserves further study.

Minor's rights versus parental rights: review of legal issues in adolescent health care.

PubMed

Maradiegue, Ann

2003-01-01

The right of adolescents to access confidential health care is sensitive and controversial. Recent challenges in the court system to adolescents' right to access abortion and contraception are eroding current law, including the Roe v Wade decision. The prospect of more than a million pregnancies in individuals under the age of 20 years in the United States with increasingly fewer alternatives to pregnancy is concerning. New regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act are adding yet another layer of complexity to the care of adolescents. Understanding legal issues surrounding adolescent rights to care can help the health care provider make appropriate care available to this age group. Keywords previously identified in CINAHL and MEDLINE were used to perform the literature search. LexisNexis was the search engine used to identify the laws and statutes.

Domesticating Biotechnology: How London's Science Museum Has Framed the Controversy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levidow, Les

1998-01-01

Exhibits in London's Science Museum are critiqued in this discussion of the problem of balance in presenting controversial issues in museum exhibits. Science museums claim to portray controversial issues in a neutral manner, but neutrality is impossible. Asks how science museums can involve visitors in the controversy and how the museum's role can…

Research in the Wake of the No Child Left Behind Act: Why the Controversies Will Continue and Some Suggestions for Controversial Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brigham, Frederick J.; Gustashaw, William E., III; Wiley, Andrew L.; Brigham, Michele St. Peter

2004-01-01

The authors provide an analysis of why the controversies surrounding educational treatment are likely to continue even with scientific validation of practices as called for in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act. They describe how bias in human judgment makes it difficult to trust others and also difficult to doubt oneself relative to important…

Toward the Resolution of the Controversy Surrounding the Effects and Social Health Implications of Marijuana Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Paula D.

1974-01-01

The controversy over marijuana continues because of two primary factors: 1) lack of knowledge and understanding among the general public; and 2) failure to deal with society's role in safeguarding the health of the individual and the nation. (Author)

Parental Voices and Controversies in Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langan, Mary

2011-01-01

Parents of children with autism have played a prominent role in controversies surrounding this condition. Parental voices were critical in challenging the "refrigerator mother" theory and more recently have attracted public attention for claims that autism may be caused by childhood vaccinations and that "unorthodox biomedical" treatments may…

The Dispute over Nuclear Fission.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sime, Ruth Lewin

1996-01-01

Reveals the stormy relationship and ongoing controversy surrounding the scientific collaboration of Otto Hahn and Lise Meitner. Discusses the controversial 1944 Nobel Prize award to Hahn (ignoring the equal contribution of Meitner), the reaction of the scientific community, and the post-war years of both Meitner and Hahn. (MJP)

Academic freedom and the obligation to ensure morally responsible scholarship in nursing.

PubMed

Johnstone, Megan-Jane

2012-06-01

Academic freedom is generally regarded as being of critical importance to the development, improved understanding, and dissemination of new knowledge in a field. Although of obvious importance to the discipline of nursing, the nature, extent and value of academic freedom and the controversies surrounding it have rarely been considered in the nursing literature. It is a key aim of this paper to redress this oversight by providing a brief examination of: (i) the principle of academic freedom; (ii) the distinction between academic freedom, freedom of speech, and the academic freedom to publish; (iii) the problem of ideological judgments being dressed up as scientific or discipline judgments to supports 'bad' conclusions; and (iv) the standards that might otherwise be appealed to for determining whether maverick manuscripts supporting morally abhorrent conclusions should be accepted for publication. It is suggested that the tenets of academic freedom require robust international debate, with due attention being given to such issues as the development of an international declaration on academic freedom to publish in nursing, how to ensure a robust rebuttal system in nursing journals to counter specious scholarship, and how to better promote the letters pages of nursing journals as a venue for facilitating debate on controversial issues. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Controversial Issues and the Teaching of A-Level Biology: Possibilities and Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Rooy, Wilhelmina

This thesis focuses on the espoused beliefs, values, and attitudes of experienced A-Level Biology teachers in relation to the teaching of controversial biological issues. Of major interest is the thinking behind what the teachers in this study regard as the possibilities and problems for the teaching of controversial issues given the teaching…

The Problem of Catholic School Teachers Deferring to the Home on Controversial Religious Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonough, Graham P.

2010-01-01

This paper observes that an ironic tension occurs in the discussion of controversial issues in some Catholic schools. One technique that teachers use in response to student disagreement with the official Church view on a controversial issue like contraception, homosexuality, or female ordination is to present Church teaching but then suggest that…

Teacher College Students' Views of Controversial Environmental Issues: Ambivalence and Readiness to Adopt a Stance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weinberger, Yehudith; Dreyfus, Amos

2013-01-01

One of the most important goals of discussing controversial issues in the classroom is to educate students to possess an inclination towards reason, open mindedness and fairness. However, research tends to show that teachers are not adequately trained to lead fruitful discussions about controversial issues and do not possess the necessary skills…

Teachers' Perceptions of the Role of Evidence in Teaching Controversial Socio-Scientific Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levinson, Ralph

2006-01-01

Eighty-three teachers across the curriculum were interviewed to explain their views on and approaches to, the teaching of socio-scientific controversial issues to 14-19 year olds, particularly with regard to developments in biomedicine and biotechnology. This study focused on teachers' views on the nature of evidence in controversial issues and…

"We Must Look at Both Sides"--But a Denial of Genocide Too?: Difficult Moments on Controversial Issues in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kubota, Ryuko

2014-01-01

In language education, controversial issues sometimes emerge in either planned or spontaneous ways. Based on a classroom episode, this article illuminates dilemmas of approaching controversial issues for teachers who embrace critical pedagogy. A review of interdisciplinary literature demonstrates a general agreement on presenting balanced views…

Ethical Perspectives on the Current Controversy Regarding Openness in Adoption.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tavis, Timothy M.

This paper outlines current changes in American adoption practice and the controversies surrounding these changes. It includes a discussion of the role that neo-Kantian and utilitarian perspectives have played in American adoption policy and practice, and offers an alternative, the communitarian perspective, described by Sandel (1984). Adoption…

IQ Test Controversy: Past, Present, and Future Trends.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alford, David W.

The controversies surrounding the use of intelligence quotient (IQ) tests with children are summarized. This article discusses what intelligence is and how intelligence is measured. It also examines factors which can affect measurement, including examiner training or bias, examinee age, misinterpretation of test scores, and poor tests. The…

Relational Frame Theory: An Overview of the Controversy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gross, Amy C.; Fox, Eric J.

2009-01-01

Although Skinner's "Verbal Behavior" (1957) was published over 50 years ago, behavior-analytic research on human language and cognition has been slow to develop. In recent years, a new behavioral approach to language known as relational frame theory (RFT) has generated considerable attention, research, and debate. The controversy surrounding RFT…

The effect of improved hand hygiene on nosocomial MRSA control.

PubMed

Marimuthu, Kalisvar; Pittet, Didier; Harbarth, Stephan

2014-01-01

The purpose of this review is to examine studies that have assessed the association between hand hygiene enhancement and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) rates and to explore controversies surrounding this association. Many studies have been published confirming the link between improved hand hygiene compliance and reduction in MRSA acquisition and infections, including bacteremia. These studies have also shown the cost-beneficial nature of these programmes. Despite considerable research some issues remain unanswered still, including the temporal relationship between hand hygiene enhancement strategies and decrease in MRSA rates, association between hand hygiene enhancement and MRSA-related surgical site infections, diminishing effect of hand hygiene compliance on MRSA rates after reaching a threshold and the role of instituting contact precautions in the setting of low MRSA rates and sufficient hand hygiene compliance. In conclusion, enhancement of hand hygiene compliance has been shown to reduce MRSA rates; however, some open issues warrant further investigation.

Anticipation and Controversy Surround "Superman" Release

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aarons, Dakarai I.

2010-01-01

Well in advance of its official release, the education film "Waiting For Superman" has attracted a level of attention that could make it one of the year's most-watched documentaries--and one of the most controversial among educators, some of whom question its depictions of the American school system and how to improve it. Made by…

D. W. Griffith's Controversial Film, "The Birth of a Nation."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pitcher, Conrad

1999-01-01

Presents a lesson plan that enables students to investigate race relations during the Progressive Era by analyzing D. W. Griffith's "The Birth of a Nation" and the controversy surrounding the release of the film. Explores the pros and cons of using motion pictures as teaching tool. Includes two student handouts. (CMK)

Prevention and management of pelvic organ prolapse

PubMed Central

Giarenis, Ilias

2014-01-01

Pelvic organ prolapse is a highly prevalent condition in the female population, which impairs the health-related quality of life of affected individuals. Despite the lack of robust evidence, selective modification of obstetric events or other risk factors could play a central role in the prevention of prolapse. While the value of pelvic floor muscle training as a preventive treatment remains uncertain, it has an essential role in the conservative management of prolapse. Surgical trends are currently changing due to the controversial issues surrounding the use of mesh and the increasing demand for uterine preservation. The evolution of laparoscopic and robotic surgery has increased the use of these techniques in pelvic floor surgery. PMID:25343034

Management of hypertension in the elderly: Looking for a trade-off between cardiovascular prevention and serious adverse events.

PubMed

Buonacera, Agata; Stancanelli, Benedetta; Malatino, Lorenzo

2018-06-07

Despite the effectiveness of anti-hypertensive therapy is well recognized, the most adequate target to achieve in the management of hypertension in the elderly is still under debate. Indeed, looking at the balance between benefits and risks, accumulating evidence has recently specifically addressed this issue, focusing on controversies. Evidence surrounding a more aggressive treatment may lead to a turnaround in the clinical care of older adult hypertensives, but a balanced trade-off between benefits and risks needs to be programmed and achieved, particularly in this clinical setting. We argue whether and how the results from recent trials could influence the management of hypertension in older people.

A Translocal Perspective: Mustang Images in the Cultural, Economic and Political Landscape.

PubMed

Dalke, Karen

2010-12-14

Translocal spaces are created out of the process of globalization whereby interventions such as electronic media and migration radically change social relations and breakdown the isomorphism of space, place, and culture [1]. This approach is useful in examining the controversy surrounding the mustang. This paper explores how different social constructions influence the management of mustangs as they move between the local and national level. At each cultural level, political, economic, and environmental issues converge encouraging the emphasis of some cultural constructions over others. These socially constructed images give insight into what the mustang means to a post-industrial culture and it may simultaneously contribute to the animal's eventual demise.

What Can We Learn from Taiwanese Teachers about Teaching Controversial Public Issues?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hung, Yu-Han

2016-01-01

This study explores how history teachers in Taiwan make curricular decisions while engaging controversial public issues. The main political controversies discussed in Taiwanese society center on the relationship between Taiwan and the People's Republic of China. This study documents how four social studies teachers formulate their curricular…

Response to issues on GM agriculture in Africa: Are transgenic crops safe?

PubMed

Adenle, Ademola A

2011-10-08

The controversies surrounding transgenic crops, often called Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), call for a need to raise the level of public awareness of Genetic Modification (GM) technology in Africa. This should be accomplished by educating the public about the potential benefits and risks that may be associated with this new technology. In the last 15 years, GM crop producing countries have benefited from adoption of this new technology in the form of improved crop productivity, food security, and quality of life. The increased income to resource-poor farmers is a key benefit at the individual level especially as most countries using this technology are in the developing world, including three African countries (South Africa, Burkina Faso and Egypt). Despite clear benefits to countries and farmers who grow GMOs, many people are concerned about suspected potential risks associated with GMOs. This sparks debate as to whether GM technology should be adopted or not. Given the concerns regarding the safety of GMO products, thorough scientific investigation of safe application of GMOs is required. The objective of this paper is to respond to the issues of GM agriculture in Africa and some of the issues surrounding the adoption of GM crops between developed and developing countries. In this article, I analyse relevant papers relating to the adoption of GM technology particularly in developing countries including the few African countries that have adopted GM crops. The issues discussed span a wide range including: safety; potential benefits and risks; disputes between the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) over adoption of GM crops with a focus on Africa continent. This article is concluded by summarising the issues raised and how GM technology can be adopted for agricultural development in Africa.

Response to issues on GM agriculture in Africa: Are transgenic crops safe?

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

The controversies surrounding transgenic crops, often called Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), call for a need to raise the level of public awareness of Genetic Modification (GM) technology in Africa. This should be accomplished by educating the public about the potential benefits and risks that may be associated with this new technology. In the last 15 years, GM crop producing countries have benefited from adoption of this new technology in the form of improved crop productivity, food security, and quality of life. The increased income to resource-poor farmers is a key benefit at the individual level especially as most countries using this technology are in the developing world, including three African countries (South Africa, Burkina Faso and Egypt). Despite clear benefits to countries and farmers who grow GMOs, many people are concerned about suspected potential risks associated with GMOs. This sparks debate as to whether GM technology should be adopted or not. Given the concerns regarding the safety of GMO products, thorough scientific investigation of safe application of GMOs is required. The objective of this paper is to respond to the issues of GM agriculture in Africa and some of the issues surrounding the adoption of GM crops between developed and developing countries. In this article, I analyse relevant papers relating to the adoption of GM technology particularly in developing countries including the few African countries that have adopted GM crops. The issues discussed span a wide range including: safety; potential benefits and risks; disputes between the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) over adoption of GM crops with a focus on Africa continent. This article is concluded by summarising the issues raised and how GM technology can be adopted for agricultural development in Africa. PMID:21981823

How "Bright" is it to Use CFLs? A Look at the Controversy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Roxanne Greitz

2008-01-01

Commonly referred to as CFLs, compact fluorescent light bulbs are rapidly replacing traditional incandescent light bulbs for residential use. However, controversy and even comic parody have arisen surrounding CFL use. CFLs contain small amounts of mercury, and several public forums and news agencies have been announcing that the breakage of a CFL…

Why Map Issues? On Controversy Analysis as a Digital Method

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

This article takes stock of recent efforts to implement controversy analysis as a digital method in the study of science, technology, and society (STS) and beyond and outlines a distinctive approach to address the problem of digital bias. Digital media technologies exert significant influence on the enactment of controversy in online settings, and this risks undermining the substantive focus of controversy analysis conducted by digital means. To address this problem, I propose a shift in thematic focus from controversy analysis to issue mapping. The article begins by distinguishing between three broad frameworks that currently guide the development of controversy analysis as a digital method, namely, demarcationist, discursive, and empiricist. Each has been adopted in STS, but only the last one offers a digital “move beyond impartiality.” I demonstrate this approach by analyzing issues of Internet governance with the aid of the social media platform Twitter. PMID:26336325

Setting the Lipid Component of the Diet: A Work in Process.

PubMed

Del Razo Olvera, Fabiola M; Melgarejo Hernández, Marco A; Mehta, Roopa; Aguilar Salinas, Carlos A

2017-01-01

Some of the most relevant yet controversial issues in nutrition are those surrounding the guidelines on quality and quantity of dietary fat in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases and coronary heart diseases. Conflicting evidence questions the credibility of the previous dietary guidelines, particularly the quality of the evidence on which these recommendations were based. It is therefore important to explore the changes that have occurred in these guidelines and their influence on the adoption of different dietary patterns over time. In this review, we summarize the evolution of the fat component of the dietary guidelines, discuss controversial aspects, and highlight the areas in which additional evidence is still needed. Over the years, the scientific community has shown an obsession for calories in a diet instead of focusing on the quality of the food that makes up the diet. This is why certain authors have identified the importance of evaluating a diet focusing on diet patterns, rather than single isolated nutrients. This approach has been proposed in the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Limits to biodiversity cycles from a unified model of mass-extinction events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feulner, Georg

2011-04-01

Episodes of species mass extinction dramatically affected the evolution of life on Earth, but their causes remain a source of debate. Even more controversy surrounds the hypothesis of periodicity in the fossil record, with conflicting views still being published in the scientific literature, often even based on the same state-of-the-art datasets. From an empirical point of view, limitations of the currently available data on extinctions and possible causes remain an important issue. From a theoretical point of view, it is likely that a focus on single extinction causes and strong periodic forcings has strongly contributed to this controversy. Here I show that if there is a periodic extinction signal at all, it is much more likely to result from a combination of a comparatively weak periodic cause and various random factors. Tests of this unified model of mass extinctions on the available data show that the model is formally better than a model with random extinction causes only. However, the contribution of the periodic component is small compared to factors such as impacts or volcanic eruptions.

Barrett's Esophagus: A Comprehensive and Contemporary Review for Pathologists.

PubMed

Naini, Bita V; Souza, Rhonda F; Odze, Robert D

2016-05-01

This review provides a summary of our current understanding of, and the controversies surrounding, the diagnosis, pathogenesis, histopathology, and molecular biology of Barrett's esophagus (BE) and associated neoplasia. BE is defined as columnar metaplasia of the esophagus. There is worldwide controversy regarding the diagnostic criteria of BE, mainly with regard to the requirement to histologically identify goblet cells in biopsies. Patients with BE are at increased risk for adenocarcinoma, which develops in a metaplasia-dysplasia-carcinoma sequence. Surveillance of patients with BE relies heavily on the presence and grade of dysplasia. However, there are significant pathologic limitations and diagnostic variability in evaluating dysplasia, particularly with regard to the more recently recognized unconventional variants. Identification of non-morphology-based biomarkers may help risk stratification of BE patients, and this is a subject of ongoing research. Because of recent achievements in endoscopic therapy, there has been a major shift in the treatment of BE patients with dysplasia or intramucosal cancer away from esophagectomy and toward endoscopic mucosal resection and ablation. The pathologic issues related to treatment and its complications are also discussed in this review article.

On the energy-momentum tensor of light in strong fields: an all optical view of the Abraham-Minkowski controversy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macleod, Alexander J.; Noble, Adam; Jaroszynski, Dino A.

2017-05-01

The Abraham-Minkowski controversy is the debate surrounding the "correct" form of the energy-momentum tensor of light in a medium. Over a century of theoretical and experimental studies have consistently produced conflicting results, with no consensus being found on how best to describe the influence of a material on the propagation of light. It has been argued that the total energy-momentum tensor for each of the theories, which includes both wave and material components, are equal. The difficulty in separating the full energy-momentum tensor is generally attributed to the fact that one cannot obtain the energy-momentum tensor of the medium for real materials. Non-linear electrodynamics provides an opportunity to approach the debate from an all optical set up, where the role of the medium is replaced by the vacuum under the influence of a strong background field. We derive, from first principles, the general form of the energy-momentum tensor in such theories, and use our results to shed some light on this long standing issue.

Issues surrounding lethal injection as a means of capital punishment.

PubMed

Romanelli, Frank; Whisman, Tyler; Fink, Joseph L

2008-12-01

Lethal injection as a method of state-sanctioned capital punishment was initially proposed in the United States in 1977 and used for the first time in 1982. Most lethal injection protocols use a sequential drug combination of sodium thiopental, pancuronium bromide, and potassium chloride. Lethal injection was originally introduced as a more humane form of execution compared with existing mechanical methods such as electrocution, toxic gassing, hanging, or firing squad. Lethal injection has not, however, been without controversy. Several states are considering whether lethal injection meets constitutional scrutiny forbidding cruel and unusual punishment. Recently in the case of Ralph Baze and Thomas C. Bowling, Petitioners, v John D. Rees, Commissioner, Kentucky Department of Corrections et al, the United States Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the lethal injection protocol as carried out in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Most of the debate has surrounded the dosing and procedures used in lethal injection and whether the drug combinations and measures for administering the drugs truly produce a timely, pain-free, and fail-safe death. Many have also raised issues regarding the "medicalization" of execution and the ethics of health care professionals' participation in any part of the lethal injection process. As a result of all these issues, the future of lethal injection as a means of execution in the United States is under significant scrutiny. Outcomes of ongoing legislative and judicial reviews might result in cessation of lethal injection in totality or in alterations involving specific drug combinations or administration procedures.

Tracking: Conflicts and Resolutions. Controversial Issues in Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lockwood, Anne Turnbaugh

The educational tracking system raises highly controversial issues. This book offers both the viewpoints of researchers who have grappled with the issue of tracking and the personal experiences of school staff who have wrestled with the issue of whether or not to track instruction. It presents summaries of interviews that were conducted with three…

Student Identity Considerations and Implications Associated with Socioscientific Issues Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruzek, Mitchel James

The purpose of this investigation was to explore how aspects of identity, perceived levels of controversy, and the strength of a student's attachment to their controversial identity relate to conceptual understanding and knowledge acquisition during socioscientific issues (SSI) based instruction in a biology classroom. The knowledge gained from this study will have the capacity to enhance our understanding of the role that attachment to identity plays during SSI negotiation. Additionally, insight was gained into the role played by aspects of identity in conceptual understanding of scientifically controversial topics during SSI based instruction. This study contributed to the existing knowledge base in science education by illuminating processes involved in socioscientific issue navigation among students of differing perceptions of controversy as well as students who held aspects of controversial identity that may or may not interact with the specific issues chosen. Students demonstrated evidence of variations of reasoning, justification, perception of controversy, and aspects of knowledge gain as they negotiated the issues of marijuana safety and fast food legality. Additionally, evidence was provided that showed general knowledge gain throughout the group during socioscientific issues instruction. It has been said that one of the appeals of the SSI instructional model is that is serves not only as a context for the delivery of content, but acts as a catalyst for various forms of epistemological beliefs and research into the development of conceptual and psychological knowledge structures (Zeidler, 2013). This investigation supports the deeper understanding of the contribution of controversy perception to epistemology as well as conceptual and psychological knowledge structures during SSI navigation.

Parkinson's disease: current and future challenges.

PubMed

Langston, J William

2002-10-01

In 15 years, we will mark the 200th anniversary of the James Parkinson's original description of the disease that now bears his name (An Essay on the Shaking Palsy, Sherwood, Neely and Jones London, 1817). Perhaps, one of the most exciting but daunting questions we face at this moment is whether or not we can unravel the etiology of the disease by that time. If we are to accomplish such an ambitious goal, we must determine the resources that will be required to make it happen, and identify the areas of scientific focus that should receive the greatest attention. One issue that will have great bearing on the allocation of research resources relates to the relative roles of genes versus environment in disease causation. For reasons that will become clear in this article, this has a remained surprisingly controversial area. Ironically, this controversy has even spilled over to the very definition of Parkinson's disease, and even whether or not it should be considered a disease entity. In this article, the enduring "genes versus environment" debate is reviewed, with a goal of putting it into a broader perspective. Issues surrounding disease definition and terminology are also addressed in detail, because of the need to have clarity of thought and vision if research on the cause is to proceed in an orderly (and hopefully expeditious) manner. Finally, issues relating future research directions are summarized, with the goal of identifying the pieces of the Parkinson's puzzle that are going to have to be put together if we are to solve this mysterious disease.

The Catholic School, Controversial Issues and the Laity: A Canadian Research Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonough, Graham

2015-01-01

Catholic schools have an important role in helping cultivate the future adult laity, especially given the continuing numerical decline and ageing of clergy and vowed religious persons. As there is demonstrable plurality among the laity on some issues that are controversial within the Church, however, and receiving and responding to controversy is…

Ethical Considerations for Psychologists Taking a Public Stance on Controversial Issues: The Balance Between Personal and Professional Life

PubMed Central

Haeny, Angela M.

2014-01-01

Previous literature has documented the general issues psychologists often face while balancing their personal and professional lives. The struggle stems from attempting to satisfy the need to maintain a life outside of work while having the professional obligation to follow the American Psychological Association’s (APA’s) Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (Ethics Code) to prevent their personal lives from interfering with their professional roles and relationships. The present paper analyzes the subject of psychologists taking a public position on controversial public issues. Although the APA Ethics Code does not restrict how psychologists conduct themselves during their personal time, taking a public stance on a controversial issue could potentially strain professional relationships and inadvertently reflect negatively on the profession. The present paper examines ethical issues that a) should be taken into account before psychologists take a public position on a controversial issue, and b) are in conflict with APA’s Ethics Code or current research. PMID:25342876

Ethical Considerations for Psychologists Taking a Public Stance on Controversial Issues: The Balance Between Personal and Professional Life.

PubMed

Haeny, Angela M

2014-07-01

Previous literature has documented the general issues psychologists often face while balancing their personal and professional lives. The struggle stems from attempting to satisfy the need to maintain a life outside of work while having the professional obligation to follow the American Psychological Association's (APA's) Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (Ethics Code) to prevent their personal lives from interfering with their professional roles and relationships. The present paper analyzes the subject of psychologists taking a public position on controversial public issues. Although the APA Ethics Code does not restrict how psychologists conduct themselves during their personal time, taking a public stance on a controversial issue could potentially strain professional relationships and inadvertently reflect negatively on the profession. The present paper examines ethical issues that a) should be taken into account before psychologists take a public position on a controversial issue, and b) are in conflict with APA's Ethics Code or current research.

Aspects of Plant Intelligence

PubMed Central

TREWAVAS, ANTHONY

2003-01-01

Intelligence is not a term commonly used when plants are discussed. However, I believe that this is an omission based not on a true assessment of the ability of plants to compute complex aspects of their environment, but solely a reflection of a sessile lifestyle. This article, which is admittedly controversial, attempts to raise many issues that surround this area. To commence use of the term intelligence with regard to plant behaviour will lead to a better understanding of the complexity of plant signal transduction and the discrimination and sensitivity with which plants construct images of their environment, and raises critical questions concerning how plants compute responses at the whole‐plant level. Approaches to investigating learning and memory in plants will also be considered. PMID:12740212

Beyond Baby Steps: Today's Use of Social Networking Sites and the Nursing Profession.

PubMed

Sandlin, Jean Kelso; Hinmon, Dan

2016-01-01

Nurses' use of online social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, are increasing and with it the controversy surrounding the compatibility of social networking sites within a profession that values privacy and confidentiality. This article draws on case studies, experiments, surveys, and policies from professional organizations, academic research, and nursing education programs spanning the last 5 years to highlight best practices that address 2 critical areas where the values of the nursing profession and those of social media most directly collide: regulatory issues and the blurring of professional and personal online identities. It also suggests ways of using social media to complement patient outcomes and the professional development of nurses while remaining consistent with professional ethics and values.

Prevention of sudden cardiac death in young athletes: controversies and conundrums.

PubMed

Rowland, Thomas

2011-01-01

Strategies for preventing sudden cardiac death in young athletes are predicated on the assumption that: (1) these events reflect pre-existing, clinically silent heart disease, and (2) means for detecting these abnormalities on the pre-participation evaluation are both feasible and accurate. Recent controversy has surrounded both of these presumptions. Some evidence suggests that the myocardial hypertrophy accompanying sports training itself might serve as a substrate for fatal arrhythmias. As well, vigorous debate has arisen over the optimal content of the pre-participation evaluation, particularly regarding the inclusion of routine screening electrocardiograms. As the rarity of these fatal events does not lend itself to an experimental approach, such disagreements are not easily resolved. Consequently, it is expected that decisions regarding approaches to prevention of sudden death in athletes will be dictated largely by region-specific financial, political, and cultural factors. This chapter examines the aetiologies of sudden cardiac death in young athletes as well as the controversies surrounding the prevention of these tragedies. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Controversial Issues--Teachers' Attitudes and Practices in the Context of Citizenship Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oulton, Christopher; Day, Vanessa; Dillon, Justin; Grace, Marcus

2004-01-01

Current conceptions of citizenship favour public involvement in dialogue on controversial issues such as GM food. 'Students with higher levels of civic knowledge are more likely to expect to participate in political and civic activities as adults' (Kerr et al., 2003, p. 4). Young people need to be aware of the nature of controversy and be able to…

A measured response: Koop on abortion.

PubMed

Koop, C E

1989-01-01

The available scientific literature on the health effects of abortion on women in the US neither supports nor refutes the premise that abortion contributes to psychological problems. The 250 studies that have considered the psychological aspects of abortion are all flawed methodologically. Needed to resolve this issue is a prospective study of a cohort of US women of childbearing age focused on the psychological effects of failure to conceive, as well as the physical and mental sequelae of pregnancy whether carried to delivery, miscarried, or terminated by abortion. The most desirable such study could be conducted for about US$100 million over a 5-year period; a less expensive yet satisfactory study could be conducted for $10 million over the same time frame. Before such a study can be undertaken, a survey instrument must be designed to eliminate the discrepancy between the number of abortions on record and the number of women who admit to having an abortion on survey. Another issue is that the health effects of abortion cannot easily be separated from the controversial social issues surrounding pregnancy termination.

Controversial Issues within Biology: Enriching Biology Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Rooy, Wilhelmina

2000-01-01

Describes the development and implementation of a senior high school biology lesson concerned with organ transplantation. Discusses the teacher's rationale and techniques for using controversial issues in science teaching. (Contains 18 references.) (Author/WRM)

Determining Extension's Role in Controversial Issues: Content, Process, Neither, or Both?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goerlich, Dan; Walker, Martha A.

2015-01-01

Controversial issues offer Extension faculty opportunities to facilitate community dialogue and apply conflict resolution strategies to help communities achieve higher ground. Handled appropriately, the long-term benefits to the community, the Extension organization, and the faculty member of facilitating public issues outweigh the costs. This…

Hot Buttons. Unraveling 10 Controversial Issues in Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walling, Donovan R., Ed.

This book is a collection of essays that deal with 10 current controversial issues. The issues are also the topics of 10 recent fastbacks from the Phi Delta Kappa fastback series published between 1993 and 1996. Following the introduction, the articles include the following: (1) "Accountability" (Jack Frymier); (2) "Assessment…

Contrasting Viewpoints about Controversial Issues: Presenting Different Views on Highly Charged Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodwin, Jeff

1993-01-01

County agricultural agents (n=258) viewed the "What's the Beef/Here's the Beef" videos, which present contrasting viewpoints on animal rights. Results suggest that well-educated people who have emotional underpinnings on a controversial issue can have their attitudes moderated by exposure to an educational program. (JOW)

Nature of Science and Decision-Making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khishfe, Rola

2012-01-01

The study investigated the relationship of nature of science (NOS) instruction and students' decision-making (DM) related to a controversial socioscientific issue about genetically modified food. Participants were ninth-grade students in four intact sections (two regulars and two honors) in a public high school in the Midwest. All four groups were taught by their regular science teacher. The treatment comprised a four-week unit about genetic engineering. Two groups (one regular and one honors), referred to as comparison groups, received instruction in genetic engineering and how to formulate arguments and make decisions related to this controversial issue. The other two groups (one regular and one honors), referred to as treatment groups, received instruction in genetic engineering and how to apply NOS aspects as they formulate arguments and make decisions in relation to this controversial issue. Chi-square analyses showed significant differences between the comparison and the treatment groups in relation to the understandings of four NOS aspects. There were no differences in their decisions, but there were differences in their DM factors in the context of the controversial socioscientific issue about genetically modified food. These results are discussed in light of the relationship between students' understandings of NOS and their DM related to controversial socioscientific issues.

The No Child Left Behind Act: A Look at Provisions, Philosophies, and Compromises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kymes, Nancy

2004-01-01

This article explores some of the ill-defined provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act and its compelling arguments. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 was born in controversy, and the passage of time has not lessened the controversy surrounding it. Initially, this act appeared to be legislation which would have little or no impact on…

"Happy Meals" in the Starship Enterprise: interpreting a moral geography of health care consumption.

PubMed

Kearns, R A; Barnett, J R

2000-06-01

This paper extends earlier explorations of the use of metaphor in the marketing of the Starship Children's Hospital in Auckland, New Zealand, by examining controversy surrounding the opening of an in-hospital McDonalds fast-food outlet. The golden arches have become a key element of many children's urban geographies and a potent symbol of the corporate colonisation of the New Zealand landscape. In 1997 a minor moral panic ensued when a proposal was unveiled to open a McDonald's restaurant within the Starship. Data collected from media coverage, advertising and interviews with hospital management are analysed to interpret competing discourses around the issue of fast food within a health care setting. We contend that the introduction of a McDonald's franchise has become the hospital's ultimate placial icon, adding ambivalence to the moral geography of health care consumption. We conclude that arguments concerning the unhealthy nature of McDonald's food obscure deeper discourses surrounding the unpalatable character of the health reforms, and a perceived 'Americanisation' of health care in New Zealand.

The Reverse Discrimination Controversy. A Moral and Legal Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fullinwider, Robert K.

This book has two principal aims: to clarify the topical and controversial issue of reverse discrimination and to reach some conclusions about the rights and wrongs involved in this issue. Focusing mainly on preferential hiring, the book explicitly and extensively addresses the law and the institutional context of the issues. Examination of the…

Teaching Darwin: Contemporary Social Studies through Controversial Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, Helge

2010-01-01

I explore Darwin and his Theory of Natural Selection from a Social Science perspective and a social studies approach of inquiry into contemporary issues. This approach augments the more common natural science focus on the mechanics of natural selection and evolution in favor of a focus on social issues, controversy, and dialog necessary to support…

Understanding and Developing Controversial Issues in College Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Payne, Brian K.; Gainey, Randy R.

2003-01-01

Discusses common controversial issues in different college disciplines, such as the death penalty and drug legalization. Also suggests useful methods for encouraging enlightening discussions, such as verbal and physical cues, student-centered activities, and text selection. (SLD)

Lévy meets poisson: a statistical artifact may lead to erroneous recategorization of Lévy walk as Brownian motion.

PubMed

Gautestad, Arild O

2013-03-01

The flow of GPS data on animal space is challenging old paradigms, such as the issue of the scale-free Lévy walk versus scale-specific Brownian motion. Since these movement classes often require different protocols with respect to ecological analyses, further theoretical development in this field is important. I describe central concepts such as scale-specific versus scale-free movement and the difference between mechanistic and statistical-mechanical levels of analysis. Next, I report how a specific sampling scheme may have produced much confusion: a Lévy walk may be wrongly categorized as Brownian motion if the duration of a move, or bout, is used as a proxy for step length and a move is subjectively defined. Hence, the categorization and recategorization of movement class compliance surrounding the Lévy walk controversy may have been based on a statistical artifact. This issue may be avoided by collecting relocations at a fixed rate at a temporal scale that minimizes over- and undersampling.

Ethical issues raised by genetic testing with oligonucleotide microarrays.

PubMed

Grody, Wayne W

2003-02-01

Because genes and alterations within them determine the identity, characteristics, and inheritance of every individual, the application of genetic science to humans has long been surrounded by apprehension, controversy, and real or perceived potential for abuse. Crude eugenics practices of the past now find a theoretical rebirth and transformation through the use of modern molecular genetic technologies for mutation detection, predictive and prenatal diagnosis, and, ultimately, gene replacement. The advent of oligonucleotide microarray analysis, in which hundreds or thousands of genes and mutations can be tested in parallel, offers tremendous promise for more accurate, sensitive, and efficient genetic testing. At the same time, however, this powerful technology dramatically increases the number and scope of ethical concerns accompanying each individual test request. This article considers the evolution and implications of these concerns, from the initial ordering of a microarray test by the physician to such issues as informed consent, privacy, confidentiality, clinical utility, discrimination, stigmatization, ethnic and population impact, and reimbursement.

Current Policies and New Directions for Speech-Language Pathology Assistants.

PubMed

Paul-Brown, Diane; Goldberg, Lynette R

2001-01-01

This article provides an overview of current American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) policies for the appropriate use and supervision of speech-language pathology assistants with an emphasis on the need to preserve the role of fully qualified speech-language pathologists in the service delivery system. Seven challenging issues surrounding the appropriate use of speech-language pathology assistants are considered. These include registering assistants and approving training programs; membership in ASHA; discrepancies between state requirements and ASHA policies; preparation for serving diverse multicultural, bilingual, and international populations; supervision considerations; funding and reimbursement for assistants; and perspectives on career-ladder/bachelor-level personnel. The formation of a National Leadership Council is proposed to develop a coordinated strategic plan for addressing these controversial and potentially divisive issues related to speech-language pathology assistants. This council would implement strategies for future development in the areas of professional education pertaining to assistant-level supervision, instruction of assistants, communication networks, policy development, research, and the dissemination/promotion of information regarding assistants.

Corporal punishment.

PubMed

Bauman, L J; Friedman, S B

1998-04-01

Pediatricians differ on the optimal ways to discipline children. The major controversy surrounds the use of corporal punishment. In an effort to resolve this controversy, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) cosponsored a conference entitled "The Short and Long-Term Consequences of Corporal Punishment" in February 1996. This article reviews scientific literature on corporal punishment and summarizes the proceedings from the conference. The authors conclude that, although the research data are inadequate to resolve the controversy, there are areas of consensus. Practitioners should assess the spanking practices of the parent they see and counsel parents to avoid those that are, by AAP consensus, dangerous, ineffective, or abusive.

The Religion/Science Controversy: The Use and Abuse of Science in the Defense of Religion. Proceedings of a Conference (Westville, Indiana, October 5, 1985).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanagy, Sherman P., II, Ed.

Science and religion have been referred to as the two strongest general forces which influence humankind. This document contains the proceedings of a conference which was held to address some of the relationships and controversies surrounding these topics. Included are the texts of the major papers presented at the conference. These are: (1)…

Twenty years after Erich Muhe: Persisting controversies with the gold standard of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

PubMed

Jani, Kalpesh; Rajan, P S; Sendhilkumar, K; Palanivelu, C

2006-06-01

This review article is a tribute to the genius of Professor Erich Muhe, a man ahead of his times. We trace the development of laparoscopic cholecystectomy and detail the tribulations faced by Muhe. On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the first laparoscopic cholecystectomy, we take another look at some of the controversies surrounding this gold standard in the management of gallbladder disease.

Ocean noise and marine mammals: A tutorial lecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Spain, Gerald; Wartzok, Douglas

2004-10-01

The effect of man-made sound on marine mammals has been surrounded by controversy over the past decade. Much of this controversy stems from our lack of knowledge of the effects of noise on marine life. Ocean sound is produced during activities of great benefit to humans: commerce, exploration for energy reserves, national defense, and the study of the ocean environment itself. However, some recent strandings of marine mammals have been associated with the occurrence of human-generated sound. The documented increase of man-made sound in the ocean suggests the potential for more extensive though subtler effects than those observed in the mass strandings. The purpose of this tutorial is to present the scientific issues pertaining to ocean noise and marine mammals. Basic physics of sound in the ocean and long term trends of ocean sound will be presented. The biology of marine mammals, particularly their production, reception and use of sound in monitoring their environment, social interactions, and echolocation, will be reviewed. This background information sets the stage for understanding the effects of man-made sound on marine mammals. The extensive gaps in current knowledge with respect to marine mammal distribution and behavioral and physiological responses to sound will highlight research needs.

Point/Counterpoint: early detection of prostate cancer: do the benefits outweigh the consequences?

PubMed

Carroll, Peter R; Vickers, Andrew J

2014-05-01

Few clinical issues have polarized the oncology community as much as screening for prostate cancer, with advocates of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing vocal on one side and skeptics just as vocal on the other. At the NCCN 19th Annual Conference, Dr. Peter R. Carroll and Dr. Andrew J. Vickers tackled the controversy surrounding early detection of prostate cancer, focusing attention on the randomized trial results at the heart of the matter; over-detection (the Achilles' heel of screening); and the rationale behind the new, streamlined 2014 NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) for Prostate Cancer Early Detection, which emphasize selective early detection and treatment and are tightly aligned with the NCCN Guidelines for Prostate Cancer. Copyright © 2014 by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

Politics and Power in Global Health: The Constituting Role of Conflicts: Comment on "Navigating Between Stealth Advocacy and Unconscious Dogmatism: The Challenge of Researching the Norms, Politics and Power of Global Health".

PubMed

Askheim, Clemet; Heggen, Kristin; Engebretsen, Eivind

2015-10-15

In a recent article, Gorik Ooms has drawn attention to the normative underpinnings of the politics of global health. We claim that Ooms is indirectly submitting to a liberal conception of politics by framing the politics of global health as a question of individual morality. Drawing on the theoretical works of Chantal Mouffe, we introduce a conflictual concept of the political as an alternative to Ooms' conception. Using controversies surrounding medical treatment of AIDS patients in developing countries as a case we underline the opportunity for political changes, through political articulation of an issue, and collective mobilization based on such an articulation. © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

Rickets: Part I.

PubMed

Shore, Richard M; Chesney, Russell W

2013-01-01

Rickets is characterized by impaired mineralization and ossification of the growth plates of growing children caused by a variety of disorders, the most frequent of which is nutritional deficiency of vitamin D. Despite ample knowledge of its etiology and the availability of cost-effective methods of preventing it, vitamin D deficiency rickets remains a significant problem in developing and developed countries. This two-part review covers the history, etiology, pathophysiology and clinical and radiographical findings of vitamin D deficiency rickets. Other less frequent causes of rickets and some of the disorders entering into the differential diagnoses of rickets are also considered. Controversial issues surrounding vitamin D deficiency include determination of what constitutes vitamin D sufficiency and the potential relationship between low levels of vitamin D metabolites in many individuals and unexplained fractures in infants.

Arousal mechanisms related to posture and locomotion: 1. Descending modulation.

PubMed

Garcia-Rill, Edgar; Homma, Yutaka; Skinner, Robert D

2004-01-01

Much of the controversy surrounding the induction of locomotion following stimulation of mesopontine sites, including the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN), appears based on procedural differences, including stimulus onset, delay preceding stepping, and frequency of stimuli. The results reviewed in this chapter address these issues and provide novel information suggesting that descending projections from the PPN may exert a frequency-dependent effect. Stimulation at approximately 60 Hz (which induces prolonged tonic firing) may exercise a "push" towards locomotion (activation of pontine interneurons) as well as a "pull" away from decreased muscle tone (inhibiting giant pontine reticulospinal cells). Higher frequencies of stimulation (> 100 Hz, which induces phasic burst-like activity) may "push" towards decreases in muscle tone, including the atonia of rapid eye movement sleep (activating giant pontine reticulospinal cells).

The portrayal of J. Marion Sims' controversial surgical legacy.

PubMed

Spettel, Sara; White, Mark Donald

2011-06-01

In the mid 1800s Dr. J. Marion Sims reported the successful repair of vesicovaginal fistulas with a technique he developed by performing multiple operations on female slaves. A venerated physician in his time, the legacy of Dr. Sims is controversial and represents a significant chapter in the mistreatment of African-Americans by the medical establishment. This review compares the modern debate surrounding his legacy with the presentation of his operation in widely consulted urological texts and journals. A literature review was performed of medical, sociological and periodical sources (1851 to the present) regarding J. Marion Sims and vesicovaginal fistula repair. During the last several decades, while the controversy around Dr. Sims' surgical development has produced a steady stream of articles in the historical and popular literature, relatively little mention is found in standard urology textbooks or journals. With increased public attention, some have debated the removal or modification of public tributes to Dr. Sims. This move has been countered by arguments against the validity of judging a 19th century physician by modern standards. While historians, ethicists and the popular press have debated Dr. Sims' legacy, medical sources have continued to portray him unquestionably as a great figure in medical history. This division keeps the medical profession uninformed and detached from the public debate on his legacy and, thus, the larger issues of ethical treatment of surgical patients. Copyright © 2011 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The "Slippery Slope" of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etzioni, Amitai

1974-01-01

Discusses the controversy surrounding amniocentesis (used to detect and abort mongoloid fetuses) as an example of the ethical and social assessments that must be made with new scientific and medical developments. (JR)

Twenty years after Erich Muhe: Persisting controversies with the gold standard of laparoscopic cholecystectomy

PubMed Central

Jani, Kalpesh; Rajan, P S; Sendhilkumar, K; Palanivelu, C

2006-01-01

This review article is a tribute to the genius of Professor Erich Muhe, a man ahead of his times. We trace the development of laparoscopic cholecystectomy and detail the tribulations faced by Muhe. On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the first laparoscopic cholecystectomy, we take another look at some of the controversies surrounding this gold standard in the management of gallbladder disease PMID:21170235

Debating Diversity: Ethics and Controversial Public Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darr, Christopher R.

2016-01-01

Courses: Ethics, Organizational Communication, Political Communication. Objectives: After completing this unit activity, students should be able to (1) apply multiple ethical perspectives to real-world diversity issues in a debate format, and (2) explain the role of informational and social category diversity in current controversies.

Controversial Issues in Learning Disability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sapir, Selma C.

The author discusses controversial issues in the field of learning disabilities (LD). Among topics addressed are conflicting definitions of LD and the impact of the operational definition accepted by the US Government; etiological questions concerning the separation of neurological, environmental, and emotional factors; approaches used in training…

Teaching Controversial Issues in the JLL Classroom for Chinese Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shimojimai, Yasuko

2017-01-01

This paper discusses how teachers explore teaching controversial issues in the Japanese language classroom to Japanese language learner (JLL) or culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students who have different cultural and political backgrounds. Assuring educational opportunities with consideration of JLLs' background is important…

Moral and Legal Issues Surrounding Terminal Sedation and Physician Assisted Suicide

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-09-23

1 MORAL AND LEGAL ISSUES SURROUNDING TERMINAL SEDATION AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE by CONSTANCE ReJENNA BRADLEY B.S., United States Air Force...Title and Subtitle Moral and Legal Issues Surrounding Terminal Sedation and Physician-Assisted Suicide Contract Number Grant Number Program...Constance ReJenna (M.A., Philosophy) Moral and Legal Issues Surrounding Terminal Sedation and Physician Assisted Suicide Thesis directed by Instructor

Teaching Controversial Environmental Issues: Neutrality and Balance in the Reality of the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cotton, Deborah R. E.

2006-01-01

Background: Environmental issues are frequently controversial and involve conflicting interests and values. Much environmental education literature explicitly encourages teachers to promote pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours amongst their students, despite evidence that teacher support for such a policy is ambiguous at best. The literature…

Critical Thinking about Truth in Teaching: The Epistemic Ethos

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vandenberg, Donald

2009-01-01

This paper discusses the most persistent controversial issue that occurred in Western educational philosophy ever since Socrates questioned the Sophists: the role of truth in teaching. Ways of teaching these kinds of controversy issues are briefly considered to isolate their epistemic characteristics, which will enable the interpretation of Plato…

Controversial Issues in Our Schools. Fastback 146.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, William

There is virtually nothing taught in the American public school that is not potentially explosive at some time or place. America's cultural makeup provides for the development of controversy whenever such issues as sex, religion, politics, and economics are raised, and particularly when they are raised in the school environment. School…

Saudi Science Teachers' Views and Teaching Strategies of Socioscientific Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alamri, Aziz S.

2017-01-01

Scientific developments such as cloning and nuclear energy have generated many controversial issues pertain to many political, social, environmental, ethical and cultural values in different societies around the globe. These controversies delimited and encircled the potential of including and teaching some important aspects of science in schools…

Student Identity Considerations and Implications Associated with Socioscientific Issues Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruzek, Mitchel James

2014-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to explore how aspects of identity, perceived levels of controversy, and the strength of a student's attachment to their controversial identity relate to conceptual understanding and knowledge acquisition during socioscientific issues (SSI) based instruction in a biology classroom. The knowledge gained from…

The Controversy Surrounding Bone Morphogenetic Proteins in the Spine: A Review of Current Research

PubMed Central

Hustedt, Joshua W.; Blizzard, Daniel J.

2014-01-01

Bone morphogenetic proteins have been in use in spinal surgery since 2002. These proteins are members of the TGF-beta superfamily and guide mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate into osteoblasts to form bone in targeted tissues. Since the first commercial BMP became available in 2002, a host of research has supported BMPs and they have been rapidly incorporated in spinal surgeries in the United States. However, recent controversy has arisen surrounding the ethical conduct of the research supporting the use of BMPs. Yale University Open Data Access (YODA) recently teamed up with Medtronic to offer a meta-analysis of the effectiveness of BMPs in spinal surgery. This review focuses on the history of BMPs and examines the YODA research to guide spine surgeons in their use of BMP in spinal surgery. PMID:25506287

Disagreeing on Whether Agreement Is Persuasive: Perceptions of Expert Group Decisions

PubMed Central

Votruba, Ashley M.; Kwan, Virginia S. Y.

2015-01-01

While expert groups often make recommendations on a range of non-controversial as well as controversial issues, little is known about how the level of expert consensus—the level of expert agreement—influences perceptions of the recommendations. This research illustrates that for non-controversial issues expert groups that exhibit high levels of agreement are more persuasive than expert groups that exhibit low levels of agreement. This effect is mediated by the perceived entitativity—the perceived cohesiveness or unification of the group—of the expert group. But for controversial issues, this effect is moderated by the perceivers’ implicit assumptions about the group composition. When perceivers are provided no information about a group supporting the Affordable Care Act—a highly controversial piece of U.S. legislation that is divided by political party throughout the country—higher levels of agreement are less persuasive than lower levels of agreement because participants assume there were more democrats and fewer republicans in the group. But when explicitly told that the group was half republicans and half democrats, higher levels of agreement are more persuasive. PMID:25811384

Disagreeing on whether agreement is persuasive: perceptions of expert group decisions.

PubMed

Votruba, Ashley M; Kwan, Virginia S Y

2015-01-01

While expert groups often make recommendations on a range of non-controversial as well as controversial issues, little is known about how the level of expert consensus-the level of expert agreement-influences perceptions of the recommendations. This research illustrates that for non-controversial issues expert groups that exhibit high levels of agreement are more persuasive than expert groups that exhibit low levels of agreement. This effect is mediated by the perceived entitativity-the perceived cohesiveness or unification of the group-of the expert group. But for controversial issues, this effect is moderated by the perceivers' implicit assumptions about the group composition. When perceivers are provided no information about a group supporting the Affordable Care Act-a highly controversial piece of U.S. legislation that is divided by political party throughout the country-higher levels of agreement are less persuasive than lower levels of agreement because participants assume there were more democrats and fewer republicans in the group. But when explicitly told that the group was half republicans and half democrats, higher levels of agreement are more persuasive.

Controversial Issues in Healthcare Policy: A Survey of Doctor of Physical Therapy Students in a Public University.

PubMed

Snyder, Drew D; Bennett, Teale K; Oller, Jeremy C; Ge, Weiqing

2017-01-01

The recently passed legislation and proposed policy changes governing the healthcare system have been met with extensive debate and controversy. The primary objective of the study was to determine the attitudes of Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students towards some of these controversial issues. The secondary objective was to determine the demographic factors, including number of years in a physical therapy program, that contribute to their attitude formation. The research design was a cross-sectional non-experimental survey. Purposive sampling was used to recruit subjects in a public university. Subjects took the survey including nine Likert scale questions/statements on controversial issues inspired from legislative efforts and news media sources and one open-ended question. Of the 111 recruited, 106 students agreed to participate as subjects and completed the survey. Only 18.9% agreed or strongly agreed that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a positive solution for the healthcare system in America. Political affiliation, class level, and developmental environment were associated with a few questions/statements. DPT students in the sample had very diverse attitudes towards controversial issues in healthcare policy. Some of these attitudes revealed very different paradigms from the results found among medical students and the general public.

Conflicting health information: a critical research need.

PubMed

Carpenter, Delesha M; Geryk, Lorie L; Chen, Annie T; Nagler, Rebekah H; Dieckmann, Nathan F; Han, Paul K J

2016-12-01

Conflicting health information is increasing in amount and visibility, as evidenced most recently by the controversy surrounding the risks and benefits of childhood vaccinations. The mechanisms through which conflicting information affects individuals are poorly understood; thus, we are unprepared to help people process conflicting information when making important health decisions. In this viewpoint article, we describe this problem, summarize insights from the existing literature on the prevalence and effects of conflicting health information, and identify important knowledge gaps. We propose a working definition of conflicting health information and describe a conceptual typology to guide future research in this area. The typology classifies conflicting information according to four fundamental dimensions: the substantive issue under conflict, the number of conflicting sources (multiplicity), the degree of evidence heterogeneity and the degree of temporal inconsistency. © 2015 The Authors. Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Salbutamol in paediatrics: pharmacology, prescribing and controversies.

PubMed

Andrzejowski, Paul; Carroll, Will

2016-08-01

Salbutamol has become a key drug in respiratory medicine since it was first developed by Sir David Jack et al in 1968, 5000 years after the β agonist ephedrine was first used in its raw form, as the Ma Huang herb in Chinese medicine to treat asthma. It is one of the most commonly encountered medicines in paediatric practice and the authors have found that an understanding of its pharmacology in clinical practice is incredibly helpful. In this article, we discuss its pharmacology and pharmacodynamics, practical prescribing points and some unresolved issues surrounding its use, which should serve to provide an essential working knowledge for the busy paediatrician. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Viewpoint: methanol poisoning outbreak in Libya: a need for policy reforms.

PubMed

Taleb, Ziyad Ben; Bahelah, Raed

2014-11-01

We address the controversies surrounding a 2013 outbreak of methanol poisoning in Tripoli, Libya. We critically examine and systematically analyze the outbreak to highlight the lessons learned from this disaster and how to act properly to prevent similar outbreaks in future. Many health problems have been directly attributed to drinking alcohol; the type and quality of alcohol determines the detrimental effects. An unregulated and flourishing black market in alcohol is among the factors behind the Libyan tragedy, where approximately 90 deaths and about 1000 hospital admissions were reported. We reviewed gaps in local and regional alcohol policy, and highlighted the issue of illegally produced and home-made alcohol. Collaboration between countries in the region plus critical health and policy reforms in Libya, with emphasis on public health preparedness, can dramatically decrease morbidity and mortality associated with such outbreaks.

Time Resolved Spectroscopy, High Sensitivity Power Spectrum & a Search for the X-Ray QPO in NGC 5548

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yaqoob, Tahir

1999-09-01

Controversy surrounds the EXOSAT discovery of a QPO (period ~500 s) in NGC 5548 due to the data being plagued by high background and instrumental systematics. If the NGC 5548 QPO is real, the implications for the physics of the X-ray emission mechanism and inner-most disk/black-hole system are enormous. AXAF provides the first opportunity to settle the issue, capable of yielding power spectra with unprecedented sensitivity, pushing the limit on finding new features. Using HETG/ACIS we will also perform time-resolved spectroscopy of the ionized absorption features and Fe-K emission line, search for energy-dependent time lags in the continuum, between the continuum and spectral features, and between the spectral features. These data will provide powerful constraints on models of AGN.

Wnt some lose some: transcriptional governance of stem cells by Wnt/β-catenin signaling

PubMed Central

Lien, Wen-Hui; Fuchs, Elaine

2014-01-01

In mammals, Wnt/β-catenin signaling features prominently in stem cells and cancers, but how and for what purposes have been matters of much debate. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and its downstream transcriptional regulators in normal and malignant stem cells. We centered this review largely on three types of stem cells—embryonic stem cells, hair follicle stem cells, and intestinal epithelial stem cells—in which the roles of Wnt/β-catenin have been extensively studied. Using these models, we unravel how many controversial issues surrounding Wnt signaling have been resolved by dissecting the diversity of its downstream circuitry and effectors, often leading to opposite outcomes of Wnt/β-catenin-mediated regulation and differences rooted in stage- and context-dependent effects. PMID:25030692

Airway stents

PubMed Central

Keyes, Colleen

2018-01-01

Stents and tubes to maintain the patency of the airways are commonly used for malignant obstruction and are occasionally employed in benign disease. Malignant airway obstruction usually results from direct involvement of bronchogenic carcinoma, or by extension of carcinomas occurring in the esophagus or the thyroid. External compression from lymph nodes or metastatic disease from other organs can also cause central airway obstruction. Most malignant airway lesions are surgically inoperable due to advanced disease stage and require multimodality palliation, including stent placement. As with any other medical device, stents have significantly evolved over the last 50 years and deserve an in-depth understanding of their true capabilities and complications. Not every silicone stent is created equal and the same holds for metallic stents. Herein, we present an overview of the topic as well as some of the more practical and controversial issues surrounding airway stents. We also try to dispel the myths surrounding stent removal and their supposed use only in central airways. At the end, we come to the long-held conclusion that stents should not be used as first line treatment of choice, but after ruling out the possibility of curative surgical resection or repair. PMID:29707506

The testosterone conundrum: The putative relationship between testosterone levels and prostate cancer.

PubMed

Loughlin, Kevin R

2016-11-01

The controversy surrounding the relationship between testosterone and prostate cancer has existed for decades. The literature surrounding this topic is confusing and at times contradictory. There is no level-one quality evidence that confirms or refutes the relationship between either high or low serum testosterone levels and the subsequent development of prostate cancer. This commentary aims to review the issues involved and to provide an interpretation as to the causes of the confusion and to provide a framework for ongoing discussion and investigation. A Medline and PubMed search was conducted using search terms: testosterone levels and prostate cancer to identify pertinent literature. There is no consistent evidence that a single testosterone level is predictive of prostate cancer risk. The development of prostate cancer is a complex biologic process potentially involving genetics,dietary, life style and hormonal factors. Serum testosterone levels do not accurately reflect the internal prostatic milieu. Finally, if testosterone levels are to be considered in the etiology of prostate cancer they should be measured and interpreted on a chronic basis with multiple measurements over a period of years. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interacting with Upset Parents/Guardians: Defending Justice-Oriented Social Studies Lessons in Parent-Teacher Conference Simulations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brkich, Christopher Andrew; Newkirk, April Cribbs

2015-01-01

Providing middle-grades students the opportunity to engage meaningfully with controversial public issues (CPIs), socioscientific issues (SSIs), or a framework for social justice can be very dangerous work professionally. However, rather than encouraging teacher candidates to eschew controversy, ensuring they receive sufficient training in how to…

Justifying the Use of Internet Sources in School Assignments on Controversial Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mikkonen, Teemu

2018-01-01

Introduction: This study concerns students' criteria in the evaluation of Internet sources for a school assignment requiring reflections on a controversial issue. The findings are elaborated by analysing students' discursive accounts in justifying the use or non-use of sources. Method: The interview data was collected in a Finnish upper secondary…

Promoting the Role of the Personal Narrative in Teaching Controversial Socio-Scientific Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levinson, Ralph

2008-01-01

Citizens participating in contemporary socio-scientific issues (SSI) need to draw on local knowledge and personal experience. If curricular developments in the teaching of controversial SSI are to reflect contemporary notions of citizenship then the personal narrative is an indispensable instrument in bridging the gap between the local/personal…

A Cross-Disciplinary Examination of Print Resources on Abortion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Wendell G.

2011-01-01

Abortion is a highly-charged, emotional topic which often appears in the news, particularly during the confirmation process for a Supreme Court nominee. Community College students continue to ask reference librarians for print resources dealing with this controversial issue. Often we turn to the reliable series "Current Controversies," "At Issue,"…

Women, Webquests, and Controversial Issues in the Social Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crocco, Margaret Smith; Cramer, Judith

2005-01-01

America has been called "the argument culture," but you would not know it from many social studies classrooms. Despite a longstanding tradition in social studies of teaching controversial issues, all too few of today's classrooms accommodate this kind of intellectual activity. Perhaps it is the pressure of high stakes testing, or the emphasis on…

Diversity in Information Technology Education: Issues and Controversies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trajkovski, Goran, Ed.

2006-01-01

"Diversity in Information Technology Education: Issues and Controversies" sheds light on the status of diversity in the field of IT education. It identifies a wide range of problems that educators face on a daily basis, and gives practical, applicable solutions, mainly by showcasing successful and replicable examples. The chapters in "Diversity in…

It's Not about Me: Politics of the Public University President

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pattenaude, Richard

2004-01-01

The author addresses the criticism that today's university presidents do not forcefully speak out to public issues and controversies. He discusses what had changed and why public presidents speak carefully on policy issues, putting forth that public university presidents have a responsibility to their institutions not to allow controversy sap…

Improving the Quality of Science Classroom Discourse on Controversial Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geddis, Arthur N.

1991-01-01

Illustrates how the sophistication of students' discussion on controversial issues can be increased by explicit attention to (1) the defensibility of more than one position, and (2) the relationship between protagonist's interests and the positions adopted. Presents a case study of a teacher using this scheme as he reflects on and modifies his…

"We Are Only Looking for the Right Answers": The Challenges of Controversial Issue Instruction in South Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Misco, Thomas

2016-01-01

This study explores the perceptions of South Korean moral and social studies education teachers, teacher educators, and students on the promises and challenges of introducing and discussing controversial issues within their classrooms. The findings suggest that college entrance exams, textbooks, didacticism, dualism, administrators, textbooks,…

Assessing Adolescents' Communicative Self-Efficacy to Discuss Controversial Issues: Findings from a Randomized Study of the Word Generation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Alex R.; Lawrence, Joshua F.; Snow, Catherine E.; Taylor, Karen S.

2016-01-01

Communicative self-efficacy serves as an important link between discussing controversial issues and civic engagement because confidence in one's discourse skills is important to managing conflicting perspectives and developing solutions to community-based problems. Freely available to schools, "Word Generation" is a cross-content…

Sensitive and Controversial Issues in the Classroom: Teaching History in a Divided Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kello, Katrin

2016-01-01

Teaching sensitive and controversial issues (SCIs) is of growing interest in contemporary, increasingly heterogeneous societies. In democracies, different groups and institutions expect their values and worldviews to be conveyed at school. On one hand, there is the expectation that SCIs should be treated neutrally. On the other hand, there are…

Science and Social Studies Teachers' Beliefs and Practices about Teaching Controversial Issues: Certain Comparisons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kus, Zafer

2015-01-01

The current study aims to investigate social studies and science teachers' attitudes and classroom practices associated with controversial issues. The study is a qualitative research based on data collected through interviews and observation. Social studies and Science teachers participated in the current study which was conducted in Kirsehir, a…

A Controversial Issue as an Educational Object

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kouki, Elina; Virta, Arja

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to examine upper secondary students' (n = 96) argumentation skills and ability to discuss a controversial issue: the evacuation of Finnish children to Sweden and other Nordic countries because of the war. According to their essays written on the basis of multifaceted and contradictory sources, most of the students were not…

The Procedurally Directive Approach to Teaching Controversial Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregory, Maughn Rollins

2014-01-01

Recent articles on teaching controversial topics in schools have employed Michael Hand's distinction between "directive teaching," in which teachers attempt to persuade students of correct positions on topics that are not rationally controversial, and "nondirective teaching," in which teachers avoid persuading students on…

Scientific risk communication about controversial issues influences public perceptions of scientists' political orientations and credibility.

PubMed

Vraga, Emily; Myers, Teresa; Kotcher, John; Beall, Lindsey; Maibach, Ed

2018-02-01

Many scientists communicate with the public about risks associated with scientific issues, but such communication may have unintended consequences for how the public views the political orientations and the credibility of the communicating scientist. We explore this possibility using an experiment with a nationally representative sample of Americans in the fall of 2015. We find that risk communication on controversial scientific issues sometimes influences perceptions of the political orientations and credibility of the communicating scientist when the scientist addresses the risks of issues associated with conservative or liberal groups. This relationship is moderated by participant political ideology, with liberals adjusting their perceptions of the scientists' political beliefs more substantially when the scientist addressed the risks of marijuana use when compared with other issues. Conservatives' political perceptions were less impacted by the issue context of the scientific risk communication but indirectly influenced credibility perceptions. Our results support a contextual model of audience interpretation of scientific risk communication. Scientists should be cognizant that audience members may make inferences about the communicating scientist's political orientations and credibility when they engage in risk communication efforts about controversial issues.

RADICALLY CONTESTED ASSERTIONS IN ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Ecosystem management is a magnet for controversy, in part because some of its formulations rest on questionable assertions that are radically contested. These assertions are important to understanding much of the conflict surrounding ecosystem management and, therrefore, deserve...

Curricular Controversy in the Math Wars: A Battle Without Winners.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reys, Robert E.

2001-01-01

Discusses the state of the mathematics textbook market and the debate surrounding the efforts to improve mathematics instruction, including the standards-based mathematics curriculum supported by the National Science Foundation. (Contains 12 references.) (PKP)

Spine concerns in the Special Olympian with Down syndrome.

PubMed

Tassone, James Channing; Duey-Holtz, Allison

2008-03-01

As with any child participating in sports, the safety of The Special Olympian participating in athletics is paramount. The preparticipation medical clearance is necessary to ensure these athletes' safety. In response to evidence that 15% of all individuals with Down syndrome have atlanto-occipital and/or atlanto-axial instability or subluxation, the Special Olympics Inc have additionally mandated preparticipation spine clearance for all individuals with Down syndrome. Spine clearance for the Special Olympian is challenging for the healthcare provider. In addition, controversy has arisen surrounding The Special Olympics Inc policy statement. The purposes of this article are to provide healthcare providers with a review of atlanto-occipital and atlanto-axial instability and subluxation, review spine clearance guidelines, discuss the details and controversy surrounding The Special Olympics Inc mandate, and provide recommendations on how to improve screening and ensure safety of the participants based on the current medical literature.

Relieving existential suffering through palliative sedation: discussion of an uneasy practice.

PubMed

Bruce, Anne; Boston, Patricia

2011-12-01

This article presents a discussion of the use of palliative sedation in response to intractable (not responsive to treatment) existential suffering. Patients suffering from a terminal illness are often faced with severe symptoms at the end of life. Although palliative sedation is sometimes used when no other options are effective in relieving unbearable pain or suffering, its use in response to intractable existential suffering in terminal illness remains controversial. A literature search was conducted for published articles addressing the use of palliative sedation between 1996 and 2009 using established databases. Palliative sedation remains an uneasy practice. The debates have centred on ethical issues surrounding decisions to use sedation and on separating the intent of palliative sedation (relief of intolerable symptoms) from the intent of euthanasia (hastening death). There is lack of consensus in defining existential suffering. Consequently, there is limited understanding of how decisions are being made when using palliative sedation to treat intractable existential suffering. Given the confusion and uncertainty about ethical and clinical justifications for palliative sedation in treating existential suffering, we argue that a better understanding of the controversies and decision-making process is needed. Greater understanding is required to prevent palliative sedation from becoming a substitute for intensive treatment of this kind of suffering. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Injuries from Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence: Significance and Classification Systems

PubMed Central

Sommers, Marilyn S.; Brunner, Lillian S.; Brown, Kathleen M.; Buschur, Carole; Everett, Janine S.; Fargo, Jamison D.; Fisher, Bonnie S.; Hinkle, Christina; Zink, Therese M.

2012-01-01

While intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual violence (SV) are highly associated with injury, the healthcare and legal significance of these injuries is controversial. Purpose: Herein we propose to explore the significance of injury in IPV and SV and examine the current status of injury classification systems from the perspectives of the healthcare and criminal justice systems. We will review current injury classification systems and suggest a typology of injury that could be tested empirically. Findings: Within the published literature, we found that no commonly-accepted injury typology exists. While nuanced and controversial issues surround the role of injury detection in the sexual assault forensic examination, enough evidence exists to support the continued pursuance of a scientific approach to injury classification. We propose an injury typology that is measureable, is applicable to the healthcare setting and criminal justice system, and allows us to use uses a matrix approach that includes a severity score, anatomic location, and injury type. We suggest a typology that might be used for further empirical testing on the validity and reliability of IPV and SV injury data. Conclusion: We recommend that the community of scientists concerned about IPV and SV develop a more rigorous injury classification system that will improve the quality of forensic evidence proffered and decisions made throughout the criminal justice process. PMID:22687765

Teachers' Controversial Issue Decisions Related to Race, Gender, and Religion during the 2008 Presidential Election

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journell, Wayne

2011-01-01

Using the 2008 Presidential Election as a case of curricular controversy, the author describes how six high school government teachers responded to the racial, gender, and religious diversity included on the presidential tickets of the two major political parties. Teachers had to decide whether the issue of Americans challenging the tradition of…

A Convergent Parallel Mixed-Methods Study of Controversial Issues in Social Studies Classes: A Clash of Ideologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demir, Selcuk Besir; Pismek, Nuray

2018-01-01

In today's educational landscape, social studies classes are characterized by controversial issues (CIs) that teachers handle differently using various ideologies. These CIs have become more and more popular, particularly in heterogeneous communities. The actual classroom practices for teaching social studies courses are unclear in the context of…

Clearcutting in the South: Issues, Status, and Trends

Treesearch

Jacek Siry; Frederick Cubbage

2005-01-01

Clearcutting has been the most controversial and enduring forest management issue since its widespread adoption on public land in the 1960s. Public opinion generally opposes clearcutting, but foresters and forestry firms have adopted it widely. Despite the controversy, we have little data about the extent of clearcutting by region in the South. Forest Inventory and...

Students' Socio-Scientific Reasoning on Controversies from the Viewpoint of Education for Sustainable Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simonneaux, Laurence; Simonneaux, Jean

2009-01-01

In this article, we study third-year university students' reasoning about three controversial socio-scientific issues from the viewpoint of education for sustainable development: local issues (the reintroduction of bears in the Pyrenees in France, wolves in the Mercantour) and a global one (global warming). We used the theoretical frameworks of…

The American Trial Jury: Current Issues and Controversies. Looking at the Law.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, John Paul

1999-01-01

Discusses the controversial issues involved in the jury systems, such as jury selection, jury service, civic participation, and the role of the mass media. Stresses the importance of maintaining the public courtroom as a means for encouraging fair trials and not allowing closed courtrooms. Provides an accompanying article, "The Citizen's Jury," by…

Turkish Social Studies Teachers' Thoughts about the Teaching of Controversial Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Copur, Ahmet; Demirel, Muammer

2016-01-01

In today's world, one of the primary goals of education is to raise individuals as citizens equipped with the skills of communication, high-level thinking, problem solving and questioning as well as with a global viewpoint. Introducing controversial issues into the classroom environment may be among the steps to be taken to achieve these goals. In…

Real-World Engagement with Controversial Issues in History and Social Studies: Teaching for Transformative Experiences and Conceptual Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alongi, Marc D.; Heddy, Benjamin C.; Sinatra, Gale M.

2016-01-01

Controversial issues have been established within the larger framework of civic education as an effective pedagogical approach to developing critical thinking in the classroom, preparing students with intellectual habits necessary for participation in scholarship, civic life and democracy. In this study, we found that a pedagogical intervention,…

Early Childhood Open-Mindedness: An Investigation into Preservice Teachers' Capacity to Address Controversial Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bautista, Nazan; Misco, Thomas; Quaye, Stephen John

2018-01-01

We investigated the characteristics of early childhood education (ECE) preservice teachers (PSTs) who were identified as closed minded and their capacity to deal with controversial issues. We define open-mindedness as the willingness to consider experiences, beliefs, values, and perspectives that differ from one's own. First, we used quantitative…

News coverage of controversial emerging technologies. Evidence for the issue attention cycle in print and online media.

PubMed

Anderson, Ashley A; Brossard, Dominique; Scheufele, Dietram A

2012-01-01

This study analyzes the issue attention cycle for print and online media coverage of a scientific publication examining the deaths of Chinese factory workers due to lung damage from chronic exposure to nanoparticles. The results of the nanoparticle study, published in 2009, embody news values that would make the study a prime candidate for press coverage, namely, novelty, negativity, controversy, and potential widespread impact. Nevertheless, mentions of the event in traditional English-language print media were nearly nonexistent. Online media, on the other hand, gave the story greater coverage. This case study exemplifies why online media may not be bound to the same issue attention cycle that print media are for controversial scientific events.

The diagnostic status of homosexuality in DSM-III: a reformulation of the issues.

PubMed

Spitzer, R L

1981-02-01

In 1973 homosexuality per se was removed from the DSM-II classification of mental disorders and replaced by the category Sexual Orientation Disturbance. This represented a compromise between the view that preferential homosexuality is invariably a mental disorder and the view that it is merely a normal sexual variant. While the 1973 DSM-II controversy was highly public, more recently a related but less public controversy involved what became the DSM-III category of Ego-dystonic Homosexuality. The author presents the DSM-III controversy and a reformulation of the issues involved in the diagnostic status of homosexuality. He argues that what is at issue is a value judgment about heterosexuality, rather than a factual dispute about homosexuality.

Medical students and controversial ethical issues: results from the multicenter study SBRAME.

PubMed

Lucchetti, Giancarlo; de Oliveira, Leandro Romani; Leite, José Roberto; Lucchetti, Alessandra Lamas Granero

2014-12-15

Medical students(MS) will face ethical issues throughout their lives as doctors. The present study aims to investigate medical students' opinions on controversial ethical issues and factors associated with these opinions. SBRAME (Spirituality and Brazilian Medical Education) is a multicenter study involving 12 Brazilian medical schools with 5950 MS. Participants completed a questionnaire that collected information on socio-demographic data, medical schools characteristics, religious beliefs and opinions on controversial ethical issues. Of all MS, 3630 participated in the survey (61.0%). The sample was 53.8% women and the mean age was 22.5 years. In general, most MS have no objections to prescription of birth control (90.8%), adult stem cell use (87.5%), embryonic stem cell use (82.0%) and abortion for genetic reasons (51.2%). Approximately half of students have no objections to human cloning (47.3%), 45.7% to withdrawal of artificial life support, 41.4% to euthanasia and 23.3% to abortion for failed contraception. Socio-demographic data such as age, gender and income had little influence on MS opinions. On the other hand, medical schools characteristics (number of medical students in the university, year of medical school foundation, location of the university and type of university) and religious aspects (religious affiliation, religious attendance, non-organizational religiousness and intrinsic religiousness) were highly correlated with their opinions. In general, MS with more supportive opinions on controversial ethical issues were less religious and from non-traditional (newer), urban, public and bigger universities. The current study reveals MS have different opinions regarding controversial ethical issues. Noteworthy, these opinions seem to be shaped more by university characteristics and religious beliefs than socio-demographic data.

The effect of falsely balanced reporting of the autism-vaccine controversy on vaccine safety perceptions and behavioral intentions.

PubMed

Dixon, Graham; Clarke, Christopher

2013-04-01

Controversy surrounding an autism-vaccine link has elicited considerable news media attention. Despite being widely discredited, research suggests that journalists report this controversy by presenting claims both for and against a link in a relatively 'balanced' fashion. To investigate how this reporting style influences judgments of vaccine risk, we randomly assigned 320 undergraduate participants to read a news article presenting either claims both for/against an autism-vaccine link, link claims only, no-link claims only or non-health-related information. Participants who read the balanced article were less certain that vaccines are safe, more likely to believe experts were less certain that vaccines are safe and less likely to have their future children vaccinated. Results suggest that balancing conflicting views of the autism-vaccine controversy may lead readers to erroneously infer the state of expert knowledge regarding vaccine safety and negatively impact vaccine intentions.

Teaching Controversial Topics in the Humanities and Social Sciences in Ireland: Using Structured Academic Controversy to Develop Multi-Perspectivity in the Learner

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruen, Jennifer; Crosbie, Veronica; Kelly, Niamh; Loftus, Maria; Maillot, Agnès; McGillicuddy, Áine; Péchenart, Juliette

2016-01-01

Purpose: This study had two main objectives: The first was to explore the extent to which a group of University lecturers feel that they are prepared to deal with controversial issues in their classrooms. The second was to elicit their views on a didactic approach known as Structured Academic Controversy (SAC). SAC is a constructivist teaching…

The Power of Debate: Reflections on the Potential of Debates for Engaging Students in Critical Thinking about Controversial Geographical Topics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Healey, Ruth L.

2012-01-01

Many controversial subjects characterize geography in the 21st century. Issues such as climate change, sustainability and social exclusion generate much discussion and often involve clear differences in opinion of how they might be addressed. Higher education is an important space for critical engagement with challenging issues. Preparing for and…

Analysis of the Reasons of Teaching Controversial Issues on Public Policy to the Senior High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suryanto; Irmayanti, Elis

2015-01-01

The aims of this research are to get a description about the condition of civics teaching and learning process in senior high schools, and to describe the reasons of integrating the teaching of controversial issues on public policy into civics instructional materials. This descriptive research uses questionnaire to collect the data, and the…

The Reasoned Arguments of a Group of Future Biotechnology Technicians on a Controversial Socio-Scientific Issue: Human Gene Therapy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simonneaux, Laurence; Chouchane, Habib

2011-01-01

We tried to determine the reasoning behind the stances taken by a group of 19-21-year-old students on the controversial issue of the feasibility and acceptability of human gene therapy. The students were in training at a biotechnology institute. We organised classroom debates, punctuated by phases of epistemological "disturbances". We…

Deliberative Democracy and stem cell research in New York State: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

PubMed

Sulmasy, Daniel P

2009-03-01

Many states in the U.S. have adopted policies regarding human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research in the last few years. Some have arrived at these policies through legislative debate, some by referendum, and some by executive order. New York has chosen a unique structure for addressing policy decisions regarding this morally controversial issue by creating the Empire State Stem Cell Board with two Committees--an Ethics Committee and a Funding Committee. This essay explores the pros and cons of various policy arrangements for making public policy decisions about morally controversial issues in bioethics (as well as other issues) through the lens of Deliberative Democracy, focusing on the principles of reciprocity, publicity, and accountability. Although New York's unique mechanism potentially offers an opportunity to make policy decisions regarding a morally controversial subject like hESC research in accord with the principles of Deliberative Democracy, this essay demonstrates its failure to do so in actual fact. A few relatively simple changes could make New York's program a real model for putting Deliberative Democracy into practice in making policy decisions regarding controversial bioethical issues.

Deaths at the workplace. Accidents or homicides?

PubMed

Boglioli, L R; Taff, M L

1990-03-01

The medical examiner is responsible for certifying and determining the cause of death of any person dying from criminal violence, accident, suicide, when unattended by a physician, in police custody, or in any suspicious or unusual manner. A less well-recognized, but no less important, responsibility of the medical examiner is the investigation of deaths of individuals who die at the workplace. The manner of death of most job-related fatalities has been traditionally classified as accidental. In recent times, prosecutors have scrutinized these cases more carefully. The results of some investigations have prompted them to bring criminal charges against employers for blatant negligence that contributed directly to injuries and deaths of employees. This paper is devoted to a review of the controversy surrounding the issue of industrial homicide, illustrative cases, and the role of the medical examiner in the investigation of deaths at the workplace.

The clinical role of the nurse teacher: a review of the dispute.

PubMed

Lee, D T

1996-06-01

Although clinical education has been acknowledged as being the 'heart' of all nursing education programmes, the role of the nurse teacher in relation to the clinical learning experience of the student nurse is an area of long-standing confusion and dispute. This unresolved problem has led to the lack of a concerted effort in the provision of educational input in the clinical area and the quality of patient care is indirectly being affected. This paper presents a comprehensive review of this dispute, with an attempt to unravel how the debate could be moved forward. It is found that the clinical role of the nurse teacher appears to be implicit and 'hidden', resulting in a wide difference in the interpretation of the extent, purpose and nature of that role. The controversies surrounding these issues were then traced and possible directions for future research are outlined.

An international view of surgically assisted conception and surrogacy tourism.

PubMed

Ahmad, Nehaluddin

2011-01-01

Modern medicine, specifically assisted reproductive technology (ART), has overtaken the law in many jurisdictions around the world. New technologies and practices open a Pandora's Box of ethical, religious, social and legal questions, and may present a variety of significant legal problems to the courts and legislators. Surrogate motherhood and pregnancy through ART have both attracted controversy. Some groups condemn ART and want it banned while its supporters acknowledge there is a need for legislative guidelines and regulations. A proposed statute, the Assisted Reproductive Technique Services Act, aimed at regulating reproductive technologies, including surrogacy arrangements, will be introduced in the Malaysian parliament, probably in 2012, and the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill 2010 is already before the Indian parliament. This paper will discuss several of the potential socio-legal issues surrounding ART in the light of the complex situation, with a comparative analysis of the Malaysian, USA, UK and Indian positions.

Pelvic Nodal Radiotherapy in Patients With Unfavorable Intermediate and High-Risk Prostate Cancer: Evidence, Rationale, and Future Directions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morikawa, Lisa K.; Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Roach, Mack, E-mail: mroach@radonc.ucsf.ed

2011-05-01

Over the past 15 years, there have been three major advances in the use of external beam radiotherapy in the management of men with clinically localized prostate made. They include: (1) image guided (IG) three-dimensional conformal/intensity modulated radiotherapy; (2) radiation dose escalation; and (3) androgen deprivation therapy. To date only the last of these three advances have been shown to improve overall survival. The presence of occult pelvic nodal involvement could explain the failure of increased conformality and dose escalation to prolong survival, because the men who appear to be at the greatest risk of death from clinically localized prostatemore » cancer are those who are likely to have lymph node metastases. This review discusses the evidence for prophylactic pelvic nodal radiotherapy, including the key trials and controversies surrounding this issue.« less

Self-regulation and the problem of human autonomy: does psychology need choice, self-determination, and will?

PubMed

Ryan, Richard M; Deci, Edward L

2006-12-01

The term autonomy literally refers to regulation by the self. Its opposite, heteronomy, refers to controlled regulation, or regulation that occurs without self-endorsement. At a time when philosophers and economists are increasingly detailing the nature of autonomy and recognizing its social and practical significance, many psychologists are questioning the reality and import of autonomy and closely related phenomena such as will, choice, and freedom. Using the framework of self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000), we review research concerning the benefits of autonomous versus controlled regulation for goal performance, persistence, affective experience, quality of relationships, and well-being across domains and cultures. We also address some of the controversies and terminological issues surrounding the construct of autonomy, including critiques of autonomy by biological reductionists, cultural relativists, and behaviorists. We conclude that there is a universal and cross-developmental value to autonomous regulation when the construct is understood in an exacting way.

Integrality of the therapeutic and pharmaceutical care: a necessary debate

PubMed Central

Vieira, Fabiola Sulpino

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The controversy surrounding the different interpretations on the integrality of therapeutic and pharmaceutical care has led to the delimitation of its scope by a law, but the issue has not been completely pacified. As a contribution to this debate, we aim to discuss the challenges to ensure the integrality of the therapeutic and pharmaceutical care, based on a conceptual approach on the meanings of integrality in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). We identified important challenges to ensure the integrality of the therapeutic and pharmaceutical care in the SUS. These challenges are related to professional practices, the organization of actions and services, and the governmental response to health problems or to the treatment of specific population groups. For this end, governments need to carry out structuring actions and be efficient in using available resources so that existing problems can be overcome. PMID:29236879

Bioethical considerations in translational research: primate stroke.

PubMed

Sughrue, Michael E; Mocco, J; Mack, Willam J; Ducruet, Andrew F; Komotar, Ricardo J; Fischbach, Ruth L; Martin, Thomas E; Connolly, E Sander

2009-05-01

Controversy and activism have long been linked to the subject of primate research. Even in the midst of raging ethical debates surrounding fertility treatments, genetically modified foods and stem-cell research, there has been no reduction in the campaigns of activists worldwide. Playing their trade of intimidation aimed at ending biomedical experimentation in all animals, they have succeeded in creating an environment where research institutions, often painted as guilty until proven innocent, have avoided addressing the issue for fear of becoming targets. One area of intense debate is the use of primates in stroke research. Despite the fact that stroke kills more people each year than AIDS and malaria, and less than 5% of patients are candidates for current therapies, there is significant opposition to primate stroke research. A balanced examination of the ethics of primate stroke research is thus of broad interest to all areas of biomedical research.

Brains, Bones, and Aging: Psychotropic medications and bone health among older adults

PubMed Central

Brown, Monique J.; Mezuk, Briana

2012-01-01

Psychotropic drugs are a crucial element of treatment for psychiatric disorders; however there is an established association between many classes of psychotropic medications and fracture risk among older adults, and growing evidence that some classes of medications may also impact bone mineral density (BMD). In this paper we review recent epidemiologic research on the association between psychotropic medications and osteoporosis, and discuss current controversies and unresolved issues surrounding this relationship. Key areas in need of focused inquiry include resolving whether the apparent association between psychotropic medications and BMD is due to confounding by indication, whether this relationship differs for men and women, and whether the implications of these medications for bone health vary over the life course. Clinical research to delineate the risk/benefit ratio of psychotropic medications for older adults, particularly those who are at high risk for fracture, is also needed to facilitate prescribing decisions between patients and physicians. PMID:23001917

Pharmacotherapy in Pediatric Neurogenic Bladder Intravesical Botulinum Toxin Type A

PubMed Central

Sager, Cristian; Burek, Carol; Durán, Victor; Corbetta, Juan Pablo; Weller, Santiago; Juan, Bortagaray; López, Juan Carlos

2012-01-01

When the neurogenic bladder is refractory to anticholinergics, botulinum toxin type A is used as an alternative. The neurotoxin type A reduces bladder pressure and increases its capacity and wall compliance. Additionally, it contributes to improving urinary continence and quality of life. This novel therapy is ambulatory with a low incidence of adverse effects. Due to its transitory effect, it is necessary to repeat the injections in order to sustain its therapeutic effect. In these review article we talk about Mechanism of Action, Indications, effects, administration and presentations of the Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A in pediatric patients. Also, we make references to controversial issues surrounding its use. A bibliographic search was done selecting articles and revisions from Pubmed. The key words used were botulinum toxin A, neurogenic bladder, and children. The search was limited to patients younger than 18 years of age and reports written in English in the past ten years. PMID:22720170

Implants and Ethnocide: Learning from the Cochlear Implant Controversy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparrow, Robert

2010-01-01

This paper uses the fictional case of the "Babel fish" to explore and illustrate the issues involved in the controversy about the use of cochlear implants in prelinguistically deaf children. Analysis of this controversy suggests that the development of genetic tests for deafness poses a serious threat to the continued flourishing of Deaf…

History Textbook Controversies in Japan. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masalski, Kathleen Woods

Currently, there is a controversy in Japan about textbook treatments of Japanese military actions during World War II. This digest examines: (1) the importance of history textbooks in schools in Japan and the United States; (2) the context of history textbook controversies in Japan; (3) the current issues and contending positions in the Japanese…

Accreditation in Kinesiology: The Process, Criticism and Controversy, and the Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Templin, Thomas J.; Blankenship, Bonnie Tjeerdsma

2007-01-01

The question of accreditation has been quite controversial in higher education. Some consider accreditation as a necessary "evil" while others reject it outright. It is a process designed to promote quality assurance and improvement in institutions and programs, yet one mired in various issues. While accreditation is controversial in a number of…

The Geopolitics of Nuclear Waste.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Eliot

1991-01-01

The controversy surrounding the potential storage of nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, is discussed. Arguments about the stability of the site and the groundwater situation are summarized. The role of the U.S. Department of Energy and other political considerations are described. (CW)

Cancer Risk Assessment Primer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aidala, Jim

1985-01-01

Describes the scientific basis of cancer risk assessment, outlining the dominant controversies surrounding the use of different methods for identifying carcinogens (short-term tests, animal bioassays, and epidemiological studies). Points out that risk assessment is as much an art as it is a science. (DH)

Poliomyelitis in the United States: A Historical Perspective and Current Vaccination Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farizo, Karen M.; And Others

1990-01-01

Examines poliomyelitis in the United States by reviewing clinical manifestations and outcomes, history, recent epidemiologic characteristics, characteristics of currently available vaccines, controversies surrounding vaccination policy, current poliovirus vaccination recommendations, and prospects for worldwide eradication. Poliomyelitis remains…

RESTORING COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS: ABRUPT CLIMATE CHANGE

EPA Science Inventory

Consensus exists that U.S. coastal ecosystems are severely degraded due to a variety of human-factors requiring large financial expenditures to restore and manage. Yet, even as controversy surrounds human factors in ecosystem degradation in the Gulf of Mexico, Chesapeake Bay, an...

Scientific risk communication about controversial issues influences public perceptions of scientists' political orientations and credibility

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Many scientists communicate with the public about risks associated with scientific issues, but such communication may have unintended consequences for how the public views the political orientations and the credibility of the communicating scientist. We explore this possibility using an experiment with a nationally representative sample of Americans in the fall of 2015. We find that risk communication on controversial scientific issues sometimes influences perceptions of the political orientations and credibility of the communicating scientist when the scientist addresses the risks of issues associated with conservative or liberal groups. This relationship is moderated by participant political ideology, with liberals adjusting their perceptions of the scientists' political beliefs more substantially when the scientist addressed the risks of marijuana use when compared with other issues. Conservatives' political perceptions were less impacted by the issue context of the scientific risk communication but indirectly influenced credibility perceptions. Our results support a contextual model of audience interpretation of scientific risk communication. Scientists should be cognizant that audience members may make inferences about the communicating scientist's political orientations and credibility when they engage in risk communication efforts about controversial issues. PMID:29515820

Opportunities for biotechnology and policy regarding mycotoxin issues in international trade.

PubMed

Kendra, David F; Dyer, Rex B

2007-10-20

Despite being introduced more than a decade ago, agricultural biotechnology still remains framed in controversy impacting both the global economy and international regulations. Controversies surrounding agricultural biotechnology produced crops and foods commonly focus on human and environmental safety, intellectual property rights, consumer choice, ethics, food security, poverty reduction and environmental conservation. Originally, some consumers were reluctant to accept the first generation agricultural biotechnology products because they appeared to primarily benefit agricultural producers; however, it is clear from continued evaluations that these technologies also improved both the safety and wholesomeness of food and helped improve the environment. Plants engineered to resist insect pests and tolerate less toxic pesticides resulted in improved yields thereby enabling farmers to produce more food per acre while reducing the need for herbicides, pesticides, and water and tilling. An indirect benefit of reduced pest damage in transgenic corn expressing genes to control insect pests is lower levels of mycotoxins, most notably those caused by the genus Fusarium. Mycotoxins are an important regulatory issue globally because of their toxic and carcinogenic potential to humans and animals. Complicating this issue is the fact that toxicological databases for mycotoxins are relatively incomplete compared to other food contaminants. Current debates about agricultural biotechnology and mycotoxins reveal significant differences in perception of associated risks and benefits. When faced with uncertainty, regulators tend to set limits as low as possible. Additionally, some regulators invoke the "Precautionary Principle" when limited information is available or disputes over interpretation exist for possible contaminants, including mycotoxins. A major concern regarding use of the "Precautionary Principle" is the appearance that regulators can justify setting any limit on the basis of inconclusive or unknown potential hazards of a contaminant which may significantly impact global trade because mycotoxin residues vary widely between countries. This paper describes the current economic and heath impact of these regulations and their impact on international trade.

Worldwide asbestos supply and consumption trends from 1900 to 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Virta, Robert L.

2003-01-01

The use of asbestos is one of the most controversial issues surrounding the industrial minerals industry. Its carcinogenic nature, an overall lack of knowledge of minimum safe exposure levels, its widespread use for more than 100 years, and the long latency for the development of lung cancer and mesothelioma are the main contributing factors to these controversies. Another factor is that, despite decades of research, the mechanisms responsible for its carcinogenic properties are still largely unknown. The United States has produced about 3.28 million metric tons of asbestos fiber and used approximately 31.5 million tons between 1900 and 2000. About half of this amount was used since 1960. Cumulative world production during that same time period was about 173 million tons. Assuming that unusually large stocks are not maintained and that world consumption roughly equals production, about half of the world production and consumption occurred since 1976. The United States and western European nations were the largest consumers of asbestos during the first two-thirds of the 20th century. They were surpassed by the collective production and consumption of States within the former Soviet Union by the 1970s. With the onset of the health issues concerning asbestos in the late 1960s and early 1970s, world production and consumption began to decline during the 1980s. In 2000, world consumption, estimated to be 1.48 million tons, was only 31% that of 1980. Countries in Asia, South America, and the former Soviet Union remain the largest users of asbestos. More specifically, Brazil, China, India, Japan, Russia, and Thailand are the only countries that consumed more than 60,000 tons of asbestos in 2000. These six countries accounted for more than 80% of world?s apparent consumption in 2000.

Bringing a Book to Life: An Interview with Lois Lowry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elleman, Barbara

1998-01-01

Presents an interview with award-winning children's author Lois Lowry, who reflects upon her career as a writer and shares insights about some of her favorite characters, including Anastasia. Considers also the many controversies that have surrounded "The Giver." (SR)

Phylogenomic and biogeographic reconstruction of the Trichinella complex

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Trichinellosis is a globally important food-borne parasitic disease of humans. It is caused by roundworms of the Trichinella complex. Extensive biodiversity is reflected in substantial ecological and genetic variability within and among taxa, and major controversy surrounds the systematics of this c...

Esperanto--Whence and Whither?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Richard

1998-01-01

Provides an overview of Esperanto, the most successful planned auxiliary language. Discusses the origin, development, and linguistic character of Esperanto, examines some of the criticism and controversy surrounding it, and poses the question as to whether Esperanto merits a place in school language programs. (Author/SM)

Scientific Experts and the Controversy about Teaching Creation/Evolution in the UK Press

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allgaier, Joachim

2010-01-01

The issue whether creationist accounts of the origins of life should be taught in science education alongside or even instead Darwin's theory of evolution is controversial in many countries. In 2002 there was a controversy around teaching creationism in science classes at a secondary school in England. The research presented in this paper uses…

Age Effects in Second Language Learning: Stepping Stones toward Better Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeKeyser, Robert M.

2013-01-01

The effect of age of acquisition on ultimate attainment in second language learning has been a controversial topic for years. After providing a very brief overview of the ideas that are at the core of the controversy, I discuss the two main reasons why these issues are so controversial: conceptual misunderstandings and methodological difficulties.…

Visualizing Social Justice: Using Controversial Images in Social Studies Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawley, Todd S.; Crowe, Alicia R.; Mooney, Evan

2016-01-01

In this article, we promote the use of controversial images to enhance the discussion of social justice issues in schools. Controversial images provide rich opportunities for students to question what is occurring currently in society as well as what has occurred in the past. We provide an example set of activities to be used in teacher education…

Predicting clinical biological responses to dental materials.

PubMed

Wataha, John C

2012-01-01

Methods used to measure and predict clinical biological responses to dental materials remain controversial, confusing, and to some extent, unsuccessful. The current paper reviews significant issues surrounding how we assess the biological safety of materials, with a historical summary and critical look at the biocompatibility literature. The review frames these issues from a U.S. perspective to some degree, but emphasizes their global nature and universal importance. The PubMed database and information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, International Standards Organization, and American National Standards Institute were searched for prominent literature addressing the definition of biocompatibility, types of biological tests employed, regulatory and standardization issues, and how biological tests are used together to establish the biological safety of materials. The search encompassed articles published in English from approximately 1965-2011. The review does not comprehensively review the literature, but highlights significant issues that confront the field. Years ago, tests for biological safety sought to establish material inertness as the measure of safety, a criterion that is now deemed naive; the definition of biocompatibility has broadened along with the roles for materials in patient oral health care. Controversies persist about how in vitro or animal tests should be used to evaluate the biological safety of materials for clinical use. Controlled clinical trials remain the single best measure of the clinical response to materials, but even these tests have significant limitations and are less useful to identify mechanisms that shape material performance. Practice-based research networks and practitioner databases are emerging as important supplements to controlled clinical trials, but their final utility remains to be determined. Today we ask materials to play increasingly sophisticated structural and therapeutic roles in patient treatment. To accommodate these roles, strategies to assess, predict, and monitor material safety need to evolve. This evolution will be driven not only by researchers and manufacturers, but also by patients and practitioners, who want to use novel materials in new ways to treat oral disease. Copyright © 2011 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Weighing both sides: morality, mortality, and framing contests over obesity.

PubMed

Saguy, Abigail C; Riley, Kevin W

2005-10-01

Despite recent and growing media attention surrounding obesity in the United States, the so-called obesity epidemic remains a highly contested scientific and social fact. This article examines the contemporary obesity debate through systematic examination of the claims and claimants involved in the controversy. We argue that four primary groups-antiobesity researchers, antiobesity activists, fat acceptance researchers, and fat acceptance activists-are at the forefront of this controversy and that these groups are fundamentally engaged in framing contests over the nature and consequences of excess body weight. While members of the fat acceptance groups embrace a body diversity frame, presenting fatness as a natural and largely inevitable form of diversity, members of the antiobesity camp frame higher weights as risky behavior akin to smoking, implying that body weight is under personal control and that people have a moral and medical responsibility to manage their weight. Both groups sometimes frame obesity as an illness, which limits blame by suggesting that weight is biologically or genetically determined but simultaneously stigmatizes fat bodies as diseased. While the antiobesity camp frames obesity as an epidemic to increase public attention, fat acceptance activists argue that concern over obesity is distracting attention from a host of more important health issues for fat Americans. We examine the strategies claimants use to establish their own credibility or discredit their opponents, and explain how the fat acceptance movement has exploited structural opportunities and cultural resources created by AIDS activism and feminism to wield some influence over U.S. public health approaches. We conclude that notions of morality play a central role in the controversy over obesity, as in many medical disputes, and illustrate how medical arguments about body weight can be used to stymie rights claims and justify morality-based fears.

Evidence-Based Rehabilitation Counseling Practice: A Pedagogical Imperative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kosciulek, John F.

2010-01-01

This article describes how rehabilitation educators can aid students and practitioners in learning about and engaging in evidence-based rehabilitation counseling practice (EBRCP). Information describing (a) the definition and rationale for EBRCP, (b) controversies surrounding EBRCP, (c) facilitating rehabilitation counselor enthusiasm for EBRCP,…

Be Like Nick.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Paul Chaat

1996-01-01

Discusses controversy surrounding books supposedly written by and about American Indians that are fabrications written by whites. Stresses the importance of moving away from American Indian literature that trivializes Indian culture and values, toward more realistic portrayals. Black Elk, whose first name was Nick, is an example of how cultural…

Injuries from intimate partner and sexual violence: Significance and classification systems.

PubMed

Sommers, Marilyn S; Brown, Kathleen M; Buschur, Carole; Everett, Janine S; Fargo, Jamison D; Fisher, Bonnie S; Hinkle, Christina; Zink, Therese M

2012-07-01

While intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual violence (SV) are highly associated with injury, the healthcare and legal significance of these injuries is controversial. Herein we propose to explore the significance of injury in IPV and SV and examine the current status of injury classification systems from the perspectives of the healthcare and criminal justice systems. We will review current injury classification systems and suggest a typology of injury that could be tested empirically. Within the published literature, we found that no commonly accepted injury typology exists. While nuanced and controversial issues surround the role of injury detection in the sexual assault forensic examination, enough evidence exists to support the continued pursuance of a scientific approach to injury classification. We propose an injury typology that is measurable, is applicable to the healthcare setting and criminal justice system, and allows us to use uses a matrix approach that includes a severity score, anatomic location, and injury type. We suggest a typology that might be used for further empirical testing on the validity and reliability of IPV and SV injury data. We recommend that the community of scientists concerned about IPV and SV develop a more rigorous injury classification system that will improve the quality of forensic evidence proffered and decisions made throughout the criminal justice process. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Students' socio-scientific reasoning on controversies from the viewpoint of education for sustainable development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simonneaux, Laurence; Simonneaux, Jean

2009-09-01

In this article, we study third-year university students' reasoning about three controversial socio-scientific issues from the viewpoint of education for sustainable development: local issues (the reintroduction of bears in the Pyrenees in France, wolves in the Mercantour) and a global one (global warming). We used the theoretical frameworks of social representations and of socio-scientific reasoning. Students' reasoning varies according to the issues, in particular because of their emotional proximity with the issues and their socio-cultural origin. About this kind of issues, it seems pertinent to integrate into the operations of socio-scientific reasoning not only the consideration of values, but also the analysis of the modes of governance and the place given to politics.

Print News Coverage of School-Based HPV Vaccine Mandate

PubMed Central

Casciotti, Dana; Smith, Katherine C.; Andon, Lindsay; Vernick, Jon; Tsui, Amy; Klassen, Ann C.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND In 2007, legislation was proposed in 24 states and the District of Columbia for school-based HPV vaccine mandates, and mandates were enacted in Texas, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Media coverage of these events was extensive, and media messages both reflected and contributed to controversy surrounding these legislative activities. Messages communicated through the media are an important influence on adolescent and parent understanding of school-based vaccine mandates. METHODS We conducted structured text analysis of newspaper coverage, including quantitative analysis of 169 articles published in mandate jurisdictions from 2005-2009, and qualitative analysis of 63 articles from 2007. Our structured analysis identified topics, key stakeholders and sources, tone, and the presence of conflict. Qualitative thematic analysis identified key messages and issues. RESULTS Media coverage was often incomplete, providing little context about cervical cancer or screening. Skepticism and autonomy concerns were common. Messages reflected conflict and distrust of government activities, which could negatively impact this and other youth-focused public health initiatives. CONCLUSIONS If school health professionals are aware of the potential issues raised in media coverage of school-based health mandates, they will be more able to convey appropriate health education messages, and promote informed decision-making by parents and students. PMID:25099421

Posttraumatic stress disorder in tort actions: forensic minefield.

PubMed

Sparr, L F; Boehnlein, J K

1990-01-01

The authors discuss posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a basis for personal injury litigation. Three case examples raise issues related to: (1) the controversy surrounding expansion of tort liability, (2) the courtroom use of psychiatric nomenclature as represented in the DSM (e.g., PTSD), and (3) ethical concerns regarding psychiatric expert witnesses. Psychiatrists became easy targets when problems related to personal injury "stress" cases developed. A careful analysis, however, demonstrates that the issues are complex and multifaceted. For example, tort liability expansion was primarily instituted to compel a greater provision of liability insurance, not to reward stress claims. The increasing use of psychiatry's DSM in the courtroom has occurred despite explicit precautions against forensic application. Finally, the need for psychiatric expert witnesses has increased because courts have gradually usurped some psychiatric clinical prerogatives and because there has been a trend toward greater consideration of emotional pain and suffering. Although psychiatric expert witnesses have not been beyond reproach, critics have attempted to impeach the entire psychiatric profession for the questionable actions of the minority. The authors provide a detailed analysis of current problems, offer suggestions for improvement, and provide an educational counterpoint to the "hysterical invective" that often greets psychiatric testimony.

Dissociative identity disorder: a controversial diagnosis.

PubMed

Gillig, Paulette Marie

2009-03-01

A brief description of the controversies surrounding the diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder is presented, followed by a discussion of the proposed similarities and differences between dissociative identity disorder and borderline personality disorder. The phenomenon of autohypnosis in the context of early childhood sexual trauma and disordered attachment is discussed, as is the meaning of alters or alternate personalities. The author describes recent neurosciences research that may relate the symptoms of dissociative identity disorder to demonstrable disordered attention and memory processes. A clinical description of a typical patient presentation is included, plus some recommendations for approaches to treatment.

Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation.

PubMed

Guyette, Francis X; Reynolds, Joshua C; Frisch, Adam

2015-08-01

Cardiac arrest is a dynamic disease that tests the multitasking and leadership abilities of emergency physicians. Providers must simultaneously manage the logistics of resuscitation while searching for the cause of cardiac arrest. The astute clinician will also realize that he or she is orchestrating only one portion of a larger series of events, each of which directly affects patient outcomes. Resuscitation science is rapidly evolving, and emergency providers must be familiar with the latest evidence and controversies surrounding resuscitative techniques. This article reviews evidence, discusses controversies, and offers strategies to provide quality cardiac arrest resuscitation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Caffeine citrate - Is it a silver bullet in neonatology?

PubMed

Shrestha, Bikash; Jawa, Gaurav

2017-10-01

Caffeine citrate is one of the most prescribed drug in the present day NICU for apnea. Its efficacy, tolerability, wide therapeutic index and safety margin has made it the drug of choice among the methylxanthines. Its therapeutic uses in apnea of prematurity, mechanical ventilation, bronchopulmonary dysplasia has made it a "silver bullet" in neonatology. However, there are still controversies surrounding this drug. This review is aimed to update the reader about the basic pharmacology, current therapeutic uses, adverse effects, controversies as well as present and future research of caffeine. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Of whales and ocean warming: A plan to sound out the sea`s temperature may be back on course

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kaiser, J.

1995-06-03

This article summarizes a research program which will use acoustical equipment lowered into the seas to help answer the question `Are greenhouse gases causing the world`s oceans to heat up?` Also discussed is the controversy surrounding the project, delaying the necessary permits. Some fear that the project will harm whales, seals and other animals. The interactions between physical and biological marine scientists embroiled in the controversy may have help both groups in their understanding of the oceans, and even a little known pollutant - human noise in the ocean.

Sexual Orientation, Controversy, and Science.

PubMed

Bailey, J Michael; Vasey, Paul L; Diamond, Lisa M; Breedlove, S Marc; Vilain, Eric; Epprecht, Marc

2016-09-01

SummaryOngoing political controversies around the world exemplify a long-standing and widespread preoccupation with the acceptability of homosexuality. Nonheterosexual people have seen dramatic surges both in their rights and in positive public opinion in many Western countries. In contrast, in much of Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Oceania, and parts of Asia, homosexual behavior remains illegal and severely punishable, with some countries retaining the death penalty for it. Political controversies about sexual orientation have often overlapped with scientific controversies. That is, participants on both sides of the sociopolitical debates have tended to believe that scientific findings-and scientific truths-about sexual orientation matter a great deal in making political decisions. The most contentious scientific issues have concerned the causes of sexual orientation-that is, why are some people heterosexual, others bisexual, and others homosexual? The actual relevance of these issues to social, political, and ethical decisions is often poorly justified, however. © The Author(s) 2016.

Raising Students' Perception of the Relevance of Science Teaching and Promoting Communication and Evaluation Capabilities Using Authentic and Controversial Socio-Scientific Issues in the Framework of Climate Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feierabend, Timo; Eilks, Ingo

2010-01-01

This paper describes the development of different lesson plans dealing with authentic and controversial socio-scientific issues in the framework of climate change. These lesson plans orient themselves along the socio-critical, problem-oriented approach to science teaching. They deal with the use of bioethanol as an alternative fuel and with the…

Scientific literacy for citizenship: Tools for dealing with the science dimension of controversial socioscientific issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolst, Stein D.

2001-05-01

This article offers a general framework for examining the science dimension of controversial socioscientific issues. Eight specific content-transcending topics to be emphasized in science education are proposed. The topics are grouped under the headings science as a social process, limitations of science, values in science, and critical attitude. Each topic is explored, and it is argued that knowledge of the topics can serve as tools for students' examination of science-related claims in controversial socioscientific issues. The underlying perspective here is empowerment and the needs of students as lay people. The need of society as a whole for decisions to be made on a broad and firm basis is nevertheless also included. The main reason for suggesting the eight content-transcending topics is to provide focal points for the future development of teaching models aimed at science education for citizenship.

Meningococcal Education: More than Just a Vaccine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuenzi, Lana

2004-01-01

The administration of meningitis vaccinations to the college population has recently been the topic of much discussion. Much of the controversy has surrounded the promotion of widespread vaccinations or educational campaigns about the vaccine for incoming freshman students. Recommendations about the use of meningococcal vaccines for college…

Canadian Native Intelligence Studies: A Brief Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senior, Sharon

1993-01-01

Reviews the literature on (1) the nature of intelligence; (2) controversy over the use of standardized intelligence tests with cultural minority groups; (3) arguments surrounding intelligence testing of Canadian Native students; (4) language barriers in standardized intelligence testing; and (5) the effects of self-concept and parent educational…

Smoking and the First Amendment: A Unit of Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernekes, William R.

1988-01-01

Provides a model reflective inquiry strategy to educate students about the controversy surrounding the proposed ban on tobacco advertising. Presents a 15-day lesson sequence which explores implications for clashes between individual rights and state power, and includes a list of resources for classroom use. (LS)

The northern Great Basin: a region of continual change

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

There are many controversies and conflicts surrounding land management in the Great Basin. The conflicts often revolve around the maintenance of native plant and animal communities. This paper outlines some of the historical aspects of plant community change and some of the unanticipated impacts of ...

New Media, Old Politics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenzweig, Ron; And Others

1995-01-01

Summarizes and outlines the controversy surrounding some of the content of Voyager Co.'s "Who Built America?", history CD-ROM package. Although highly praised, the program received criticism for its limited references to homosexuality, birth control, and abortion. Voyager Co. refused to drop the product after a computer-linked campaign…

Dams and Salmon: A Northwest Choice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tucker, Michael; Tromley, Cheryl L.

2005-01-01

This article describes an experiential exercise in which participants assume the roles of various stakeholder groups in the controversy surrounding possible dam removal to revive northwestern U. S. salmon populations. The role-play (a) increases environmental awareness in the context of the competing interests various stakeholders have in our…

A national probability survey of American Medical Association gynecologists and primary care physicians concerning menopause.

PubMed

Singh, Betsy; Liu, Xiao-Dong; Der-Martirosian, Claudia; Hardy, Mary; Singh, Vijay; Shepard, Neil; Gandhi, Sonal; Khorsan, Raheleh

2005-09-01

This survey intended to clarify physicians' understanding of the issues surrounding women, menopause, alternative medicine, and drug therapy for the treatment of menopause. This study was designed as a national probability sample survey of primary care physicians and gynecologists nationwide. Its focus was to identify major concerns and issues identified by patients about menopause and perceived communication with effectiveness how to communicate with their patients. Physicians were also asked to rate their comfort level in recommending the use of herbal remedies and which herbal remedy they felt comfortable recommending to interested patients. Data indicated that a patient's complaint about menopausal symptoms was the most common factor leading to discussion of menopausal issues with physicians (91%) and that the primary concern to the patient was management of menopausal symptoms. Other factors were controversies about hormone replacement therapy, long-term health implications of menopause, and hormone replacement therapy. Eighty percent of the physician found confusing messages with regard to menopause to be the most challenging aspect in patient communication. The second most challenging issue is "inconclusive data about hormone replacement therapy" (56%). Seventy-six percent of the physicians found "showing sympathy" to be the most important factor for the physicians to communicate effectively with patients, whereas "being honest and open" was the most important patient attitude cited for the same purpose. When it comes to herbal therapy for menopause symptom control, only 4% of the physicians indicated that none of their patients take any remedies. Only 18% were not very comfortable in discussing or recommending herbal therapies, whereas the rest ranged from fairly comfortable to completely comfortable. This study has provided data with regard to physician understanding of menopause treatment options and their primary interaction with patients on this issue. More in-depth studies concerning efficacy and/or side effects of each available treatment will be the relevant next step, given the controversies about both hormone replacement therapy and alternative therapies. The relative efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of different treatments should also be put into the context of both clinical diagnosis and physicians' clinical judgment. Attention to comments by physicians and patients with regard to communication may produce better information exchange and trust between patient and physician.

Controversies in Pediatric Sports Medicine (Commentary).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyment, Paul G.

1989-01-01

Discusses controversial issues that have arisen in children's sports, including infant exercise programs, trampolines, amenorrhea in the adolescent athlete, coed contact sports, and sport participation by children with Down Syndrome. Policy statements are included from the American Academy of Pediatrics. (JD)

The evolution of policy issues in stem cell research: an international survey.

PubMed

Caulfield, Timothy; Rachul, Christen; Zarzeczny, Amy

2012-12-01

Stem cell research remains a tremendously promising yet controversial field of study. It continues to attract considerable public interest and generate discussion and debate. However, while the high profile of this field has endured, the tone and nature of the discourse that drives this profile appears to be changing. In order to get a better sense of how these potential shifts are perceived by individuals directly embedded in the field, we conducted an international internet survey of members of the stem cell research community. Our participants included individuals publishing on both scientific and ethical, legal and social issues topics. We explored the degree to which participants perceived that key policy issues were becoming more or less contentious over time. We queried views regarding the effect of regulatory frameworks on emerging stem cell research technologies and the extent to which participants experience pressure related to clinical translation. We also explored participants' relationships with industry, experience with patents and perceptions regarding the emphasis placed on the potential economic benefits of stem cell research. Our results suggest that while traditional debates such as those surrounding the moral status of the embryo remain, other issues more closely associated with clinical translation and commercialization are perceived as becoming increasingly contentious. This survey provides useful insight into the perspectives of a sample of active researchers working in countries around the world as well as an opportunity to reflect on the likely direction of future stem cell policy debates.

Biology Teachers' Professional Development Needs for Teaching Evolution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedrichsen, Patricia J.; Linke, Nicholas; Barnett, Ellen

2016-01-01

The social controversy surrounding the teaching of evolution puts pressure on secondary biology teachers to deemphasize or omit evolution from their curriculum. In this growing pressure, professional development can offer support to biology teachers. In this study, we surveyed secondary biology teachers in Missouri and report the data from…

Emotional Disturbance/Social Maladjustment: Why Is the Incidence Increasing?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kehle, Thomas J.; Bray, Melissa A.; Theodore, Lea A.; Zhou, Zheng; McCoach, D. Betsy

2004-01-01

Numerous arguments have addressed the controversies surrounding the category of emotional disturbance (ED) and the exclusion, or proposed inclusion, of students with social maladjustment (SM). In this article we address the consensually agreed upon characteristics of ED that are in common with SM, in addition to examining characteristics that…

"Huck Finn" in Context: A Teaching Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schulten, Katherine

This guide contains a detailed, six-section curriculum that frames the debate over Mark Twain's novel "Huck Finn," asks students to think critically about it, and helps them to see the novel in a richer historical and literary context. The first section introduces students to the history of the controversy surrounding "Huck…

Using Nutrition Against Aging and Degenerative Disease.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rokosz, Francis M.

A review of historical and research literature presents various perspectives on the growing controversy surrounding the use of vitamin and mineral supplements to maintain good health and for preventive health care. Several points are made in opposition to many health professionals' opinions that most nutritional supplements are unnecessary.…

Trade-Offs and Individual Differences in Evolved Traits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winegard, Benjamin; Bailey, Drew H.; Oxford, Jonathan; Geary, David C.

2010-01-01

Comments on Evolutionary psychology: Controversies, questions, prospects, and limitations by Confer et al. We applaud Confer et al.'s (February-March 2010) clarifications of the many misconceptions surrounding the use of evolutionary analyses in psychology. As they noted, such misunderstandings are common and result in a curious tendency of some…

Teachers' Perceptions of Student Evaluations of Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Cecilia K. Y.; Luk, Lillian Y. Y.; Zeng, Min

2014-01-01

Evaluation of teaching in higher education has drawn much attention due to the need for greater accountability and improvement in student learning. Our review of literature on Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) surveys suggests that considerable controversy and criticism have surrounded its use, fairness, and validity. Yet, many universities in…

Narrow-Band Applications of Communications Satellites.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowlan, Bert; Horowitz, Andrew

This paper attempts to describe the advantages of "narrow-band" applications of communications satellites for education. It begins by discussing the general controversy surrounding the use of satellites in education, by placing the concern within the larger context of the general debate over the uses of new technologies in education, and by…

From "Conflict" to "Constitutional Question": Transformations in Early American Public Discourse.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zarefsky, David; Gallagher, Victoria J.

1990-01-01

Suggests that the United States Constitution contains nearly universal concepts but also ambiguities which trigger conflicts. Describes the evolution of the document through its framing and through controversy surrounding the Alien and Sedition Acts, state nullification of federal action, and secession. Concludes that the Constitution provides a…

Anxiety Sensitivity: A Missing Piece to the Agoraphobia-without-Panic Puzzle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayward, Chris; Wilson, Kimberly A.

2007-01-01

This article reviews the controversy surrounding the diagnosis of agoraphobia without panic attacks and proposes a key role for anxiety sensitivity in explaining agoraphobic avoidance among those who have never experienced panic. Although rare in clinical samples, agoraphobia without panic is commonly observed in population-based surveys,…

Gender Differences in Developmental Dyscalculia Depend on Diagnostic Criteria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Devine, Amy; Soltesz, Fruzsina; Nobes, Alison; Goswami, Usha; Szucs, Denes

2013-01-01

Developmental dyscalculia (DD) is a learning difficulty specific to mathematics learning. The prevalence of DD may be equivalent to that of dyslexia, posing an important challenge for effective educational provision. Nevertheless, there is no agreed definition of DD and there are controversies surrounding cutoff decisions, specificity and gender…

Invited Reaction: Developing Emotional Intelligence (EI) Abilities through Team-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leimbach, Michael P.; Maringka, Jane

2010-01-01

The preceding article (Clarke, 2010) examines an important and interesting question; that is, under what conditions can learning contribute to the development of emotional intelligence (EI)? Despite the controversy surrounding the definition and construct of EI, its prevalence for the human resources development (HRD) field and its implications…

AP-Gate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitman, Glenn

2003-01-01

In May 2001, students in the author's Advanced Placement (AP) United States History class were embroiled in a controversy surrounding the AP exam, in particular, having access to the exam's Document Based Question (DBQ) and free response portion prior to the test's administration. Prior to the exam, the College Board had provided a fifty-year time…

What Shall We Tell the Children? The Press Encounters Columbus.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lunenfeld, Marvin

1992-01-01

Discusses scholarly criticism and media coverage of the controversy surrounding the effects of Christopher Columbus' voyages upon the Americas. Examines the reactions of some writers to some scholars' negative portrayals of Columbus. Argues that schools should continue to be the place for respectful study of the explorer. (SG)

New Perspectives on an Old Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosania, MaryJo

2006-01-01

Since the Renaissance, artists have used one- and two-point perspective to describe space in their work. After the release of artist David Hockney's theory questioning the use of lenses and "Scientific America's" attempt to disprove Hockney's theories, perspective has gotten quite controversial. The art world's perplexity surrounding the concept…

Air Pollution: Where Do Hydrocarbons Come From?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maugh, Thomas H., II

1975-01-01

Describes the controversy surrounding a report which concluded that, in certain areas and under certain conditions, hydrocarbons released from trees and other vegetation may be more important in the initiation of smog than those released from automobiles. Discusses relevant research which has not been able to support or refute this conclusion.…

Performance Indicators as a Foundation of Institutional Autonomy: Implications for Higher Education Institutions in Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Darrell R.; Hendel, Darwin D.; Kallsen, Lincoln

2007-01-01

There has developed moderate discussion in European higher education about the use of performance indicators for both accountability and evaluation purposes. This paper begins by summarizing governmental expectations, institutional objections, and several of the controversies surrounding performance measures. We then report on using performance…

Bitcoin: A Pedagogical Guide for the College Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barre, Todd J.

2015-01-01

The emergence of Bitcoin as an online currency/payment system has been surrounded with controversy with equally passionate proponents and detractors arguing for its long-term viability. These debates lead to stimulating exercises for the finance or economics student eager to understand principles of money, currencies, and monetary economics. The…

The Use of Research Libraries: A Comment about the Pittsburgh Study and Its Critics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peat, W. Leslie

1981-01-01

Reviews the controversy surrounding the Pittsburgh study of library circulation and collection usage and proposes the use of citation analysis techniques as an acceptable method for measuring research use of a research library which will complement circulation studies. Five references are listed. (RAA)

Infomercials: A Genre in Search of Legitimacy. (Mass Communication Instructional Unit).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reppert, James E.

A wide variety of media subjects are discussed in an introductory mass communication course at Southern Arkansas University, and one of the most popular instructional sections with students is "infomercials." This paper acquaints students with the history, scope, and controversy surrounding the infomercial genre. It first explains that…

Validity Semantics in Educational and Psychological Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hathcoat, John D.

2013-01-01

The semantics, or meaning, of validity is a fluid concept in educational and psychological testing. Contemporary controversies surrounding this concept appear to stem from the proper location of validity. Under one view, validity is a property of score-based inferences and entailed uses of test scores. This view is challenged by the…

Actual Readers versus Implied Readers: Role Conflicts in Office 97.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shroyer, Roberta

2000-01-01

Explains the controversy surrounding the Office Assistant ("Paper-Clip") in Microsoft's Office 97. Discusses why actual readers rejected the default Office Assistant's role as implied writer and rebelled against the reader role implied for them. Notes users resented its intrusive behavior, rejected its implied writer role, and refused to…

75 FR 82407 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Testing Successful Health Communications Surrounding...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-30

... surrounding aging-related issues from the National Institute on Aging (NIA). Type of Information Collection... information technology. Direct Comments to OMB: Written comments and/or suggestions regarding the item(s...; Comment Request; Testing Successful Health Communications Surrounding Aging-Related Issues From the...

The Choice Controversy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cookson, Peter W., Jr., Ed.

Issues in school choice--constitutionality, feasibility, equity, and educational productivity--are examined in this book. The controversy requires an ongoing analysis of the origins of the school-choice movement, the kinds of plans proposed and implemented, their educational and social consequences, and the philosophical assumptions underlying the…

Drug Testing: A National Controversy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, Karen; Thompson, Judith R.

1989-01-01

Addresses some of the controversies and illustrates the historical background of drug testing and what the different drug tests are. Also outlines some national statistics and opinions on drug testing and the results of a survey taken of a Louisiana population dealing with this issue. (NB)

Death Penalty in America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clifford, Amie L.

1997-01-01

Examines the legal and moral issues, controversies, and unique trial procedures involved with the death penalty. Discusses the 1972 landmark Supreme Court decision that resulted in many states abolishing this punishment, only to reintroduce it later with different provisions. Reviews the controversial case of Sam Sheppard. (MJP)

Weathering a political storm. A contextual perspective on a psychological research controversy.

PubMed

Garrison, Ellen Greenberg; Kobor, Patricia Clem

2002-03-01

In the spring of 1999, a storm of controversy arose at the local, state, and national levels surrounding an article on the effects of child sexual abuse published in 1998 in Psychological Bulletin. The article was vehemently denounced by various media outlets, conservative grassroots organizations, members of the general public, state legislatures, and ultimately by the United States Congress. The authors chronicle these unprecedented events and related challenges faced by the American Psychological Association. The authors also describe the Association's efforts to resolve the crisis, while staunchly upholding academic freedom and scientific integrity, and review the lessons learned for the field of psychology.

Strategies for Involvement in Wildlife Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Carolyn L.; Nye, Donna I.

1984-01-01

Highlights a workshop with children focusing on the treatment of controversial issues and guidelines typically provided by school districts or organizations. Activities designed to stimulate discussion on three issues (endangered species, acid rain, and predator control) are included. (BC)

Science in the Public Eye: Leveraging Partnerships-An Introduction.

PubMed

Merson, Martha; Allen, Louise C; Hristov, Nickolay I

2018-06-22

With stories of struggle and dramatic breakthroughs, science has incredible potential to interest the public. However, as the rhetoric of outrage surrounds controversies over science policy there is an urgent need for credible, trusted voices that frame science issues in a way that resonates with a diverse public. A network of informal educators, park rangers, museum docents and designers, and zoo and aquarium interpreters are prepared to do so during millions of visits a year; just where science stories are most meaningfully told-in the places where members of the public are open to learning. Scientific researchers can benefit from partnerships with these intermediaries who are accorded status for their trustworthiness and good will, who have expertise in translating the science using language, metaphors, encounters, and experiences that are appropriate for non-experts. In this volume, we describe and probe examples wherein scientists work productively with informal educators and designers, artists, staff of federal agencies, citizen scientists, and volunteers who bring science into the public eye.

Building the backbone: the development and evolution of vertebral patterning.

PubMed

Fleming, Angeleen; Kishida, Marcia G; Kimmel, Charles B; Keynes, Roger J

2015-05-15

The segmented vertebral column comprises a repeat series of vertebrae, each consisting of two key components: the vertebral body (or centrum) and the vertebral arches. Despite being a defining feature of the vertebrates, much remains to be understood about vertebral development and evolution. Particular controversy surrounds whether vertebral component structures are homologous across vertebrates, how somite and vertebral patterning are connected, and the developmental origin of vertebral bone-mineralizing cells. Here, we assemble evidence from ichthyologists, palaeontologists and developmental biologists to consider these issues. Vertebral arch elements were present in early stem vertebrates, whereas centra arose later. We argue that centra are homologous among jawed vertebrates, and review evidence in teleosts that the notochord plays an instructive role in segmental patterning, alongside the somites, and contributes to mineralization. By clarifying the evolutionary relationship between centra and arches, and their varying modes of skeletal mineralization, we can better appreciate the detailed mechanisms that regulate and diversify vertebral patterning. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Investigation of Consensually Nonmonogamous Relationships.

PubMed

Conley, Terri; Matsick, Jessica; Moors, Amy Catherine; Ziegler, Ali

2017-03-01

We proposed that the premise that monogamy is the exemplary form of romantic partnership underlies much theory and research on relationship quality, and we addressed how this bias has prompted methodological issues that make it difficult to effectively address the quality of nonmonogamous relationships. Because the idea that consensually nonmonogamous (CNM) relationships are functional (i.e., satisfying and of high quality) is controversial, we included a basic study to assess, in a variety of ways, the quality of these relationships. In that study, we found few differences in relationship functioning between individuals engaged in monogamy and those in CNM relationships. We then considered how existing theories could help researchers to understand CNM relationships and how CNM relationships could shed light on relationship processes, and we proposed a model of how CNM and monogamous relationships differ. Finally, in a second study, we determined that even researchers who present data about CNM are affected by the stigma surrounding such relationships. That is, researchers presenting findings favoring polyamory were perceived as more biased than researchers presenting findings favoring monogamy.

Social factors in marijuana use for medical and recreational purposes.

PubMed

Szaflarski, Magdalena; Sirven, Joseph I

2017-05-01

Of all the various treatment options for epilepsy, no other therapy comes close to the polarity that cannabis engenders. The rationale for this reaction is firmly rooted in the social factors that enshroud the use of marijuana for both medical and recreational purposes. In order to best understand how to approach this controversial treatment, it is essential to explore the social, demographic, and historical variables that have led to the current opinions on cannabis therapy and how this has converged on epilepsy treatment. Utilizing a sociological conceptual framework, this review discusses in depth the social, cultural, and historical dimensions of cannabis use in the US for medical purposes and its impact on epilepsy treatment. Moreover, it posits that cannabis therapy and the opinions surrounding its use are products of history and assesses this treatment option through the lens of our current times. This article is part of a Special Issue titled Cannabinoids and Epilepsy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effective prescribing in steroid allergy: controversies and cross-reactions.

PubMed

Browne, Fiona; Wilkinson, S Mark

2011-01-01

Contact allergy to topical corticosteroids should be considered in all patients who do not respond to, or are made worse by, the use of topical steroids. The incidence of steroid allergy in such patients is reported as 9% to 22% in adult patients and in 25% of children. It can often go undiagnosed for a long time in patients with a long history of dermatologic conditions and steroid use. Although rare, both immediate and delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions have been reported to systemic corticosteroids with an incidence of 0.3%. Reported reactions range from localized eczematous eruptions to systemic reactions, anaphylaxis, and even death. Delayed type reactions to systemically administered steroids may present as a generalized dermatitis, an exanthematous eruption, or occasionally, with blistering or purpura. In this contribution, we clarify the issues surrounding the pathogenesis of steroid allergy, cover the importance of cross-reactions, and describe strategies for the investigation and management for patients with suspected steroid allergy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Scientific method discourses in the construction of 'EMF' science: interests, resources and rhetoric in submissions to a public inquiry.

PubMed

Mercer, David

2002-04-01

Since the late 1970s, there has been considerable debate surrounding the question of whether or not exposures to non-ionizing radiation and electric and magnetic fields (EMF), produced by powerlines and electrical and telecommunications technologies, are harmful to health. Whilst there has been some recent evidence of regulatory fatigue, and attempts to enforce closure, the EMF debate nevertheless still continues. This paper will explore the rôle played by competing images of scientific method in the argumentative strategies used by two of the main protagonists in an Australian public inquiry (held in 1990-91) which investigated the EMF issue: 'Inquiry into Community Needs and High Voltage (132kv and above) Transmission Line Development', the so-called Gibbs Inquiry. Apart from documenting some of the epistemologically intricate features of the EMF controversy, the following discussion will also consider the way scientific method discourses can contribute to enhancing the durability of knowledge claims in legal and regulatory settings.

Misdescription of packaged foods: a case study from the United Arab Emirates.

PubMed

Premanandh, J; Sabbagh, Aman; Maruthamuthu, M

2013-01-01

Food misdescription has become of paramount importance as consumers come into contact daily with a great variety of foods. The controversies surrounding genetically modified organism (GMO) labelling and malpractices in the food chain have forced regulatory authorities to authenticate food from production to consumption. This paper reports the results of a surveillance programme conducted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) market to assess the status of food misdescription and authenticity. A DNA test was used to screen random samples of processed meat products bought from supermarkets in the UAE. A total of 246 samples were analysed from different geographical locations. The majority of samples showed a high standard of legal compliance, with over 95% confirmed for authenticity. However, 5% of samples were found to contain undeclared species. In conclusion, this study confirms the presence of undeclared food in the UAE market. Regular surveillance and monitoring programmes along with strict implementation of the Food and Adulteration Act may alleviate misdescription issues to a greater extent.

Pediatric urinary tract infections: diagnosis and treatment.

PubMed

Bitsori, Maria; Galanakis, Emmanouil

2012-10-01

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common serious bacterial infection in childhood. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are required for the optimal clinical outcome and the prevention of long-term morbidity and sequelae. Diagnosis and treatment of UTI may seem to be easy tasks, but they remain among the most controversial issues in pediatrics. Consequently, children suspected for UTIs are investigated and treated differently in different settings. The absence of typical clinical presentation and the uncertainties in setting the index of suspicion, collecting appropriate urine samples and interpreting results, combined with different antibiotic policies in the face of increasing resistance of uropathogens, contribute to the controversy. Recently issued guidelines have attempted to settle several thorny aspects in diagnosis and treatment, but quite a few issues still remain controversial. In this review, the authors explore the current situation on diagnosis and treatment of childhood UTI in better understanding their pathogenesis and prevalence in different child populations, discuss recently evaluated diagnostic tests and the new management guidelines.

Dynamics of list-server discussion on genetically modified foods.

PubMed

Triunfol, Marcia L; Hines, Pamela J

2004-04-01

Computer-mediated discussion lists, or list-servers, are popular tools in settings ranging from professional to personal to educational. A discussion list on genetically modified food (GMF) was created in September 2000 as part of the Forum on Genetically Modified Food developed by Science Controversies: Online Partnerships in Education (SCOPE), an educational project that uses computer resources to aid research and learning around unresolved scientific questions. The discussion list "GMF-Science" was actively supported from January 2001 to May 2002. The GMF-Science list welcomed anyone interested in discussing the controversies surrounding GMF. Here, we analyze the dynamics of the discussions and how the GMF-Science list may contribute to learning. Activity on the GMF-Science discussion list reflected some but not all the controversies that were appearing in more traditional publication formats, broached other topics not well represented in the published literature, and tended to leave undiscussed the more technical research developments.

The case of James A. Garfield: a historical perspective.

PubMed

Weiner, Bradley K

2003-05-15

In 1881, President James A. Garfield was shot in the back and died 79 days later. During this time, many controversies arose that had repercussions for years to come. Who was to manage the President's care? A prominent local physician took on the case, but after Garfield's death, he was highly criticized for inappropriate care and for excluding more highly qualified surgeons. Where was the bullet? Multiple opinions were given including that of Alexander Graham Bell. The correct suggestion turned out to be that of a young, unknown assistant demonstrator of anatomy. What was the proper treatment? Local wound care, removal of the bullet, and laparotomy all were considered. Many have felt that the choice of treatment may have proved to be worse than the injury itself. What did the autopsy show? Even this was controversial, with different observers claiming different results. This historical perspective reviews the case as well the controversies that surrounded it.

A diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders history of premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

PubMed

Zachar, Peter; Kendler, Kenneth S

2014-04-01

The proposals to include a menstruation-related mood disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition (DSM-III-R), and DSM-IV led to intense public and behind-the-scenes controversy. Although the controversies surrounding the DSM-5 revision were greater in number than the controversies of the earlier revisions, the DSM-5 proposal to include a menstruation-related mood disorder was not among them. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder was made an official disorder in the DSM-5 with no significant protest. To understand the factors that led to this change, we interviewed those psychiatrists and psychologists who were most involved in the DSM-IV revision. On the basis of these interviews, we offer a list of empirical and nonempirical considerations that led to the DSM-IV compromise and explore how key alterations in these considerations led to a different outcome for the DSM-5.

School Board Policy As a Control Mechanism in Curriculum Challenges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adler, Louise

1993-01-01

This journal article examines how school board policies are used to control the controversies that often surround curriculum challenges. Specific key provisions of model policies and actual policies from California are analyzed to suggest ideal policy provisions. In a longitudinal study, over 42 percent of the 1,000-plus school districts in…

The Theater of Confrontation: Ed Bullins, Up Against the Wall

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Don

1974-01-01

Discusses ed Bullins' role in bringing together in the summer of 1968 a representative collection of works from the Black Arts Movement; the controversy surrounding his 1971 Lincoln Center production of his play, "The Duplex"; and his play, "House Party," a collage of voices and images from Blacktown mounted at The American…

Predicting Behavior from Normative Influences: What Insights Can the Fishbein Model Offer?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walster, Dian E.

The Fishbein Model is an attitude behavior consistency model which is used in both laboratory and field settings for predicting and understanding attitudinal and normative influences on behavior. This paper examines controversy surrounding the Fishbein Model's normative component in the context of a study of library and information science (LIS)…

Where Is Lake Wobegone, Anyway? The Controversy Surrounding Social Promotion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rothstein, Richard

1998-01-01

The dilemma of what to do with children who do not progress "normally" is not new, and did not arise because educators grew too timid to uphold academic standards. The problem is an unavoidable consequence of compulsory education. Advantages of social promotion still outweigh difficulties. Deterioration of school standards cannot be blamed on…

Minimum Competency Testing: Guidelines for Policymakers and Citizens.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Dennis

Intended to help the laity find their way through the confusion and controversy surrounding minimum competency testing (MCT), this paper explains what MCT is, acknowledges its limitations, weighs the criticisms, and shows how MCT may be used constructively for the benefit of students and for the improvement of schools. Highlights from the paper…

Reconstructing Readability: Recent Developments and Recommendations in the Analysis of Text Difficulty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benjamin, Rebekah George

2012-01-01

Largely due to technological advances, methods for analyzing readability have increased significantly in recent years. While past researchers designed hundreds of formulas to estimate the difficulty of texts for readers, controversy has surrounded their use for decades, with criticism stemming largely from their application in creating new texts…

Community College for All: How Two-Year Criminal Justice Transfer Students Perceive Their Educational Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monk-Turner, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

President Obama and others have called for free community college--"America's College Promise." Yet controversy surrounds the community college system, with proponents emphasizing the educational opportunities provided while critics bemoan the high dropout rate and lack of equality of educational outcomes. Little research explores how…

Federal Overreach and Common Core. White Paper No. 133

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evers, Williamson M.

2015-01-01

This report provides the historical background and interpretive analysis needed to understand controversies surrounding Common Core and its associated tests. In this report, Williamson M. Evers presents a revised and expanded version of his expert report for "Jindal v. United States Department of Education et al.," No. 14-CV- 534 (M.D.…

A continuing controversy: Has the cometary nucleus been resolved?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sekanina, Z.

1976-01-01

Evidence is presented for classifying cometary nuclei into two basic types, described by core mantle and coreless models. Mass loss related nongravitational effects in a comet's motion as a function of time are included in considering gradual evaporation of an icy envelope surrounding the meteoric matrix in the core of the nucleus.

Data Do Not Speak for Themselves: The Role of Data in Scientific Controversies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sadler, Troy D.

2007-01-01

This article presents a learning cycle with the aim of helping students understand the evidentiary basis of scientific claims. Students consider data and interpretations as used to support contradictory views in the debate surrounding the causal relationship between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).…

The Great Graduation-Rate Debate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolfe, Christine O.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to promote clearer understanding of the graduation-rate debate by distilling the policy developments and controversy surrounding the measurement of these rates over the last decade. The paper concludes with a discussion of the move toward a federally mandated common metric for graduation rates. The No Child Left Behind…

Dynamic Selection Effects in Means-Tested, Urban School Voucher Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howell, William G.

2004-01-01

Much of the controversy surrounding school vouchers, and privatization schemes generally, stems from concerns about social stratification. This paper identifies the form and magnitude of selection effects in a means-tested New York City voucher program. It compares students who applied for vouchers, with the eligible population of public-school…

The Embargo of 1807: A Study in Policy-Making. Teacher and Student Manuals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beebe, Ralph K.

Focusing on the controversy which surrounded Thomas Jefferson and the Embargo of 1807, this social studies unit examines the numerous factors which affect presidential policy-making and leadership. The unit presents newspaper accounts of the boarding of the American frigate "Chesapeake" by the English in 1807 and enumerates the factors…

Does Parental Sexual Orientation Matter? A Longitudinal Follow-Up of Adoptive Families with School-Age Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farr, Rachel H.

2017-01-01

Controversy continues to surround parenting by lesbian and gay (LG) adults and outcomes for their children. As sexual minority parents increasingly adopt children, longitudinal research about child development, parenting, and family relationships is crucial for informing such debates. In the psychological literature, family systems theory contends…

Districts on the Edge: The Impact of Urban Sprawl on a Rural Community.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theobald, Paul

1988-01-01

Portrays the controversy surrounding schools and education in a rural community experiencing both an influx of urban and suburban newcomers and the effects of urban sprawl. Reports on surveys of student educational attitudes, household information, and outside activities, and on interviews with teachers, school administrators, and residents.…

Eurocentrism, Afrocentrism, and William H. Ferris's "The African Abroad," 1911.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moses, Wilson J.

1991-01-01

Traces the historical origins of the controversy surrounding Afrocentric education versus education based on the traditional canon of the Western world to W. H. Ferris' work and his 1913 study "The African abroad or His Evolution in Western Civilization, Tracing His Development under Caucasian Milieu," which has relevance today. (SLD)

Charter School Movement: History, Politics, Policies, Economics & Effectiveness. Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grey House Publishing, 2009

2009-01-01

From zero in 1991 to 3,800 eighteen years later, charter schools (public schools under contract) today educate well over a million students. This updated, second edition examines the unusual experiment that is charter education and the controversies that surround public choice and charter schools as a means of educational reform. Written by…

Deconstructing the Master Narrative on Tibet: Lessons for Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Tianlong

2010-01-01

In this article, I touch upon the complex and largely ignored controversy surrounding the Tibet question. Casting a critical eye on the "official" or dominant stature of the Dalai Lama in the West, I examine the socio-cultural construction of the common view of him. Specifically, I explore the question: what social discourses have…

Violent Video Games and the Military: Recruitment, Training, and Treating Mental Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Derby, John

2014-01-01

This article adds to the small collection of art education studies on video games (Parks, 2008; Patton, 2013; Sweeny, 2010) by critically examining the association between violent video games, the U.S. military, and mental disability--from a critical disability studies perspective. Derby overviews the controversies surrounding violent video games…

Hip Hop Is Now: An Evolving Youth Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Carl; Taylor, Virgil

2007-01-01

Emerging from Rap music, Hip Hop has become a lifestyle to many modern youth around the world. Embodying both creativity and controversy, Hip Hop mirrors the values, violence, and hypocrisy of modern culture. The authors dispel some of the simplistic views that surround this evolving youth movement embraced by millions of young people who are…

Autonomy-Facilitation or Autonomy-Promotion? The Case of Sex Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corngold, Josh

2012-01-01

This article offers a critique of Harry Brighouse's "autonomy-facilitating education", which aims to enable students to reflect critically on their lives and society without disposing them to do so. Because it is "character-neutral", this kind of education purportedly avoids some of the controversy surrounding autonomy-promotion. At the same time,…

A Preliminary Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Study of Cortical Inhibition and Excitability in High-Functioning Autism and Asperger Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enticott, Peter G.; Rinehart, Nicole J.; Tonge, Bruce J.; Bradshaw, John L.; Fitzgerald, Paul B.

2010-01-01

Aim: Controversy surrounds the distinction between high-functioning autism (HFA) and Asperger disorder, but motor abnormalities are associated features of both conditions. This study examined motor cortical inhibition and excitability in HFA and Asperger disorder using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Method: Participants were diagnosed by…

Theorizing and Measuring Working Memory in First and Second Language Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wen, Zhisheng

2014-01-01

Working memory (WM) generally refers to the human ability to temporarily maintain and manipulate a limited amount of information in immediate consciousness when carrying out complex cognitive tasks such as problem-solving and language comprehension. Though much controversy has surrounded the WM concept since its inception by Baddeley & Hitch…

Sentenced to Die: Capital Punishment and the Eighth Amendment. Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madden, Mary

This teacher's guide is designed to accompany the three-part videotape "Sentenced to Die." The videotape and teacher's guide should help students to: (1) understand the history of the Eighth Amendment; (2) examine the controversy surrounding the death penalty; (3) compare and contrast differing viewpoints on capital punishment; and (4)…

The revision of the Declaration of Helsinki: past, present and future.

PubMed

Carlson, Robert V; Boyd, Kenneth M; Webb, David J

2004-06-01

The World Medical Association's Declaration of Helsinki was first adopted in 1964. In its 40-year lifetime the Declaration has been revised five times and has risen to a position of prominence as a guiding statement of ethical principles for doctors involved in medical research. The most recent revision, however, has resulted in considerable controversy, particularly in the area of the ethical requirements surrounding placebo-controlled trials and the question of responsibilities to research participants at the end of a study. This review considers the past versions of the Declaration of Helsinki and asks the question: How exactly has the text of the Declaration changed throughout its lifetime? Regarding the present form of the Declaration of Helsinki we ask: What are the major changes in the most recent revision and what are the controversies surrounding them? Finally, building on the detailed review of the past and present versions of the Declaration of Helsinki, we give consideration to some of the possible future trajectories for the Declaration in the light of its history and standing in the world of the ethics of medical research.

The sirtuins: Markers of metabolic health.

PubMed

Covington, Jeffrey D; Bajpeyi, Sudip

2016-01-01

The sirtuins represent a class of proteins first discovered orthologus to the yeast silent information regulator 2 protein that have been retained in mammalian species. Currently, seven sirtuins have been identified in humans, and their functions currently surpass their originally identified role as histone deacetylase and chromatin silencers to encompass nutrient sensing and metabolic function. All seven sirtuins require NAD(+) in order to carry out their enzymatic activity, and thus become activated in conditions of nutrient depletion, starvation, and cellular stress. Caloric restriction and increased physical activity have been postulated, though perhaps controversially, to mediate sirtuin function. Here, we review the current literature surrounding the functions of the seven human sirtuins, mediators of their function, and the roles they play in metabolic health related to dietary and physical activity interventions. Despite the controversy surrounding sirtuin function with regard to longevity, we have aimed to show that regardless of its effects on aging, sirtuin function is pivotal to pathways involving metabolic health, and should therefore be investigated with regard to improving metabolic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

77 FR 38631 - Request for Comments on Ethical Issues Associated with the Development of Medical Countermeasures...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-28

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Request for Comments on Ethical Issues Associated with the... ethical issues associated with the development of medical countermeasures for children, including ethical considerations surrounding clinical research with children, ethical considerations surrounding pediatric medical...

Professional Hubris and its Consequences: Why Organizations of Health-Care Professions Should Not Adopt Ethically Controversial Positions.

PubMed

Vogelstein, Eric

2016-05-01

In this article, I argue that professional healthcare organizations such as the AMA and ANA ought not to take controversial stances on professional ethics. I address the best putative arguments in favor of taking such stances, and argue that none are convincing. I then argue that the sort of stance-taking at issue has pernicious consequences: it stands to curb critical thought in social, political, and legal debates, increase moral distress among clinicians, and alienate clinicians from their professional societies. Thus, because there are no good arguments in favor of stance-taking and at least some risks in doing so, professional organizations should refrain from adopting the sort of ethically controversial positions at issue. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Seal Killing Controversy: What Are the Facts?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheffer, Victor B.

1973-01-01

Discusses the seal controversy using the harp and Alaska fur seals to illustrate the two distinct issues, i.e., conservation (the effect of killing upon the animal population); and two, morality (the effect of killing upon the human spirit). Factual information combines with personal philosophy. (LK)

Government Regulation of the Pursuit of Knowledge: The Recombinant DNA Controversy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berger, Richard G.

1978-01-01

Government regulation of recombinant DNA research is addressed. Issues discussed include the potential of such research; National Institutes of Health guidelines; federal, state, and local regulation; the controversy over self-regulation; first amendment protection for scientific research; and problems in drafting legislation. (JMD)

Disaster, Controversy--Are You Prepared for the Worst?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heller, Robert W.; And Others

1991-01-01

Provides demographic profiles from "Executive Educator's" fourth annual survey of U.S. school executives. Regarding disaster preparedness, only a small percentage of all districts in earthquake-prone areas have earthquake and fire action plans. Concerning controversial issues, teaching about substance abuse, child abuse, and teen suicide meets…

Teaching Ethical Issues in Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levinson, Ralph

This paper presents a study that investigates the teaching and learning aspects of controversial issues in science education. Teaching ethical issues is mandatory for science teachers in England; however, teachers may experience difficulties in exploring contemporary issues in science due to rapid and unpredictable changes. The study carries an…

Hands on what? The relative effectiveness of physical versus virtual materials in an engineering design project by middle school children

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klahr, David; Triona, Lara M.; Williams, Cameron

2007-01-01

Hands-on activities play an important, but controversial, role in early science education. In this study we attempt to clarify some of the issues surrounding the controversy by calling attention to distinctions between: (a) type of instruction (direct or discovery); (b) type of knowledge to be acquired (domain-general or domain-specific); and (c) type of materials that are used (physical or virtual). We then describe an empirical study that investigates the relative effectiveness of the physical-virtual dimension. In the present study, seventh and eighth grade students assembled and tested mousetrap cars with the goal of designing a car that would go the farthest. Children were assigned to four different conditions, depending on whether they manipulated physical or virtual materials, and whether they had a fixed number of cars they could construct or a fixed amount of time in which to construct them. All four conditions were equally effective in producing significant gains in learners' knowledge about causal factors, in their ability to design optimal cars, and in their confidence in their knowledge. Girls' performance, knowledge, and effort were equal to boys' in all conditions, but girls' confidence remained below boys' throughout. Given the fact that, on several different measures, children were able to learn as well with virtual as with physical materials, the inherent pragmatic advantages of virtual materials in science may make them the preferred instructional medium in many hands-on contexts.

Stem cell research and transplantation: science leading ethics.

PubMed

Daar, A S; Bhatt, A; Court, E; Singer, P A

2004-10-01

One of the most exciting developments in the biological sciences in the past decade has been the discovery and characterization of human embryonic stem cells (ESCs). The interest to transplanters is the potential applications of stem cells in regenerative medicine (RM), which may involve tissue engineering, genetic engineering, and other techniques to repair, replace, or regenerate failing tissues and organs. There is little controversy surrounding human adult stem cells. However, human ESCs are surrounded by a number of ethical controversies, the extent of which is partly dependent on their source. Those derived from currently existing embryonic stem cell lines are less controversial than those derived from "excess" embryos from in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics, while ESCs derived from IVF embryos specifically created for the purpose are not acceptable to many people arguing from religious and other moral perspectives. Somatic cell nuclear transfer, or therapeutic cloning, must be distinguished from reproductive cloning. It holds the most promise for regenerative medicine. ESCs can also be derived from gonadal ridges of aborted fetuses. The transplant community must strive to uphold societal values in its effort to find remedies for their ailing patients and address the perennial problem of organ shortage. Transplanters also have a responsibility to engage the public in their efforts to gain public understanding and support, and policy makers must take into account public opinion. Only in this way can we realize the great potential of stem cell research for organ transplantation.

Animal Experimentation: Bringing Ethical Issues into Biology Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Rooy, Wilhelmina

2000-01-01

There are many possibilities for the use of controversial issues such as animal experimentation in biology classrooms. Outlines a series of three lessons that asked senior biology students to consider the issue of animal experimentation from three perspectives. (Author/LM)

Teaching Social Issues in the English Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Totten, Samuel, Ed.

1986-01-01

Focusing on the rationales and materials for teaching social issues in the English classroom, this thematic issue contains the following articles: "Introduction: Reflections of Society in Literature" (M. B. Fleming); "Addressing Social and/or Controversial Issues in the English Classroom" (S. Totten); "The Growing Threat to Quality Education: How…

Hidden Curriculum as One of Current Issue of Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsubaie, Merfat Ayesh

2015-01-01

There are several issues in the education system, especially in the curriculum field that affect education. Hidden curriculum is one of current controversial curriculum issues. Many hidden curricular issues are the result of assumptions and expectations that are not formally communicated, established, or conveyed within the learning environment.…

Teaching Controversial Issues of Bioethics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stronck, David R.

Many teachers avoid controversial topics because they do not want to upset students or parents, do not know appropriate instructional strategies, and fail to recognize the importance of motivating students through placing science in its relevant context. An example is provided for use in a methods course for helping future high school teachers to…

Writing a Rationale for a Controversial Common Reading Book: Alice Walker's "The Color Purple."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Worthington, Pepper

1985-01-01

Offers a rationale that can be used to defend the assignment of Alice Walker's controversial novel for class reading. Indicates four issues that might evoke calls for censorship: (1) subject matter, (2) vocabulary, (3) grammar, and (4) the epistolary form of the work. (RBW)

The Ecology Controversy: Opposing Viewpoints. Critical Issues Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCuen, Gary E., Ed.; Bender, David L., Ed.

Ecological problems are explored in this book of sixteen student readings and exercises aimed at developing and applying critical thinking skills. The readings, mostly extracts from books and periodicals, are introduced by the editor and accompanied by questions. Chapter I, The Population Controversy, includes selections from Paul Ehrlich's The…

Controversial Curriculum? Ask the Community!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, William Jeffrey

2009-01-01

Involving communities in the process of curriculum development may not be novel, but it seems lacking with regard to controversial issues such as lessons on diverse family structures, homosexuality, and other special situations. Disparity in values and convictions can lead one person to support a decision, while another person might hold an…

Perspective: Academic Controversies as a Vital Instructional Tool.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, David W.; Johnson, Roger T.

1997-01-01

Advocates the use of academic controversies (student research and classroom debate on an issue with clearly defined positions). Identifies three ways that this educates students about civil justice: (1) students learn citizenship skills; (2) provides a procedure for resolving civil justice problems; and (3) increases academic learning. (MJP)

Truth in Packaging: Teaching Controversial Topics to Undergraduates in the Human Sciences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fredericks, Marcel; Miller, Steven I.

1993-01-01

Argues that the behavioral or "human" sciences are fundamentally different in scope and intent from the natural sciences. Describes the use of controversial topics in undergraduate courses and provides a four-step process. Recommends using Karl Popper's falsification theory to help students think critically about issues. (CFR)

The Discussion of Biotechnology Controversial Issues--An Exploratory Study about Its Potentialities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rocha dos Reis, Pedro

This paper describes a qualitative research that used small group discussion activities centered in biotechnology and genetics controversies as a contribution to the promotion of students' thinking tools. Students' written conclusions and reflections about the activities, teachers' interviews, participant observation of the classes, and their…

Teaching Controversial Materials: Teaching about the Nuclear Issue.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wall, Joseph

1986-01-01

Describes difficulties encountered in presenting a college course on nuclear weapons and disarmament. Maintains that such courses must strive for a fuller historical account of the arms race, in addition to stressing the humanistic and ethical questions involved. Warns that controversy will arise and concludes that even blind anger is preferable…

Urban High School Students' Learning about HIV/AIDS in Different Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brotman, Jennie S.; Mensah, Felicia Moore; Lesko, Nancy

2011-01-01

Science education researchers increasingly focus on the use of controversial science topics in the classroom to prepare students to make personal and societal decisions about these issues. However, researchers infrequently investigate the diverse ways in which students learn about controversial science topics outside the classroom, and how these…

Policing Matters: Addressing the Controversial Issue of Policing Through Education for Reconciliation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cusack, Mella

2009-05-01

Policing is widely held to constitute a contentious issue in classrooms on both sides of the border on the island of Ireland, despite the fact that the ongoing peace process has led to a normalising of cross-border policing relationships. The Education for Reconciliation Project works with teachers and members of the two police services to produce teaching/learning modules on law and policing for use in Citizenship Education classrooms. This paper examines the commonly-held teacher perception of policing as a controversial issue and the reasons why these perceptions exist. It takes into consideration the opinion that it is time for schools to begin work on policing, and investigates the implications for practice.

Print news coverage of school-based human papillomavirus vaccine mandates.

PubMed

Casciotti, Dana M; Smith, Katherine C; Andon, Lindsay; Vernick, Jon; Tsui, Amy; Klassen, Ann C

2014-02-01

In 2007, legislation was proposed in 24 states and the District of Columbia for school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine mandates, and mandates were enacted in Texas, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Media coverage of these events was extensive, and media messages both reflected and contributed to controversy surrounding these legislative activities. Messages communicated through the media are an important influence on adolescent and parent understanding of school-based vaccine mandates. We conducted structured text analysis of newspaper coverage, including quantitative analysis of 169 articles published in mandate jurisdictions from 2005 to 2009, and qualitative analysis of 63 articles from 2007. Our structured analysis identified topics, key stakeholders and sources, tone, and the presence of conflict. Qualitative thematic analysis identified key messages and issues. Media coverage was often incomplete, providing little context about cervical cancer or screening. Skepticism and autonomy concerns were common. Messages reflected conflict and distrust of government activities, which could negatively impact this and other youth-focused public health initiatives. If school health professionals are aware of the potential issues raised in media coverage of school-based health mandates, they will be more able to convey appropriate health education messages and promote informed decision-making by parents and students. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Physician-assisted suicide and/or euthanasia: Pragmatic implications for palliative care [corrected].

PubMed

Hudson, Peter; Hudson, Rosalie; Philip, Jennifer; Boughey, Mark; Kelly, Brian; Hertogh, Cees

2015-10-01

Despite the availability of palliative care in many countries, legalization of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (EAS) continues to be debated-particularly around ethical and legal issues--and the surrounding controversy shows no signs of abating. Responding to EAS requests is considered one of the most difficult healthcare responsibilities. In the present paper, we highlight some of the less frequently discussed practical implications for palliative care provision if EAS were to be legalized. Our aim was not to take an explicit anti-EAS stance or expand on findings from systematic reviews or philosophical and ethico-legal treatises, but rather to offer clinical perspectives and the potential pragmatic implications of legalized EAS for palliative care provision, patients and families, healthcare professionals, and the broader community. We provide insights from our multidisciplinary clinical experience, coupled with those from various jurisdictions where EAS is, or has been, legalized. We believe that these issues, many of which are encountered at the bedside, must be considered in detail so that the pragmatic implications of EAS can be comprehensively considered. Increased resources and effort must be directed toward training, research, community engagement, and ensuring adequate resourcing for palliative care before further consideration is given to allocating resources for legalizing euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide.

Impact of atrazine prohibition on the sustainability of weed management in Wisconsin maize production.

PubMed

Dong, Fengxia; Mitchell, Paul D; Davis, Vince M; Recker, Ross

2017-02-01

Controversy has surrounded atrazine owing to its susceptibility to leaching and run-off, with regular calls for a ban or restrictions on its use. In the context of a decreasing trend in the percentage of US maize using no-till since 2008, coinciding with the trend of glyphosate-resistant weeds becoming problematic in the Midwestern United States, we empirically examine how atrazine use restrictions have impacted the diversity of weed management practices used by Wisconsin maize farmers. Using survey data from farms inside and outside atrazine prohibition areas, we found that prohibiting atrazine did not directly impact tillage practices, but rather it increased the adoption of herbicide-resistant seed, which then increased adoption of conservation tillage systems. We also found that prohibiting atrazine and using herbicide-resistant seed reduced the number of herbicide sites of action used. The results indicate that prohibiting atrazine reduced the diversity of weed management practices, which increased the risk of herbicide resistance. Our concern is that a regulatory policy to address one issue (atrazine in groundwater) has induced farmer responses that increase problems with another issue (herbicide-resistant weeds) that longer term will contribute to water quality problems from increased soil erosion and offset the initial benefits. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

The six most essential questions in psychiatric diagnosis: a pluralogue part 3: issues of utility and alternative approaches in psychiatric diagnosis

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

In face of the multiple controversies surrounding the DSM process in general and the development of DSM-5 in particular, we have organized a discussion around what we consider six essential questions in further work on the DSM. The six questions involve: 1) the nature of a mental disorder; 2) the definition of mental disorder; 3) the issue of whether, in the current state of psychiatric science, DSM-5 should assume a cautious, conservative posture or an assertive, transformative posture; 4) the role of pragmatic considerations in the construction of DSM-5; 5) the issue of utility of the DSM – whether DSM-III and IV have been designed more for clinicians or researchers, and how this conflict should be dealt with in the new manual; and 6) the possibility and advisability, given all the problems with DSM-III and IV, of designing a different diagnostic system. Part 1 of this article took up the first two questions. Part 2 took up the second two questions. Part 3 now deals with Questions 5 & 6. Question 5 confronts the issue of utility, whether the manual design of DSM-III and IV favors clinicians or researchers, and what that means for DSM-5. Our final question, Question 6, takes up a concluding issue, whether the acknowledged problems with the earlier DSMs warrants a significant overhaul of DSM-5 and future manuals. As in Parts 1 & 2 of this article, the general introduction, as well as the introductions and conclusions for the specific questions, are written by James Phillips, and the responses to commentaries are written by Allen Frances. PMID:22621419

The Older Person's Guide to Safe Driving. Public Affairs Pamphlet No. 641.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brenton, Myron

This pamphlet is a practical guide with helpful suggestions on safe driving for older people. A discussion of the controversy surrounding older people's driving ability begins the pamphlet. Effects of aging on driving are discussed, including affects on vision, twilight and night driving, hearing, muscles and joints, and mental functions. It is…

As His Day in Court Arrives, Ward Churchill Is Depicted in Sharply Different Lights

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Peter

2009-01-01

The trial in Ward Churchill's lawsuit against the University of Colorado got under way here last week with lawyers for the opposing sides painting starkly different pictures of both the controversial ethnic-studies professor and the circumstances surrounding his dismissal by the university in 2007. In delivering their opening remarks in a crowded…

Who Guards the Guardians? National Implications of Accreditation at City College of San Francisco

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barber, Bob; McNair, Delores E.

2017-01-01

Purpose: This article addresses the broad context of community college accreditation which surrounds a controversy involving one of the largest community colleges in the United States, City College of San Francisco (CCSF), and its regional accrediting agency, the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC). Its purposes are to…

What Makes for Successful Speaker-Listener Technique? Two Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Mary R.

2010-01-01

This article reviews some of the controversy surrounding the use and effectiveness of active listening or the Speaker-Listener Technique (SL) in relational counseling. The purpose and function of SL is described and two case studies are presented to illustrate how SL operates in a therapeutic setting and how the outcomes can vary. These case…

The Ohio Department of Education L10H23 "Critical Analysis of Evolution"; Innovative Lesson Plan or Stealthy Advocacy Tool?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Day, Robert

2006-01-01

This paper will discuss the ongoing controversy surrounding a particular Ohio Department of Education tenth grade lesson plan titled "Critical Analysis of Evolution" (Ohio Department of Education identification L10H23). The lesson professes to encourage students to "critically examine" evidences for and against evolution and…

Research Note: Assessing the Perceived Seriousness of White-Collar and Street Crimes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piquero, Nicole Leeper; Carmichael, Stephanie; Piquero, Alex R.

2008-01-01

Controversy surrounds the ranking of crime seriousness of white-collar crimes relative to street crimes, with early research suggesting the general public is indifferent to crimes of the elite, whereas more recent research indicates that the public thinks certain types of white-collar crime are serious. Building on prior research limitations and…

Trade, Education and the GATS: What's In, What's Out, What's All the Fuss about?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sauve, Pierre

2002-01-01

Addresses some of the public policy controversies surrounding the treatment of education services under the World Trade Organization's General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). Describes the core features of GATS, highlighting how the four modes of supplying services relate to trade in education services and discusses the limited role GATS…

"Behind the Teacher's Back": An Ethnographic Study of Deaf People's Schooling Experiences in the Republic of Ireland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connell, Noel Patrick; Deegan, Jim

2014-01-01

Historically, the valuing of deaf children's voices on their own schooling has been underrepresented in educational policies, curriculum frameworks and discursive practices and, in particular, in the debates and controversies surrounding oralism and Irish Sign Language in deaf education in Ireland. This article discusses children's everyday lived…

Who's Afraid Now? Reconstructing Canadian Citizenship Education through Transdisciplinarity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Richard C.

2010-01-01

Viewed through the lenses of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), this article critically evaluates the growing controversy surrounding the teaching of human rights in Canada. In line with critiques and with previous empirical studies on the implementation of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child…

Cognitive Abuse within the Incestuous Family as a Factor in the Development of Dissociative Identity Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed-Gavish, Maya

2013-01-01

The polarized nature of the ongoing controversies surrounding the genesis and validity of dissociative identity disorder pit advocates who see and work with dissociative identity disorder sufferers against skeptics who claim it to be an artificial iatrogenically produced phenomenon. This paper suggests that such a dichotomy is unwarranted and…

Towards Human Rights in South African Schools: An Agenda for Research and Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kruss, Glenda

2001-01-01

Develops a taxonomy of four kinds of situations in which race and other grounds for discrimination become the focus of school-level controversy surrounding equality and equity. Examines the kinds of responses and discourses South African schools use to engage with the policy discourse of desegregation and human rights and establishes an agenda for…

The Evaluation of Oral/Aural Skills within the BA Finals Examination: Analysis and Interim Proposals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawshaw, Robert

An examination of the principles and techniques of oral testing in British university-level final examinations in modern languages discusses: (1) the shortcomings of present oral testing procedures; (2) the theoretical controversy surrounding the design and value of oral proficiency tests, arising from research in English as a second language…

Una Mejor Opportunidad para Aprender: La Educacion Bilingue Bicultural (A Better Chance to Learn: Bilingual-Bicultural Education).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Commission on Civil Rights, Washington, DC.

The effectiveness of bilingual bicultural education as a means of increasing the opportunities of language minority students is examined in this report, which is addressed to educators and the general public. First, an introduction defines key terms, briefly outlines controversies which surround bilingual education, and describes the contents of…

The Dangers of Playing Dress-Up: Popular Representations of Jessica Lynch and the Controversy Regarding Women in Combat

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Shannon L.

2006-01-01

Through a critical analysis of the public discourse surrounding the capture and rescue of Jessica Lynch, this essay investigates how Lynch's body "comes to matter" in political debates regarding women in combat. This article argues that popular representations of Lynch's natural femaleness rearticulate the seemingly biological distinctions between…

Rogers' Typograph Versus Mergenthaler's Linotype: The Push and Shove of Patents and Priority in the 1890s.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goble, Corban

The interplay of historical, technological, legal, and economic events that surrounded the strident controversies involving two competing 1890s composing machines--John R. Rogers's Typograph and Ottmar Mergenthaler's Linotype--is examined in this paper. Using patent copies, court documents, trade journal reports and newspaper articles of the era,…

Use density, visitor experience, and limiting recreational use in wilderness: progress to date and research needs

Treesearch

Wayne A. Freimund; David N. Cole

2001-01-01

Recent increases in demand have revitalized interest and controversy surrounding use limits and the effect of visitor density on wilderness experiences. A workshop held in Missoula, Montana, in June of 2000 addressed the potential for social science to contribute to understanding and managing increasingly populated wilderness conditions. Scientists identified progress...

From Users to Designers: Building a Self-Organizing Game-Based Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Squire, Kurt; Giovanetto, Levi; Devane, Ben; Durga, Shree

2005-01-01

The simultaneous publication of Steven Johnson's Everything Bad is Good for You and appearance of media reports of X-rated content in the popular game Grand Theft Auto has renewed controversies surrounding the social effects of computer and video games. On the one hand, videogames scholars argue that videogames are complex, cognitively challenging…

Infants' Perception of Goal-Directed Actions: Development through Cue-Based Bootstrapping

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biro, Szilvia; Leslie, Alan M.

2007-01-01

It is now widely accepted that sensitivity to goal-directed actions emerges during the first year of life. However, controversy still surrounds the question of how this sensitivity emerges and develops. One set of views emphasizes the role of observing behavioral cues, while another emphasizes the role of experience with producing own action. In a…

On Anna's Terms: Supporting a Student's Gender Transition in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodela, Katherine C.; Tobin, Jack M.

2017-01-01

This case study details how one leader worked to support a fifth-grade student's gender transition midway through a school year. Despite a conservative political environment, push-back from families and community members, and district controversy surrounding adoption of a Transgender Inclusion policy, the principal worked closely with the student,…

The Longitudinal Interplay of Adolescents' Self-Esteem and Body Image: A Conditional Autoregressive Latent Trajectory Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morin, Alexandre J. S.; Maiano, Christophe; Marsh, Herbert W.; Janosz, Michel; Nagengast, Benjamin

2011-01-01

Self-esteem and body image are central to coping successfully with the developmental challenges of adolescence. However, the current knowledge surrounding self-esteem and body image is fraught with controversy. This study attempts to clarify some of them by addressing three questions: (1) Are the intraindividual developmental trajectories of…

Singular and interactive effects of blowdown, salvage logging, and wildfire in sub-boreal pine systems

Treesearch

Anthony W. D' Amato; Shawn Fraver; Brian Palik; John B. Bradford; Laura. Patty

2011-01-01

The role of disturbance in structuring vegetation is widely recognized; however, we are only beginning to understand the effects of multiple interacting disturbances on ecosystem recovery and development. Of particular interest is the impact of post-disturbance management interventions, particularly in light of the global controversy surrounding the effects of salvage...

The Relevance of Second Language Acquisition Theory to the Written Error Correction Debate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polio, Charlene

2012-01-01

The controversies surrounding written error correction can be traced to Truscott (1996) in his polemic against written error correction. He claimed that empirical studies showed that error correction was ineffective and that this was to be expected "given the nature of the correction process and "the nature of language learning" (p. 328, emphasis…

Is Language Necessary for Human Spatial Reorientation? Reconsidering Evidence from Dual Task Paradigms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratliff, Kristin R.; Newcombe, Nora S.

2008-01-01

Being able to reorient to the spatial environment after disorientation is a basic adaptive challenge. There is clear evidence that reorientation uses geometric information about the shape of the surrounding space. However, there has been controversy concerning whether use of geometry is a modular function, and whether use of features is dependent…

78 FR 60998 - Proposed Collection: Information Collection Surrounding the Sale and Issue of Marketable Book...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-02

... Collection Surrounding the Sale and Issue of Marketable Book-Entry Securities ACTION: Notice and request for... Department of the Treasury is soliciting comments concerning the Sale and Issue of Marketable Book-Entry... Marketable Book-Entry Securities. OMB Number: 1535-0112. Abstract: The information is requested to ensure...

The pearl of the 'Pro-Life' movement? Reflections on the Kermit Gosnell controversy.

PubMed

Greasley, Kate

2014-06-01

The paper comments briefly on the recent controversy surrounding the criminal prosecution and conviction of rogue abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell in the USA, for, among other things, the murder of infants born alive. Without contesting the disturbing nature of the crimes committed by Gosnell and his colleagues, it critiques a few ways in which opponents of abortion have sought to use the case as ammunition against the legal provision of abortion and against the morality of all abortion. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Perspective: Challenges and Controversial Issues in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 1980-2015.

PubMed

Nestle, Marion

2018-03-01

Since 1980, every edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) has recommended increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, but reduced consumption of saturated fat, sugars, and sodium and, therefore, their primary food sources. Every edition has generated controversy, mainly from producers of foods affected by "eat less" recommendations, particularly meat. Objections to the 2015 DGAs focused on environmental as well as scientific issues, but also on purported conflicts of interest among members of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. On this basis, critics induced Congress to authorize the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) to review the process of drawing up the guidelines. The NAM's 2017 reports should strengthen the process, but as long as science continues to support advice to reduce consumption of targeted foods, the guidelines will continue to elicit political controversy.

Promoting the role of the personal narrative in teaching controversial socio-scientific issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levinson, Ralph

2008-09-01

Citizens participating in contemporary socio-scientific issues (SSI) need to draw on local knowledge and personal experience. If curricular developments in the teaching of controversial SSI are to reflect contemporary notions of citizenship then the personal narrative is an indispensable instrument in bridging the gap between the local/personal and the emergent science. In the context of controversy personal narratives help contending parties to see events in the light of those who do not share their views. A goal-oriented protagonist is the narrator in the personal narrative, which consists of three components - situation-event-reaction—the reaction being an evaluation of the event. Promoting personal narratives in science-based curricula is considered problematic given the dominant role of science’s explanatory frameworks. An inter-disciplinary approach is proposed based on McLaughlin’s levels of disagreement.

The Right to Live and Die. Canadian Critical Issues Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eisenberg, John; Bourne, Paula

One of a series adapted from the Canadian Public Issues Project, this book is designed to stimulate discussion and reflection about controversial issues through case studies. The book is based on high school units originally drawn from cases in newspapers, journals, books, legal documents, and government reports. Conflicts from issues arising over…

Women's Roles in the Economy: Teaching the Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergmann, Barbara R.

1987-01-01

Examines current controversial issues concerning the roles of women in the U.S. economy. Discusses women and the labor market, the economics of family life, and public policy issues directly affecting women. Reviews current literature and identifies specific topics for classroom study. (Author/DH)

Defending Academic Freedom: Advice for Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simpson, Michael D.

2010-01-01

Social studies and history teachers should be free to expose students to controversial ideas and to teach critical thinking skills. But are they free? Do they have the constitutional right--call it academic freedom--to teach what they want and to discuss controversial issues in the classroom? The short answer is "no." In this article,…

Controversy in the Psychology Classroom: Using Hot Topics to Foster Critical Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunn, Dana S., Ed.; Gurung, Regan A. R., Ed.; Naufel, Karen Z., Ed.; Wilson, Janie H., Ed.

2012-01-01

One of the hallmarks of a quality liberal arts education is providing undergraduates the opportunity to wrestle with controversial issues. Yet many teachers feel ill-equipped when it comes to broaching disagreeable topics, managing the resulting heated debates, or helping students to separate their personal feelings from scientific evidence. This…

Scientific Controversies in Teaching Science: The Case of Volta.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kipnis, Nahum

2001-01-01

Discusses a way of introducing a scientific controversy that emphasizes objective aspects of such issues as multiple theoretical interpretation of phenomena, choosing a theory, and insistence on the chosen theory. The goal is to give students a better insight into the workings of science and provide guidelines for building theories in their own…

Preparing Student Teachers to Address Complex Learning and Controversy with Middle Grades Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Ann Marie; Lennon, Sean

2011-01-01

This qualitative study explores pre-service teachers' perceptions of teaching critical literacy through discussions of controversial issues. Personality questionnaires were given to six classes of pre-student teachers over three semesters in order to gauge interest in teaching methods that incorporate inquiry learning and critical literacy. The…

The Animal Experimentation Controversy: Ethical Views of Prospective Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Villiers, Rian

2012-01-01

Vivisection (live animal experimentation) is a controversial issue for many people. The purpose of this case study is to examine the attitudes of prospective teachers toward vivisection in education and research, to determine if gender has an influence on these attitudes, and to discuss the implications of these attitudes with regard to teaching…

Media Misrepresentations of a Mascot Controversy: Contested Constructions of Race and Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerstl-Pepin, Cynthia; Liang, Guodong

2010-01-01

This article examines media coverage of a high school Native American mascot controversy. Discourse analysis of media documents and artifacts was utilized to explore how the issue was socially constructed for public consumption. Critical race feminism was used as a framework to examine how media discourses can oversimplify the complex interaction…

Character Education: Controversy and Consensus. Controversial Issues in Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lockwood, Anne Turnbaugh

This book draws on conversations with six individuals, each of whom offers a distinct approach to character education and speaks to the problems and the practical side of designing, implementing, and evaluating character education. The text opens with an overview of character education, exploring what it is, moral dilemmas, goals, and criticisms.…

Apraxia of Speech: Concepts and Controversies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ziegler, Wolfram; Aichert, Ingrid; Staiger, Anja

2012-01-01

Purpose: This article was written as an editorial to a collection of original articles on apraxia of speech (AOS) in which some of the more recent advancements in the understanding of this syndrome are discussed. It covers controversial issues concerning the theoretical foundations of AOS. Our approach was motivated by a change of perspective on…

Controversy, Trials, and Crime--Oh My!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rott, Kim

2006-01-01

Teenagers' innate interest with the justice system is one of the reasons that so many high school literary classics teem with criminals, controversial issues, and trials. Novels such as "To Kill a Mockingbird," "A Separate Peace," "The Crucible," and "Twelve Angry Men" feature high-impact trials. In the author's desire to tap into this interest,…

Should We Be Teaching Sex Education or Sexual Abstinence?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stover, Del

2007-01-01

In this article, the author examines the controversial issue whether to teach sex education or sexual abstinence. Sex education has always been fraught with controversy. The discord in Westbrook, Maine, school district is noteworthy because of the vocal support for an abstinence-only curriculum approach to sex education that has reshaped the…

Dr. Faustus: Theist or Atheist?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karim, Shah Mohammad Sanaul; Fathema, Fawzia; Hakim, Abdul

2015-01-01

Dr. Faustus is the greatest but the most controversial of Marlowe's plays. Among the causes of controversy, whether Dr. Faustus is an atheist or theist deserves utmost attention. This paper is intended to deal with the issue. Though at various stages of the development of the action, Dr. Faustus abjures Trinity, resorts to necromancy, becomes…

Controversy and Counternarrative in the Social Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaver, Erik James

2017-01-01

This qualitative study sought to explore reasons why social studies teachers chose to teach controversial issues and counternarratives in their classroom in an era where doing so is dangerous for teachers and their job security, and how they go about doing so in their classrooms. The theoretical framework of this study encompassed the notion that…

Effects of Synchronicity and Belongingness on Face-to-Face and Computer-Mediated Constructive Controversy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saltarelli, Andy J.; Roseth, Cary J.

2014-01-01

Adapting face-to-face (FTF) pedagogies to online settings raises boundary questions about the contextual conditions in which the same instructional method stimulates different outcomes. We address this issue by examining FTF and computer-mediated communication (CMC) versions of constructive controversy, a cooperative learning procedure involving…

Plus Ca Change: Antivivisection Then and Now.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritvo, Harriet

1984-01-01

Traces the history of the antivivisection movement, examining issues related to the use of animals in studying the cause of rabies. Also discusses issues related to the current controversy over animal experimentation. (JN)

How to Teach Controversial Constitutional Issues Facing Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berry, Mary Frances

1988-01-01

Explains that teaching the historical context of women's legal issues allows future voters to make informed decisions. Suggests ways of including the Equal Rights Amendment, sexual harassment, sexual discrimination, and abortion in the high school curriculum. Recommends several anthologies of primary materials for teaching these issues. (LS)

Autism Narratives in Media Coverage of the MMR Vaccine-Autism Controversy under a Crip Futurism Framework.

PubMed

Mann, Benjamin W

2018-03-09

While previous studies in health communication have examined online news media regarding autism, there is a lack of research that critically examines how such media representations may stigmatize autism and seeks to eliminate the condition, particularly in the context of the resurging measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine-autism controversy. To address this gap in the literature, this study analyzes 153 articles that engage the MMR vaccine-autism controversy from the top 10 online news sources in the U.S. from September 2015 through July 2017. It draws from Kafer's (2013) work in Feminist, Crip, Queer, using a lens of crip futurism to interpret three major narrative themes: a death and survival narrative that purports autism as a worst-case scenario, a societal problem narrative, and a preventative narrative that seeks to eliminate the condition. These themes suggest that online news media narratives about autism surrounding the autism-MMR controversy play into stereotypes about autism, including stigmatization and prioritization of preventive behaviors and cures over supporting the lived experiences of autistic individuals. Continued research on the impact of online media portrayals of autism specifically, and disability in health contexts generally, is called for.

Sentinels Guarding the Grail: Value-Added Measurement and the Quest for Education Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gabriel, Rachael; Lester, Jessica Nina

2013-01-01

Since the beginning of the federal Race To The Top grant competition, Value-Added Measurement (VAM) has captured the attention of the American public through high-profile media representations of the tool and the controversy that surrounds it. In this paper, we build upon investigations of constructions of VAM in the media and present a discourse…

Spirituality, Values and the School's Ethos: Factors Shaping Leadership in a Faith-Based School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Striepe, Michelle; Clarke, Simon; O'Donoghue, Thomas

2014-01-01

Studies which examine how educational leadership in faith-based schools is understood and practised are few and far between in the research literature. This is surprising given the important role faith-based schools play within the Australian school system and the controversy that has often surrounded them. Taking into consideration the gap in the…

Unitary or Non-Unitary Nature of Working Memory? Evidence from Its Relation to General Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dang, Cai-Ping; Braeken, Johan; Ferrer, Emilio; Liu, Chang

2012-01-01

This study explored the controversy surrounding working memory: whether it is a unitary system providing general purpose resources or a more differentiated system with domain-specific sub-components. A total of 348 participants completed a set of 6 working memory tasks that systematically varied in storage target contents and type of information…

The Implementation of an Alternate Route to a Diploma in One State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouck, Emily C.; Wasburn-Moses, Leah

2010-01-01

Twenty-two states continue to require exit exams, despite ongoing controversy surrounding their use. In all, exit exams affect nearly two thirds of high school students in this country. Many states, however, offer some alternative route or routes to a diploma, by which at least some students may bypass the exam requirement. This study examines the…

English as a Global Lingua Franca: A Threat to Multilingual Communication and Translation?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

House, Juliane

2014-01-01

In this paper I will look at the controversy surrounding the current status of English in the world. I will consider the question of whether the dominant role of English as a lingua franca (ELF) is a menace to other languages, to multilingual communication and to the profession of translation and interpreting, or whether a positive evaluation of…

How Are Teachers Integrating Technology in K-5 Classrooms? Studying Student Cognitive Engagement Using the Instructional Practices Inventory-Technology (IPI-T) Instrument

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dennis, Larinee B.

2013-01-01

"It is often assumed that changing the classroom by introducing technology will result in better teaching and increased student motivation, which ultimately means more effective student learning experiences" (Donovan, Green, & Hartley, 2010, p. 423). But does it? This is the controversy and debate that surrounds the promise and…

Vermont's Act 60: Comprehensive School Finance Reform--Effects in the First Year of Full Implementation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathis, William J.; Fleming, Brenda L.

Vermont's Act 60 received national attention not only because of the controversy surrounding the sharing pool (or recapture provision) but also because of its "potential for being the most equitable system in the country." For fiscal years 1998 to 2001, tax rates have become more equitable, and a direct relationship has appeared between…

Public resource pricing: an analysis of range policy.

Treesearch

Thomas M. Quigley; R. Garth Taylor; R. McGreggor Cawley

1988-01-01

Pricing represents an important step in the allocation of scarce resources. Markets, which set the price policy, are not restricted by a simple buyer-seller relation. The Federal grazing-fee policy is at the forefront of controversy surrounding the pricing of all uses of public lands. The pricing process of grazing fees has been cyclical. With few exceptions, the cycle...

Thickening the Global SOF Network

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

in thought, and regulate both positive and negative emotions in oneself and others. EI is a necessary, but not fully sufficient, quality Green...assimilate emotions in thought, and regulate both positive and negative emotions in oneself and others. EI is a necessary, but not fully sufficient...both positive and negative emotions in oneself and others. B. THE HISTORY AND CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE Since its first

Education and Social Media: Toward a Digital Future. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenhow, Christine, Ed.; Sonnevend, Julia, Ed.; Agur, Colin, Ed.

2016-01-01

How are widely popular social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram transforming how teachers teach, how kids learn, and the very foundations of education? What controversies surround the integration of social media in students' lives? The past decade has brought increased access to new media, and with this new opportunities and…

Report on the Russians: An Analysis of the Controversy Surrounding William Lindsay White's 1945 Account of Russia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Folkerts, Jean Lange

During the summer of 1944, journalist William Lindsay White accompanied Eric Johnston, president of the United States Chamber of Commerce, to the Soviet Union. Early the next year White published an account of the trip, "Report on the Russians," which made the best seller lists, but which pleased few individuals and attracted a great…

Sub-Saharan Africa Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-03-20

86) 50 Controversy Surrounds Grain Marketing Policies (Margaret Dolley; AFRICA ECONOMIC DIGEST, Dec 86) 54 MOZAMBIQUE People’s Assembly...which were generally created by imperialism itself, [words indistinct] conflicts of low or high intensity. As you, Comrade Costa, are aware , (?all this...married. His wife worked in social welfare in Jamba. During the transition government set up after 25 April 1974, having already enlisted

School Closures in New York City: Did Students Do Better after Their High Schools Were Closed?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kemple, James J.

2016-01-01

Much has been written about the controversy surrounding performance-based school closures, but there has been no rigorous assessment of their impact on student achievement. Does the closure process harm students who are enrolled in a school while it is being phased out? Are future students better-off because a low-performing option has been…

The Sex Education Debates: Teaching "Life Style" in West Bengal, India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chakravarti, Paromita

2011-01-01

This paper examines the recent controversies surrounding the decision to introduce sex education in secondary schools in India to combat the rapid spread of HIV and AIDS in the country. While 11 Indian states have banned it, the Left-ruled state of West Bengal has designed a teachers' manual to impart sex education. However, a close analysis of…

Instructional Conditions in Charter Schools and Students' Mathematics Achievement Gains. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berends, Mark; Goldring, Ellen; Stein, Marc; Cravens, Xiu

2010-01-01

When examining school choice in the United States, one is struck by the variety of options available as well as the bitter controversies surrounding these choices. Nevertheless, the school choice movement is gathering steam, and research on choice is expanding to assess whether or not the movement is doing what it aims to do: advance educational…

Nuclear Winter: Uncertainties Surround the Long-Term Effects of Nuclear War. Report to the Congress.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

General Accounting Office, Washington, DC.

Nuclear winter, a term used to describe potential long-term climate and environmental effects of nuclear war, has been a subject of debate and controversy. This report examines and presents scientific and policy implications of nuclear winter. Contents include: (1) an executive summary (highlighting previous and current studies on the topic); (2)…

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome and C3 glomerulopathy: conclusions from a "Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes" (KDIGO) Controversies Conference.

PubMed

Goodship, Timothy H J; Cook, H Terence; Fakhouri, Fadi; Fervenza, Fernando C; Frémeaux-Bacchi, Véronique; Kavanagh, David; Nester, Carla M; Noris, Marina; Pickering, Matthew C; Rodríguez de Córdoba, Santiago; Roumenina, Lubka T; Sethi, Sanjeev; Smith, Richard J H

2017-03-01

In both atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) and C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) complement plays a primary role in disease pathogenesis. Herein we report the outcome of a 2015 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Controversies Conference where key issues in the management of these 2 diseases were considered by a global panel of experts. Areas addressed included renal pathology, clinical phenotype and assessment, genetic drivers of disease, acquired drivers of disease, and treatment strategies. In order to help guide clinicians who are caring for such patients, recommendations for best treatment strategies were discussed at length, providing the evidence base underpinning current treatment options. Knowledge gaps were identified and a prioritized research agenda was proposed to resolve outstanding controversial issues. Copyright © 2016 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

"Too good to be true": the controversy over the use of permanganate of potash as an antidote to snake poison and the circulation of Brazilian physiology in the nineteenth century.

PubMed

Vimieiro Gomes, Ana Carolina

2012-01-01

This article examines an international controversy over the most visible scientific event of Brazilian physiology in the nineteenth century. In 1881, Brazilian scientist João Baptista Lacerda stated that he had found an efficient antidote to the poison of Brazilian snakes: permanganate of potash (nowadays, potassium permanganate). His findings were given great publicity in Brazil and traveled rapidly around the world. Scientists, especially in France, contradicted Lacerda's claims. They argued that permanganate of potash could not be a genuine antidote to snake bites since it could not neutralize snake venom when diffused in the body. Lacerda turned down such criticism, claiming that clinical observation provided solid evidence for the drug's local action, on the spot surrounding the bite. The controversy over the use of permanganate of potash as an antidote to snake bite illustrates different regimes of proof that could be mobilized in favor of a physiological discovery.

Perspectives in patent law: overview, careers, and controversies.

PubMed

Davis, Clara

2009-01-01

This paper is directed to scientists and engineers who wish to learn more about careers in patent law. It presents an overview of the patent process along with a description of the various roles of individuals and institutions involved. Finally, the paper briefly discusses a few of the more controversial issues in the patent law field today.

Controversy in the Composition Classroom: Debate as a Mode of Pre-Writing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClish, Glen

Controversy and debate can be effectively employed as the central pre-writing activity in the composition classroom. The current model of prewriting in the composition classroom is the reflective model, which involves relatively private exploration of issues and ideas leading to paper topics. Although in the short run it is easier for both student…

Assessment Theory and Practice of Students' Outcomes in the Nordic Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lysne, Anders

2006-01-01

In the latest decades assessment in education has become a very controversial issue in many western countries, and especially so in the Nordic countries, where the controversy became most passionate in Norway. It was really not a debate about whether or not formal marks should be used in communication of educational outcomes for the individual…

Reason, Liberalism, and Democratic Education: A Deweyan Approach to Teaching about Homosexuality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petrovic, John E.

2013-01-01

Teaching about homosexuality, especially in a positive light, has long been held to be a controversial issue. There is, however, a view of the capacity for reason that finds that those who deem homosexuality to be controversial will ultimately contradict themselves, becoming unreasonable. By this standard of reason, homosexuality should be treated…

College Board Delegates Argue Controversies of the Day: Productivity and Paying for College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evangelauf, Jean

1987-01-01

The annual meeting of the College Board focused on some of the most controversial issues facing higher education including: productivity, accountability, prepaid tuition plans, Guaranteed Student Loan (GSL) program, and one alternative to the G.S.L.--students could borrow from the government and then pay a higher Social Security tax. (MLW)

Electricity's Future: The Shift to Efficiency and Small-Scale Power. Worldwatch Paper 61.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flavin, Christopher

Electricity, which has largely supplanted oil as the most controversial energy issue of the 1980s, is at the center of some of the world's bitterest economic and environmental controversies. Soaring costs, high interest rates, and environmental damage caused by large power plants have wreaked havoc on the once booming electricity industry.…

Reconceptualisation of Approaches to Teaching Evaluation in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tran, Nga D.

2015-01-01

The ubiquity of using Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) in higher education is inherently controversial. Issues mostly resolve around whether the instrument is reliable and valid for the purpose for which it was intended. Controversies exist, in part, due to the lack of a theoretical framework upon which SETs can be based and tested for their…

A Fair and Balanced Look at the News: What Affects Memory for Controversial Arguments?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiley, J.

2005-01-01

This research demonstrates how prior knowledge may allow for qualitative differences in representation of texts about controversial issues. People often experience a memory bias in favor of information with which they agree. In several experiments it was found that individuals with high prior knowledge about the topic were better able to recall…

Science News of Controversy: The Case of Marijuana. Journalism Monographs No. 62.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepherd, R. Gordon

1979-01-01

A study of news refraction was conducted to determine how well the press has functioned in popularizing scientific views and findings on a subject with direct implications for a controversial social issue. In reporting the marijuana question, the press produced a certain amount of refraction or news-slanting. For example, science articles…

Creationism in the Classroom: A Controversy with Serious Consequences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Sylvia

2010-01-01

The resignation of the Revd Professor Michael Reiss from his position as Director of Education at the Royal Society over the issue of the teaching of creationism in school science classes provides the background to this article. The immediate controversy is described and considered in relation to its wider context and to the serious questions that…

The Reinforcement of Ableism: Normality, the Medical Model of Disability, and Humanism in Applied Behavior Analysis and ASD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shyman, Eric

2016-01-01

The field of educating individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder has ever been rife with controversy regarding issues ranging from etiology and causation to effective intervention and education options. One such basis for controversy has been between humanism, and humanistic philosophical concepts, and its fundamental differences with behaviorism,…

The Evolution/Creation Science Controversy: Educate Rather Than Debate.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jane, Beverley

This paper is linked to the theme History and Philosophy of Science. The Evolution and creation science controversy is now in the general public's arena and poses a challenge for school science. The paper begins by briefly describing the current situation concerning this issue in Australia and the United States of America. In the subject Biology,…

Effects of Face-to-Face and Computer-Mediated Constructive Controversy on Social Interdependence, Motivation, and Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roseth, Cary J.; Saltarelli, Andy J.; Glass, Chris R.

2011-01-01

Cooperative learning capitalizes on the relational processes by which peers promote learning, yet it remains unclear whether these processes operate similarly in face-to-face and online settings. This study addresses this issue by comparing face-to-face and computer-mediated versions of "constructive controversy", a cooperative learning procedure…

Controversies of Standardized Assessment in School Accountability Reform: A Critical Synthesis of Multidisciplinary Research Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Lihshing; Beckett, Gulbahar H.; Brown, Lionel

2006-01-01

Standardized assessment in school systems has been the center of debate for decades. Although the voices of opponents of standardized tests have dominated the public forum, only a handful of scholars and practitioners have argued in defense of standardized tests. This article provides a critical synthesis of the controversial issues on…

Using Controversial Media To Teach Issues about Gender.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Barbara L.

This paper discusses the merits and limitations of using both fiction and nonfiction films and videos to teach issues related to gender (especially issues of appearance, dieting, aging, abuse, rape, and power relationships between the sexes) in gender communication courses (and by extension, other communication courses, such as interpersonal…

Know Nukes: A Nuclear Power Issues Curriculum Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butterfield, Charlie; McCandless, Marjorie

Classroom activities are presented to help teachers introduce general controversial issues and specific issues on nuclear power in their high school science, social studies, and English classes. Objectives are to help students understand the various techniques of persuasion; the relationship between bias, persuasion, and fact; how these techniques…

School Safety Concerns All Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Megan

1999-01-01

Suggests that school safety is an issue that concerns all students. Discusses how the staff of the Rockwood South (Missouri) "RAMpage" covered the shootings at Columbine High School in a 14-page issue and in follow-up issues. Suggests that the student newspaper covered the controversial topic in an appropriate, tasteful manner. (RS)

Imaging Management of Breast Density, a Controversial Risk Factor for Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Falcon, Shannon; Williams, Angela; Weinfurtner, Jared; Drukteinis, Jennifer S

2017-04-01

Breast density is well recognized as an independent risk factor for the development of breast cancer. However, the magnitude of risk is controversial. As the public becomes increasingly aware of breast density as a risk factor, legislation and notification laws in relation to breast density have become common throughout the United States. Awareness of breast density as a risk factor for breast cancer presents new challenges for the clinician in the approach to the management and screening of women with dense breasts. The evidence and controversy surrounding breast density as a risk factor for the development of breast cancer are discussed. Common supplemental screening modalities for breast cancer are also discussed, including tomosynthesis, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging. A management strategy for screening women with dense breasts is also presented. The American College of Radiology recognizes breast density as a controversial risk factor for breast cancer, whereas the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recognizes breast density as a modest risk factor. Neither organization recommends the routine use of supplemental screening in women with dense breasts without considering additional patient-related risk factors. Breast density is a poorly understood and controversial risk factor for the development of breast cancer. Mammography is a screening modality proven to reduce breast cancer-related mortality rates and is the single most appropriate tool for population-based screening. Use of supplemental screening modalities should be tailored to individual risk assessment.

75 FR 14602 - Guidance for Industry on Drug-Induced Liver Injury: Premarketing Clinical Evaluation; Opening of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-26

... and 25, 2010, to discuss and debate issues contained in the published guidance document. The purpose... specific debate and discussion some controversial issues such as: Whether indications of cholestasis...

Herpes Zoster Vaccination: Controversies and Common Clinical Questions.

PubMed

Van Epps, Puja; Schmader, Kenneth E; Canaday, David H

2016-01-01

Herpes zoster, clinically referred to as shingles, is an acute, cutaneous viral infection caused by reactivation of the varicella zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. The incidence of herpes zoster and its complications increase with decline in cell-mediated immunity, including age-associated decline. The most effective management strategy for herpes zoster is prevention of the disease through vaccination in those who are most vulnerable. Despite the demonstrated efficacy in reducing the incidence and severity of herpes zoster, the uptake of vaccine remains low. Here, we will discuss the controversies that surround the live herpes zoster vaccine and address the common clinical questions that arise. We will also discuss the new adjuvanted herpes zoster vaccine currently under investigation. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Sex differences in jealousy: the (lack of) influence of researcher theoretical perspective.

PubMed

Edlund, John; Heider, Jeremy D; Nichols, Austin Lee; McCarthy, Randy J; Wood, Sarah E; Scherer, Cory R; Hartnett, Jessica L; Walker, Richard

2017-09-01

The sex difference in jealousy is an effect that has generated significant controversy in the academic literature (resulting in two meta-analyses that reached different conclusions on the presence or absence of the effect). In this study, we had a team of researchers from different theoretical perspectives use identical protocols to test whether the sex difference in jealousy would occur across many different samples (while testing whether mate value would moderate the effect). In our samples, we found the sex difference in jealousy to occur using both forced choice and continuous measures, this effect appeared in several different settings, and, we found that mate value moderated participant responses. The results are discussed in light of the controversy surrounding the presence of the effect.

Case studies of children presenting with a history of ritualistic abuse.

PubMed

King, G F; Yorker, B

1996-01-01

Ritualistic child abuse is an alarming and controversial problem. Child psychiatric nurses need to increase their awareness of the clinical picture associated with this specific form of abuse. This article reviews the literature to date on ritualistic child abuse and addresses the controversy surrounding the phenomena. A small research project using historical data collection methods reviewed hospital records of children with a documented history of ritualistic abuse. Results are organized into clusters of linked interrelated characteristics. The symptom characteristics of these children revealed medical/somatic symptoms, distortion of self-oncept and world view, and a variety of emotional disturbances. The findings of this study are presented with implications for nurses who care for clients with a history of ritualistic abuse.

End-of-Life Decision Making in Palliative Care and Recommendations of the Council of Europe: Qualitative Secondary Analysis of Interviews and Observation Field Notes.

PubMed

Martins Pereira, Sandra; Fradique, Emília; Hernández-Marrero, Pablo

2018-05-01

End-of-life decisions (ELDs) are embedded in clinical, sociocultural, political, economic, and ethical concerns. In 2014, the Council of Europe (CoE) through its Committee on Bioethics launched the "Guide on the decision-making process regarding medical treatment in end-of-life situations," aiming at improving decision-making processes and empowering professionals in making ELDs. To analyze if end-of-life decision making in palliative care (PC) is consistent with this Guide and to identify if disputed/controversial issues are part of current ELDs. Qualitative secondary analysis. Four qualitative datasets, including 44 interviews and 9 team observation field notes from previous studies with PC teams/professionals in Portugal. An analysis grid based on the abovementioned guide was created considering three dimensions: ethical and legal frameworks, decision-making process, and disputed/controversial issues. The majority of the professionals considered the ethical principle of autonomy paramount in end-of-life decision making. Justice and beneficence/nonmaleficence were also valued. Although not mentioned in the Guide, the professionals also considered other ethical principles when making ELDs, namely, responsibility, integrity, and dignity. Most of the interviewees and field notes referred to the collective interprofessional dimension of the decision-making process. Palliative sedation and the wish to hasten death were the most mentioned disputed/controversial issues. The nature, limitations, and benefits of qualitative secondary analysis are discussed. End-of-life decision-making processes made by Portuguese PC teams seem to be consistent with the guidelines of the CoE. Further research is needed about disputed/controversial issues and the actual use, effectiveness, and impact of ethical guidelines for end-of-life decision making on professionals' empowerment and for all parties involved.

Sink or Swim: The Marine Corps Capacity to Conduct a Marine Expeditionary Brigade Amphibious Assault using Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare? This study addresses the equipment issues surrounding the Marine expeditionary brigade ’s’ ability to conduct an amphibious...addresses the equipment issues surrounding the expeditionary brigade’s ability to conduct an amphibious assault under expeditionary maneuver warfare in...1 Issues and Elements of the Modern-Day MEB Assault .................................................................. 2 The Marine Corps

"It's Still Science but Not Like Normal Science": Girls' Responses to the Teaching of Socio-Scientific Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Helen

2014-01-01

Socio-scientific issues, which are often controversial, involve the use of science and are of interest to society, raising ethical and moral dilemmas. Examples of these issues could include genetic technology or air pollution. Following a curriculum reform in England in 2006, socioscientific issues now have a heightened presence in the 14-16…

Ethical and Legal Issues Associated with the Use of Aversives in the Public Schools: The SIBIS Controversy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacob-Timm, Susan

1996-01-01

Explores four types of intervention available in treating self-injurious behavior (SIB). One effective, although controversial, treatment in reducing SIB involves use of Self-Injurious Behavior Inhibiting System (SIBIS), a device which delivers a mild electric shock following a blow to the head. Reviews and explains the ethical and legal issues…

Hate Speech: The History of an American Controversy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Samuel

Noting that no other country in the world offers protection to offensive speech, this book provides a comprehensive account of the history of the hate speech controversy in the United States. The book examines the issue, from the conflicts over the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s and American Nazi groups in the 1930s, to the famous Skokie, Illinois…

Reading & Listening with Purpose: Teaching Controversial Song Lyrics Using the ELA Common Core Standards in History/Social Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bender, Rachel A.; Sharp, Kimberlee A.

2013-01-01

This paper presents a method for social studies teachers to incorporate song lyrics into the study of controversial historical events and issues. Using the Hunt and Metcalf "Seven Problematic Areas of the Social Studies" as the rubric for selecting appropriate songs, the Teacher Candidate (TC) explains how song lyrics make viable text…

Review of performance, medical, and operational data on pilot aging issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoklosa, J. H.

1992-01-01

An extensive review of the literature and studies relating to performance, medical, operational, and legal data regarding pilot aging issues was performed in order to determine what evidence there is, if any, to support mandatory pilot retirement. Popular misconceptions about aging, including the failure to distinguish between the normal aging process and disease processes that occur more frequently in older individuals, continue to contribute to much of the misunderstanding and controversy that surround this issue. Results: Review of medical data related to the pilot aging issue indicate that recent improvement in medical diagnostics and treatment technology have made it possible to identify to a high degree individuals who are at risk for developing sudden incapacitating illness and for treating those with disqualifying medical conditions. Performance studies revealed that after controlling for the presence of disease states, older pilots are able to perform as well as younger pilots on many performance tasks. Review of accident data showed that older, healthy pilots do not have higher accident rates than younger pilots, and indeeed, evidence suggests that older pilots have an advantage in the cockpit due to higher experience levels. The Man-Machine-Mission-Environment interface of factors can be managed through structured, supervised, and enhanced operations, maintenance, flight reviews, and safety procedures in order to ensure safe and productive operations by reducing the margin of error and by increasing the margin of safety. Conclusions: There is no evidence indicating any specific age as an arbitrary cut-off point for pilots to perform their fight duties. A combination of regular medical screening, performance evaluation, enhanced operational maintenance, and safety procedures can most effectively ensure a safe pilot population than can a mandatory retirement policy based on arbitrary age restrictions.

UNESCO Guidelines on Intercultural Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 2007

2007-01-01

This paper aims to synthesize the central issues surrounding Intercultural Education, and presents the fundamental guiding principles for an intercultural approach to education as viewed by UNESCO. It is divided into three parts. Part I outlines the key issues surrounding Intercultural Education, as well as its objectives and basic operating…

Clashing Views on Controversial Bioethical Issues. Third Edition. Taking Sides.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levine, Carol, Ed.

The student who has thoughtfully examined opposing viewpoints on an issue should perceive what other position can be occupied on that issue and should learn to carefully consider antithetical viewpoints. The development of this critical approach is the purpose of this book. An introduction, postscript summary, and two articles or published…

Using Socioscientific Issues in Primary Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dolan, Thomas J.; Nichols, Bryan H.; Zeidler, Dana L.

2009-01-01

In this article, we provide three examples of the use of socioscientific issues (SSI) in a 5th-grade classroom. Taken from Earth science (beach sand replacement), life science (the Canadian seal hunt), and physical science (speed limits), the examples show how teachers can embed scientific content in controversial social issues that engage younger…

Clashing Views on Controversial Environmental Issues. Third Edition. Taking Sides.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldfarb, Theodore D., Ed.

The student who has thoughtfully examined opposing viewpoints on an issue should perceive what other position can be occupied on that issue and should learn to carefully consider antithetical viewpoints. The development of this critical approach is the purpose of this book. An introduction, postscript summary, and pro and con articles or published…

Clean Air Now: Political Issues. Comparing Political Experiences, Experimental Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillespie, Judith A.; Lazarus, Stuart

The fourth unit to the second-semester "Comparing Political Experiences" course focuses on a specific, controversial, political issue. Using a documentary approach, this unit analyzes the concept of political change by examining the changes in Riverside, California, as that community confronts the issue of smog. The unit is divided into…

Should Great Lakes City Build a New Power Plant? How Youth Navigate Socioscientific Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Shari Levine; Calabrese Barton, Angela

2012-01-01

There is a growing consensus that simply learning enough science to decipher public debates on socioscientific issues will not make citizens better equipped to handle the complex and ill-structured problems these controversial issues present. This study highlights the interaction and complex interplay between youth authored and appropriated frames…

Development of Socioscientific Issues-Based Teaching for Preservice Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuangchalerm, Prasart

2009-01-01

Problem statement: In the context of science education reform in Thailand, we need to prepare science teachers who can face science and social issues controversial; teachers can response the question socioscientific issues and let their students to meet the goal of science education. This study investigated the conception leading preservice…

Ethics and access to teaching materials in the medical library: the case of the Pernkopf atlas*

PubMed Central

Atlas, Michel C.

2001-01-01

Conflicts can occur between the principle of freedom of information treasured by librarians and ethical standards of scientific research involving the propriety of using data derived from immoral or dishonorable experimentation. A prime example of this conflict was brought to the attention of the medical and library communities in 1995 when articles claiming that the subjects of the illustrations in the classic anatomy atlas, Eduard Pernkopf's Topographische Anatomie des Menschen, were victims of the Nazi holocaust. While few have disputed the accuracy, artistic, or educational value of the Pernkopf atlas, some have argued that the use of such subjects violates standards of medical ethics involving inhuman and degrading treatment of subjects or disrespect of a human corpse. Efforts were made to remove the book from medical libraries. In this article, the history of the Pernkopf atlas and the controversy surrounding it are reviewed. The results of a survey of academic medical libraries concerning their treatment of the Pernkopf atlas are reported, and the ethical implications of these issues as they affect the responsibilities of librarians is discussed. PMID:11209801

Deployment-related Respiratory Issues.

PubMed

Morris, Michael J; Rawlins, Frederic A; Forbes, Damon A; Skabelund, Andrew J; Lucero, Pedro F

2016-01-01

Military deployment to Southwest Asia since 2003 in support of Operations Enduring Freedom/Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn has presented unique challenges from a pulmonary perspective. Various airborne hazards in the deployed environment include suspended geologic dusts, burn pit smoke, vehicle exhaust emissions, industrial air pollution, and isolated exposure incidents. These exposures may give rise to both acute respiratory symptoms and in some instances development of chronic lung disease. While increased respiratory symptoms during deployment are well documented, there is limited data on whether inhalation of airborne particulate matter is causally related to an increase in either common or unique pulmonary diseases. While disease processes such as acute eosinophilic pneumonia and exacerbation of preexisting asthma have been adequately documented, there is significant controversy surrounding the potential effects of deployment exposures and development of rare pulmonary disorders such as constrictive bronchiolitis. The role of smoking and related disorders has yet to be defined. This article presents the current evidence for deployment-related respiratory symptoms and ongoing Department of Defense studies. Further, it also provides general recommendations for evaluating pulmonary health in the deployed military population.

Direct observation of self-energy signatures of the resonant collective mode in Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 + δ

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mou, Daixiang; Kaminski, Adam; Gu, Genda

Here, we use high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to study the resonant, collective excitation mode in the superconducting state of Bi2212. By collecting very high-quality data we found noteworthy features in the self-energy in the antinodal region, where the interaction of electrons with the mode is the strongest. This interaction leads to a pronounced peak in the scattering rate and we demonstrate that this feature is directly responsible for the well-known peak-dip-hump structure in cuprates. By studying how the weight of this peak changes with temperature we unequivocally demonstrate that interaction of electrons with the resonant mode in cuprates vanishes atmore » T c and is very much localized in the momentum space close to the antinode. These findings present a consistent picture of line shape and self-energy signatures of the electron-boson coupling in cuprates and resolve long-standing controversy surrounding this issue. The momentum dependence of the strength of electron-mode interaction enables development of quantitative theory of this phenomenon in cuprates.« less

Depth of a strong jovian jet from a planetary-scale disturbance driven by storms.

PubMed

Sánchez-Lavega, A; Orton, G S; Hueso, R; García-Melendo, E; Pérez-Hoyos, S; Simon-Miller, A; Rojas, J F; Gómez, J M; Yanamandra-Fisher, P; Fletcher, L; Joels, J; Kemerer, J; Hora, J; Karkoschka, E; de Pater, I; Wong, M H; Marcus, P S; Pinilla-Alonso, N; Carvalho, F; Go, C; Parker, D; Salway, M; Valimberti, M; Wesley, A; Pujic, Z

2008-01-24

The atmospheres of the gas giant planets (Jupiter and Saturn) contain jets that dominate the circulation at visible levels. The power source for these jets (solar radiation, internal heat, or both) and their vertical structure below the upper cloud are major open questions in the atmospheric circulation and meteorology of giant planets. Several observations and in situ measurements found intense winds at a depth of 24 bar, and have been interpreted as supporting an internal heat source. This issue remains controversial, in part because of effects from the local meteorology. Here we report observations and modelling of two plumes in Jupiter's atmosphere that erupted at the same latitude as the strongest jet (23 degrees N). The plumes reached a height of 30 km above the surrounding clouds, moved faster than any other feature (169 m s(-1)), and left in their wake a turbulent planetary-scale disturbance containing red aerosols. On the basis of dynamical modelling, we conclude that the data are consistent only with a wind that extends well below the level where solar radiation is deposited.

Bioethical Dimensions of International Cooperation for Health: still a controversial issue?

PubMed

Santana, José Paranaguá de

2017-07-01

This essay stresses the importance of undertaking a critical analysis of international cooperation for health based upon reflections on diplomacy, acknowledging the ethical limits and possibilities of cooperation within this context. It emphasizes the importance of adopting an historical perspective, highlighting the circumstances surrounding the consolidation of the current international system, whereby, after two world wars, the victorious countries created the United Nations Organization, which today brings together all the world's nations, notwithstanding the fact that the majority of countries are in favor of significant changes to its institutional framework. It also stresses the importance of the bioethics dimension, despite the systematic disregard of principles adopted in relevant UN documents, especially in view of inequalities pari passu with asymmetries of knowledge and enjoyment of innovations that separate nations. This reflection also suggests that South-South cooperation is fundamental to the analysis of the inequality and dependence that demarcate North-South and East-West bipolarity. These reflections are, in short, important guiding elements for deepening analysis and resolutions in the arena of international cooperation for health, leaving aside catastrophic visions and idealistic illusions.

Direct Observation of a Carbon Filament in Water-Resistant Organic Memory.

PubMed

Lee, Byung-Hyun; Bae, Hagyoul; Seong, Hyejeong; Lee, Dong-Il; Park, Hongkeun; Choi, Young Joo; Im, Sung-Gap; Kim, Sang Ouk; Choi, Yang-Kyu

2015-07-28

The memory for the Internet of Things (IoT) requires versatile characteristics such as flexibility, wearability, and stability in outdoor environments. Resistive random access memory (RRAM) to harness a simple structure and organic material with good flexibility can be an attractive candidate for IoT memory. However, its solution-oriented process and unclear switching mechanism are critical problems. Here we demonstrate iCVD polymer-intercalated RRAM (i-RRAM). i-RRAM exhibits robust flexibility and versatile wearability on any substrate. Stable operation of i-RRAM, even in water, is demonstrated, which is the first experimental presentation of water-resistant organic memory without any waterproof protection package. Moreover, the direct observation of a carbon filament is also reported for the first time using transmission electron microscopy, which puts an end to the controversy surrounding the switching mechanism. Therefore, reproducibility is feasible through comprehensive modeling. Furthermore, a carbon filament is superior to a metal filament in terms of the design window and selection of the electrode material. These results suggest an alternative to solve the critical issues of organic RRAM and an optimized memory type suitable for the IoT era.

The History of Patenting Genetic Material.

PubMed

Sherkow, Jacob S; Greely, Henry T

2015-01-01

The US Supreme Court's recent decision in Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, Inc. declared, for the first time, that isolated human genes cannot be patented. Many have wondered how genes were ever the subjects of patents. The answer lies in a nuanced understanding of both legal and scientific history. Since the early twentieth century, "products of nature" were not eligible to be patented unless they were "isolated and purified" from their surrounding environment. As molecular biology advanced, and the capability to isolate genes both physically and by sequence came to fruition, researchers (and patent offices) began to apply patent-law logic to genes themselves. These patents, along with other biological patents, generated substantial social and political criticism. Myriad Genetics, a company with patents on BRCA1 and BRCA2, two genes critical to assessing early-onset breast and ovarian cancer risk, and with a particularly controversial business approach, became the antagonist in an ultimately successful campaign to overturn gene patents in court. Despite Myriad's defeat, some questions concerning the rights to monopolize genetic information remain. The history leading to that defeat may be relevant to these future issues.

Direct observation of self-energy signatures of the resonant collective mode in Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 + δ

DOE PAGES

Mou, Daixiang; Kaminski, Adam; Gu, Genda

2017-05-01

Here, we use high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to study the resonant, collective excitation mode in the superconducting state of Bi2212. By collecting very high-quality data we found noteworthy features in the self-energy in the antinodal region, where the interaction of electrons with the mode is the strongest. This interaction leads to a pronounced peak in the scattering rate and we demonstrate that this feature is directly responsible for the well-known peak-dip-hump structure in cuprates. By studying how the weight of this peak changes with temperature we unequivocally demonstrate that interaction of electrons with the resonant mode in cuprates vanishes atmore » T c and is very much localized in the momentum space close to the antinode. These findings present a consistent picture of line shape and self-energy signatures of the electron-boson coupling in cuprates and resolve long-standing controversy surrounding this issue. The momentum dependence of the strength of electron-mode interaction enables development of quantitative theory of this phenomenon in cuprates.« less

Dropping Out of School in Southern Ghana: The Push-Out and Pull-Out Factors. CREATE Pathways to Access. Research Monograph No. 55

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ananga, Eric

2011-01-01

Addressing school dropout has been one of the most controversial elements of policy since the introduction of free compulsory universal basic education (FCUBE) in Ghana. However, research that utilises qualitative biographical detail surrounding irregular attendance and the critical events in the process that lead to dropout in Ghana is limited. I…

The Real Jazz Journalism: "New York Times" Coverage of an Emerging Art Form (1921-1929).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Luther G.

As jazz music found its way onto the public agenda between 1921 and 1929 the "New York Times" became a major forum for the controversy surrounding the new music form. Although jazz was played mostly by black musicians, this fact was seldom reflected in the newspaper's stories, and the specter of racism loomed just beneath the surface of…

Ain't Gonna Study War No More? Explorations of War through Picture Books

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford, Patricia A.; Roberts, Sherron Killingsworth

2009-01-01

At the height of the Vietnam War, Down by the Riverside was transformed from a traditional folk song to a popular anti-war anthem. The raucous and repetitive chorus, "I ain't gonna study war no more ...," became a rallying cry for those who wanted nothing to do with the war and the pain and controversy that surrounded it. Although it seems…

Intellectual Stimulation of the Preschooler, or Reading Readiness Begins at Birth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jester, R. Emile

Although the controversy surrounding beginning reading instruction has often centered on the age at which it should be begun, i.e., at the ages of 5, 6, or 7, the position was taken in this study that by the time the child reaches these ages, it is too late for optimum development of reading readiness. As a part of a larger study, groups of…

No Child Left Behind: Implications for Special Education Students and Students with Limited English Proficiency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jewell, Mark E.

2008-01-01

This article examines the controversy that continues to surround the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Since its passage, NCLB has been criticized for a number of reasons. One of the criticisms is that it is unfair to include special education students and students with limited English proficiency in the accountability system and judge them by the…

Perspectives on ethics

PubMed Central

Parker, C

2007-01-01

In his recent paper about understanding ethical issues, Boyd suggests that traditional approaches based on principles or people are understood better in terms of perspectives, especially the perspective‐based approach of hermeneutics, which he uses for conversation rather than controversy. However, we find that Boyd's undefined contrast between conversation and controversy does not point to any improvement in communication: disputes occur during conversation and controversy may be conducted in gentle tones. We agree with Boyd, that being prepared to listen and learn are excellent attitudes, but his vague attempts to establish these and similar virtues in hermeneutic theory are not plausible. Additionally, the current controversy about the use of human embryos in stem cell therapy research shows Boyd missing the opportunity to illustrate how conversation would improve understanding. PMID:17209105

Controversies surrounding continuous deep sedation at the end of life: the parliamentary and societal debates in France.

PubMed

Raus, Kasper; Chambaere, Kenneth; Sterckx, Sigrid

2016-06-29

Continuous deep sedation at the end of life is a practice that has been the topic of considerable ethical debate, for example surrounding its perceived similarity or dissimilarity with physician-assisted dying. The practice is generally considered to be legal as a form of symptom control, although this is mostly only assumed. France has passed an amendment to the Public Health Act that would grant certain terminally ill patients an explicit right to continuous deep sedation until they pass away. Such a framework would be unique in the world. In this paper we will highlight and reflect on four relevant aspects and shortcomings of the proposed bill. First, that the bill suggests that continuous deeps sedation should be considered as a sui generis practice. Second, that it requires that sedation should always be accompanied by the withholding of all artificial nutrition and hydration. In the most recently amended version of the legal proposal it is stated that life sustaining treatments are withheld unless the patient objects. Third, that the French bill would not require that the suffering for which continuous deep sedation is initiated is unbearable. Fourth, the question as to whether the proposal should be considered as a way to avoid having to decriminalise euthanasia and/or PAS or, on the contrary, as a veiled way to decriminalise these practices. The French proposal to amend the Public Health Act to include a right to continuous deep sedation for some patients is a unique opportunity to clarify the legality of continuous deep sedation as an end-of-life practice. Moreover, it would recognize that the practice of continuous deep sedation raises ethical and legal issues that are different from those raised by symptom control on the one hand and assisted dying on the other hand. Nevertheless, there are still various issues of significant ethical concern in the French legislative proposal.

Walking the line. Palliative sedation for existential distress: still a controversial issue?

PubMed

Schur, Sophie; Radbruch, Lukas; Masel, Eva K; Weixler, Dietmar; Watzke, Herbert H

2015-12-01

Adequate symptom relief is a central aspect of medical care of all patients especially in those with an incurable disease. However, as an illness progresses and the end of life approaches, physical or psychoexistential symptoms may remain uncontrollable requiring palliative sedation. Although palliative sedation has become an increasingly implemented practice in the care of terminally ill patients, sedation in the management of refractory psychological symptoms and existential distress is still a controversial issue and much debated. This case report presents a patient who received palliative sedation for the treatment of existential distress and discusses considerations that may arise from such a therapeutic approach.

Controversies in rabies vaccination.

PubMed

Ghosh, Tapan Kr

2003-06-01

Rabies is a cent per cent fatal disease and there should not be any controversy in giving rabies vaccine to the victims. WHO has fixed schedules for doses for both pre and post-exposure in different category of cases, which also help us to avoid all controversies. But controversies arise in five main areas, which are related to the strategies of rabies prevention. These are: (i) Replacing use of NTV by MTCV. (ii) Intradermal schedule of MTCV, in place of Essen protocol of 5 i.m. doses to reduce the cost. (iii) Acceptability and inclusion of pre-exposure doses of MTCV in the immunization schedule of children as additional vaccine (iv) Schedule for re-exposure in already post-exposure vaccinated cases and schedule for exposure in pre-exposure vaccinated cases. (v) Uses of RIG in WHO category III cases. If these controversial issues are considered scientifically, rabies prophylaxis will see the light of success.

Labor and the Supreme Court: Significant Issues of 1989-90.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hukill, Craig

1990-01-01

In contrast to its 1988 term, the Supreme Court's new term presents less controversial, though still important, labor issues in such areas as public-sector labor relations, pensions, occupational safety and health, employment discrimination, and workers' compensation. (Author)

Controversial Issues Confronting Special Education: Divergent Perspectives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stainback, William; Stainback, Susan

This book of 24 papers presents divergent views on 12 issues in special education: organizational strategies, classroom service delivery approaches, maximizing the talents and gifts of students, classification and labeling, assessment, instructional strategies, classroom management, collaboration/consultation, research practices, higher education,…

Exclusion, toleration, acceptance, integration: the experience of Dutch Reformed churches with homosexuality and homosexuals in the church.

PubMed

Mader, D

1993-01-01

The overwhelming majority of Protestant Christians in The Netherlands are members of denominations in the Reformed tradition (i.e., protestant churches characterized by Calvinist theology and a "presbyterian" church government by elected assemblies of elders). Comparable North American denominations are the Reformed Church in America and the United Presbyterian Church, both of which are facing some degree of internal controversy over homosexuality. In The Netherlands, the four major strands of the Reformed church have taken various positions on homosexuality, ranging from absolute rejection of homosexuality in the church and society, through one denomination which found itself in the curious position of approving the ordination of homosexual clergy while barring homosexuals from the Lord's Table, to creating "life covenants" which re-evaluate heterosexual marriage while also blessing relationships between homosexuals. All call upon the same set of principles for their varied stands. The two major denominational branches, the Netherlands Reformed Church (Hervormde Kerk) and the Reformed Churches in The Netherlands (Gereformeerde Kerken) have taken different approaches to resolving the issue, the former through internal political conflict and the latter through a more authoritarian (though progressive) stand. The article traces the political, theological, and juridical history of the evolution of these positions, and suggests various potential models, and their possibilities and pitfalls, for North American Protestant churches dealing with issues surrounding homosexuality and the church.

[BETWEEN USAGE AND POLEMIC, AN ARGUMENT IN FAVOUR OF CLARIFYING THE TERMINOLOGY FOR PREIMPLANTATION GENETIC DIAGNOSIS].

PubMed

Côté, Stéphanie; Ravitsky, Vardit; Hamet, Pavel; Bouffard, Chantal

2015-12-01

Over 30 years ago, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) was developed to help couples at risk of transmitting a serious genetic disease to their offspring. Today, the range of medical and non-medical uses of PGD has expanded considerably and some raise much controversy. This is the case, for example, with In-Vitro Fertilization to select embryos as 'saviour siblings' or to screen for susceptibility and predisposition to late onset diseases or conditions of variable penetrance. The situation is even more problematic in the case of sex selection or selection of traits that are culturally valued or discredited (such as deafness, behavioral traits, or height). The debate surrounding PGD has been employing terms to describe these particular uses that have contributed to a focus on the negative effects, thus preventing a distinction between the abuses and the benefits of this reproductive technology. In this context, this paper proposes a terminological clarification that would allow distinguishing medical and non-medical use and, therefore, the issues relevant to each. A more accurate and less generic nomenclature could prevent a conflation of different levels of ethical, clinical and social issues under the single term 'PGD'. For the vast majority of medical uses, we propose to keep: 'preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)', which emphasizes that it is a genetic diagnosis. For non-medical uses, we suggest: 'preimplantation genetic trait selection (PGTS)'.

Introduction of the pill and its impact.

PubMed

Tyrer, L

1999-01-01

Introduction of the birth control pill in the United States in 1960 marked the end of a relatively short period of time (< 10 years) to intentionally produce an oral contraceptive, and the beginning of a relatively long period of controversy surrounding the use of the pill. Availability of the pill had an impact on various aspects of social life, including women's health, fertility trends, laws and policies, religion, interpersonal relationships and family roles, feminist issues, and gender relations, as well as sexual practices among both adults and adolescents. The pill proved to be highly effective from the outset. Although safety issues developed with the earlier formulations, continued evolution of pill hormones and doses has resulted in a greatly improved and safe oral contraceptive. A broad range of noncontraceptive health benefits also is associated with the pill. These health effects are significant, as they include protection against potentially fatal diseases, including ovarian and endometrial cancers, as well as against other conditions that are associated with substantial morbidity and potential hospitalization and associated costs. The popularity of the pill has remained high, with rates of use in the past 30 years in the United States ranging from one-quarter to almost one-third of women using contraception. Almost 40 years after its introduction, the pill's contraceptive efficacy is proven, its improved safety has been established, and the focus has shifted from supposed health risks to documented and real health benefits.

A revision of brain composition in Onychophora (velvet worms) suggests that the tritocerebrum evolved in arthropods

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The composition of the arthropod head is one of the most contentious issues in animal evolution. In particular, controversy surrounds the homology and innervation of segmental cephalic appendages by the brain. Onychophora (velvet worms) play a crucial role in understanding the evolution of the arthropod brain, because they are close relatives of arthropods and have apparently changed little since the Early Cambrian. However, the segmental origins of their brain neuropils and the number of cephalic appendages innervated by the brain - key issues in clarifying brain composition in the last common ancestor of Onychophora and Arthropoda - remain unclear. Results Using immunolabelling and neuronal tracing techniques in the developing and adult onychophoran brain, we found that the major brain neuropils arise from only the anterior-most body segment, and that two pairs of segmental appendages are innervated by the brain. The region of the central nervous system corresponding to the arthropod tritocerebrum is not differentiated as part of the onychophoran brain but instead belongs to the ventral nerve cords. Conclusions Our results contradict the assumptions of a tripartite (three-segmented) brain in Onychophora and instead confirm the hypothesis of bipartite (two-segmented) brain composition. They suggest that the last common ancestor of Onychophora and Arthropoda possessed a brain consisting of protocerebrum and deutocerebrum whereas the tritocerebrum evolved in arthropods. PMID:20727203

Electromagnetic momentum and the energy–momentum tensor in a linear medium with magnetic and dielectric properties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crenshaw, Michael E., E-mail: michael.e.crenshaw4.civ@mail.mil

2014-04-15

In a continuum setting, the energy–momentum tensor embodies the relations between conservation of energy, conservation of linear momentum, and conservation of angular momentum. The well-defined total energy and the well-defined total momentum in a thermodynamically closed system with complete equations of motion are used to construct the total energy–momentum tensor for a stationary simple linear material with both magnetic and dielectric properties illuminated by a quasimonochromatic pulse of light through a gradient-index antireflection coating. The perplexing issues surrounding the Abraham and Minkowski momentums are bypassed by working entirely with conservation principles, the total energy, and the total momentum. We derivemore » electromagnetic continuity equations and equations of motion for the macroscopic fields based on the material four-divergence of the traceless, symmetric total energy–momentum tensor. We identify contradictions between the macroscopic Maxwell equations and the continuum form of the conservation principles. We resolve the contradictions, which are the actual fundamental issues underlying the Abraham–Minkowski controversy, by constructing a unified version of continuum electrodynamics that is based on establishing consistency between the three-dimensional Maxwell equations for macroscopic fields, the electromagnetic continuity equations, the four-divergence of the total energy–momentum tensor, and a four-dimensional tensor formulation of electrodynamics for macroscopic fields in a simple linear medium.« less

Penetrating abdominal injuries: management controversies

PubMed Central

Butt, Muhammad U; Zacharias, Nikolaos; Velmahos, George C

2009-01-01

Penetrating abdominal injuries have been traditionally managed by routine laparotomy. New understanding of trajectories, potential for organ injury, and correlation with advanced radiographic imaging has allowed a shift towards non-operative management of appropriate cases. Although a selective approach has been established for stab wounds, the management of abdominal gunshot wounds remains a matter of controversy. In this chapter we describe the rationale and methodology of selecting patients for non-operative management. We also discuss additional controversial issues, as related to antibiotic prophylaxis, management of asymptomatic thoracoabdominal injuries, and the use of colostomy vs. primary repair for colon injuries. PMID:19374761

The politics of federal environmental education policy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crouch, Richard Craig

Both environmental governance1 and education governance 2 occupy contested territory in contemporary US political discourse. Environmental education (EE) policy has emerged at this intersection and taken on aspects of both controversies. Central to debates surrounding environmental education are still unresolved issues concerning the role of the federal government in education, the role of education in citizen-making, and the role of the public in environmental governance. As a case study of the politics of environmental education policy, I explore these issues as they relate to the National Environmental Education Act of 1990,3 attempts at its reauthorization, its continued appropriations, and its current state of policy stasis. The political controversy over the federal role in environmental education is an appropriate case study of environmental education politics insofar as it reflects the different positions held by actor groups with regard to the definition, efficacy, and legitimacy of environmental education. At the core of these debates, as we will see, is a definitional crisis---that is, there is no common understanding across the relevant actor groups as to what environmental education is, or should be. I suggest here that this definitional issue can be best understood as having technical, ideological, and structural components4---all of which are mutually reinforcing and thus perpetuate the stasis in federal environmental education policy. 1I rely on Durant, Fiorino and O'leary's definition of environmental governance in Environmental Governance Reconsidered ; "In the term environmental governance, we refer to the increasingly collaborative nature of [environmental and natural resource] policy formulation and implementation. In this vein, a wide array of third parties (for example, actors in the profit sector, the nonprofit sector, and civic society), in addition to government agencies, comprise non hierarchical networks of actors wielding a variety of policy tools (for example, rules and regulations, subsidies, and information) to address diverse, complex and evolving [environmental and natural resource] problems." p. 22-23. 2In this case, I adapt Durant, Fiorino and O'leary's definition of environmental governance to education leadership. 3See Appendix 1 for text of the Environmental Education Act of 1990. 4I am indebted to David Rejeski of the Woodrow Wilson Institute for helping me think through environmental education politics from a definitional perspective.

On the Theoretical Framework of Magnetized Outflows from Stellar-Mass Black Holes and Related Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christodoulou, D. M.; Contopoulos, I.; Kazanas, D.; Steiner, J. F.; Papadopoulos, D. B.; Laycock, S. G. T.

2016-01-01

The spins of stellar-mass black holes (BHs) and the power outputs of their jets are measurable quantities. Unfortunately, the currently employed methods do not agree and the results are controversial. Two major issues concern the measurements of BH spin and beam (jet) power. The former issue can be resolved by future observations. But the latter issue can be resolved now, if we pay attention to what is expected from theoretical considerations. The question of whether a correlation has been found between the power outputs of few objects and the spins of their BHs is moot because BH beam power does not scale with the square of the spin of the BH. We show that the theoretical BH beam power is a strongly nonlinear function of spin that cannot be approximated by a quadratic relation, as is generally stated when the influence of the magnetic field is not accounted for in the Blandford & Znajek model. The BH beam power of ballistic jets should scale a lot more steeply with BH spin irrespective of the magnetic field assumed to thread the horizon and the spin range considered. This behavior may already be visible in the analyses of radio observations by Narayan & McClintock and Russell et al. In agreement with previous studies, we also find that the power output that originates in the inner regions of the surrounding accretion disks is higher than that from the BHs and it cannot be ignored in investigations of continuous compact jets from these systems.

Properties of a center/surround retinex. Part 2: Surround design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jobson, Daniel J.; Woodell, Glenn A.

1995-01-01

The last version of Edwin Land's retinex model for human vision's lightness and color constancy has been implemented. Previous research has established the mathematical foundations of Land's retinex but has not examined specific design issues and their effects on the properties of the retinex operation. We have sought to define a practical implementation of the retinex without particular concern for its validity as a model for human lightness and color perception. Here we describe issues involved in designing the surround function. We find that there is a trade-off between rendition and dynamic range compression that is governed by the surround space constant. Various functional forms for the retinex surround are evaluated and a Gaussian form is found to perform better than the inverse square suggested by Land. Preliminary testing led to the design of a Gaussian surround with a space constant of 80 pixels as a reasonable compromise between dynamic range compression and rendition.

Back Talk.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruben, Barbara

1994-01-01

Recently, three issues in particular have fueled controversies in environmental debate: ozone, dioxin, and global warming. This article examines how these issues have been characterized by journalists, scientists, and backlash authors. It is suggested that media backlash is threatening to undo public faith in scientific knowledge about global…

Fairness Doctrine in Advertising.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Charles Vance

After a decade of debate, numerous Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rulings, and many court decisions, the application of the "fairness doctrine"--an act that mandates objectivity in the presentation of facts concerning controversial issues--remains unsettled. This report discusses issues involved in the application of the…

The Ecologist's View of Animal Rights.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Walter E.

1994-01-01

Provides insights on the controversial issue of animal rights. Four factors are considered: (1) animals' rights; (2) research; (3) hunting and fishing; and (4) agriculture. Contends that it is imperative that the public knows all the facts before casting their vote on the issue. (ZWH)

Teaching Climate Change Science in Senior Secondary School: Issues, Barriers and Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bunten, Rod; Dawson, Vaille

2014-01-01

This paper argues that, despite its difficulties, climate change can (and perhaps needs to) be taught rigorously to students by enquiry rather than through transmission and that such a method will enable students to make judgments on other issues of scientific controversy. It examines the issues and barriers to the teaching of climate change,…

Key Higher-Education Issues in the States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Karin; Hebel, Sara

2007-01-01

Legislatures are set to convene in January in 43 states. This article presents the key issues that are expected to be debated by legislatures in states this year. These issues include: (1) Annulment of a controversial law in Texas that guarantees students who graduate in the top 10 percent of their high-school classes admission to any public…

The Democratic Imperative to Address Sexual Equality Rights in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gereluk, Dianne

2013-01-01

Issues of sexual orientation elicit ethical debates in schools and society. In jurisdictions where a legal right has not yet been established, one argument commonly rests on whether schools ought to address issues of same-sex relationships and marriage on the basis of civil equality, or whether such controversial issues ought to remain in the…

Value and Opportunity: Comparable Pay for Comparable Worth. Series on Public Issues No. 10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Deborah

In this booklet, one of a series intended to apply economic principles to major social and political issues, an argument is presented against comparable pay for comparable worth policies for women. Separate subsections present opposing viewpoints on this controversial issue as well as an examination of whether legislation has been a…

Surgery for disc-associated wobbler syndrome in the dog--an examination of the controversy.

PubMed

Jeffery, N D; McKee, W M

2001-12-01

Controversy surrounds treatment of disc-associated 'wobbler' syndrome in the dog, centring on the choice of method of surgical decompression used. In this review, details of previously published case series are summarised and critically examined in an attempt to compare success rates and complications of different types of surgery. Unequivocally accurate comparisons were difficult because of differences in methods of case recording between series. Short-term success rates were high (approximately 80 per cent), but there was a high rate of recurrence (around 20 per cent) after any surgical treatment, suggesting the possibility that the syndrome should be considered a multifocal disease of the caudal cervical region. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in success rates between the various reported decompressive surgical techniques

Ovulation induction in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: an update.

PubMed

Bhagavath, Balasubramanian; Carson, Sandra A

2012-03-01

Infertility is frequently caused by anovulation. The affected women present with irregular menstrual cycles and the most common diagnosis is polycystic ovary syndrome. Ovulation induction is commonly used to treat these women. Clomiphene citrate (a selective estrogen receptor modulator or SERM) remains the most used medication for treating this condition. Alternatives that have been used include other SERMs such as tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors, insulin sensitizing agents, and ovarian drilling. Evidence for and against the effectiveness of these agents has fluctuated over the last decade. Controversies surrounding the use of ovulation induction such as development of functional cysts, high-order multiple births, and development of ovarian cancer have been further studied and some controversies have almost been laid to rest in the last decade. Copyright © 2012 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis and inference under uncertainty.

PubMed

Regier, Terry; Xu, Yang

2017-11-01

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis holds that human thought is shaped by language, leading speakers of different languages to think differently. This hypothesis has sparked both enthusiasm and controversy, but despite its prominence it has only occasionally been addressed in computational terms. Recent developments support a view of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis in terms of probabilistic inference. This view may resolve some of the controversy surrounding the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, and may help to normalize the hypothesis by linking it to established principles that also explain other phenomena. On this view, effects of language on nonlinguistic cognition or perception reflect standard principles of inference under uncertainty. WIREs Cogn Sci 2017, 8:e1440. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1440 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Controversies in the Treatment of Early Stage Endometrial Carcinoma

PubMed Central

Press, Joshua Z.; Gotlieb, Walter H.

2012-01-01

Despite the publication of numerous studies, including some multicentered randomized controlled trials, there continues to be vigorous debate regarding the optimal management of early stage endometrial cancer, including the extent of surgery and the role of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation. Resolving these questions has become increasingly important in view of the increase of endometrial cancer, related to the aging population and the alarming incidence of obesity. Furthermore, there are more surgical challenges encountered when operating on elderly patients or on patients with increased BMI and the associated comorbidities, such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and pulmonary dysfunction. This paper will focus on the advantages of minimally invasive surgery, the value of lymphadenectomy including sentinel lymph node mapping, and some of the current controversies surrounding adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation. PMID:22685466

What is the role of covert infection in detrusor overactivity, and other LUTD? ICI-RS 2013.

PubMed

Moore, Kate H; Malykhina, Anna P

2014-06-01

A think tank was convened at the fourth ICI-RS meeting, which took place June 5-7, 2013 in Bristol UK, to consider current evidence and controversies surrounding the possible role of 'covert infection' in the pathophysiology of refractory detrusor overactivity (DO) and other lower urinary tract disorders (LUTD). The topic was chosen because several authors from different centers worldwide have recently published evidence which supports this concept. However, to date there is inconsistency regarding terminology and microbiological definitions, which were discussed by the participants. The mechanisms whereby infection/inflammation could actually promote aberrant detrusor contractions in the human remain controversial, and are more fully described in this report. Future requirements for research into this topic were outlined. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A physician's reflection on the moral use of human papilloma virus vaccine.

PubMed

Burke, Greg F

2016-08-01

Controversies often surround the use of vaccines, particularly among the pediatric population. Often, the possible temporal relationship between vaccination and subsequent disease is at the center of the controversy. However, others have questioned the moral status of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine because of some instances of state coercion and also the possibility that the vaccine may promote promiscuity. This article addresses the moral status of the HPV vaccine from the perspective of a primary care physician and father of four daughters. Lay Summary: Parents are often asked by pediatricians for permission to vaccinate their children under the age of consent against the sexually transmitted virus HPV. This article addresses the medical and moral concerns about vaccination with some guiding principles to assist in a final decision.

Behavioral consequences of conflict-oriented health news coverage: the 2009 mammography guideline controversy and online information seeking.

PubMed

Weeks, Brian E; Friedenberg, Laura M; Southwell, Brian G; Slater, Jonathan S

2012-01-01

Building on channel complementarity theory and media-system dependency theory, this study explores the impact of conflict-oriented news coverage of health issues on information seeking online. Using Google search data as a measure of behavior, we demonstrate that controversial news coverage of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's November 2009 recommendations for changes in breast cancer screening guidelines strongly predicted the volume of same-day online searches for information about mammograms. We also found that this relationship did not exist 1 year prior to the coverage, during which mammography news coverage did not focus on the guideline controversy, suggesting that the controversy frame may have driven search behavior. We discuss the implications of these results for health communication scholars and practitioners.

Biology and applications of human minisatellite loci.

PubMed

Armour, J A; Jeffreys, A J

1992-12-01

Highly repetitive minisatellites' include the most variable human loci described to date. They have proved invaluable in a wide variety of genetic analyses, and despite some controversies surrounding their practical implementation, have been extensively adopted in civil and forensic casework. Molecular analysis of internal allelic structure has provided detailed insights into the repeat-unit turnover mechanisms operating in germline mutations, which are ultimately responsible for the extreme variability seen at these loci.

Legal Issues in Anonymity and Pseudonymity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Froomkin, A. Michael

1999-01-01

Regulation of anonymous and pseudonymous communications is an important and contentious Internetrelated issues of the 21st century. Resolution of this controversy will effect freedom of speech, nature of electronic commerce, and capabilities of law enforcement. The legal constraints on anonymous communication, and the constitutional constraints on…

Associations and World Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Virginia

1985-01-01

This article reviews activities of selected associations in dealing with three issues of major interest and controversy in the 1980s--foreign policy and defense, the economy, and energy and nuclear power. Important publications in areas of interest to library users and methods of acquisition are noted. (EJS)

Gut reactions: moral conviction, religiosity, and trust in authority.

PubMed

Wisneski, Daniel C; Lytle, Brad L; Skitka, Linda J

2009-09-01

Theory and research point to different ways moral conviction and religiosity connect to trust in political authorities to decide controversial issues of the day. Specifically, we predicted that stronger moral convictions would be associated with greater distrust in authorities such as the U.S. Supreme Court making the "right" decisions regarding controversial issues. Conversely, we predicted that stronger religiosity would be associated with greater trust in authorities. We tested these hypotheses using a survey of a nationally representative sample of Americans (N = 727) that assessed the degree to which people trusted the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on the legal status of physician-assisted suicide. Results indicated that greater religiosity was associated with greater trust in the U.S. Supreme Court to decide this issue, and that stronger moral convictions about physician-assisted suicide were associated with greater distrust in the U.S. Supreme Court to decide this issue. Also, the processes underlying religious trust and distrust based on moral convictions were more quick and visceral than slow and carefully considered.

Saudi Science Teachers' Views and Teaching Strategies of Socioscientific Issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alamri, Aziz S.

Scientific developments such as cloning and nuclear energy have generated many controversial issues pertain to many political, social, environmental, ethical and cultural values in different societies around the globe. These controversies delimited and encircled the potential of including and teaching some important aspects of science in schools and therefore caused less consideration to the influence of these issues on enhancing the scientific literacy of people in general. The purpose of this study was to investigate how Saudi science teachers in the city of Tabuk in Saudi Arabia view and teach SSI in Saudi Arabia. This study employed semi-structured interviews with Saudi science teachers. Methodologically, this study used a constructivist grounded theory as a method for analysis to generate in-depth descriptive data about Saudi science teachers' views and teaching strategies of socio-scientific issues. Some direct and indirect benefits pertain to teaching science, understanding the relationship between science, religion, and society and some other topics are discussed in this study.

AIDS in the workplace: current practices and possible implications.

PubMed

Nykodym, N; Miners, I A; Simonetti, J L; Patel, N S

1989-01-01

The testing of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) remains a political factor. Questions are being raised as to an individual's right to privacy and the public's concern for safety. Despite the controversy, the law protects contagious disease sufferers from employment discrimination. Along with AIDS testing, drug testing remains a controversial issue. Mandatory drug testing remains in both the public and private sectors. Legislative activity in California continues to the present.

The Desolate Desert Controversy: Should Presto Power Company Build a Nuclear Plant? Instructor's Guide [and] Student Materials. A Business-in-the-Classroom Lesson Plan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxey, Phyllis F.

One of a series of units designed to acquaint secondary school students with business issues, this packet focuses on the complex and controversial topic of energy technology. In a 5-day simulation, students play the roles of energy commission members, and business, local, and public interest group witnesses who must determine whether to build a…

Selling 'Fracking': Legitimation of High Speed Oil and Gas Extraction in the Marcellus Shale Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matz, Jacob R.

The advent of horizontal hydraulic fracture drilling, or 'fracking,' a technology used to access oil and natural gas deposits, has allowed for the extraction of deep, unconventional shale gas and oil deposits in various shale seams throughout the United States and world. One such shale seam, the Marcellus shale, extends from New York State, across Pennsylvania, and throughout West Virginia, where shale gas development has significantly increased within the last decade. This boom has created a massive amount of economic activity surrounding the energy industry, creating jobs for workers, income from leases and royalties for landowners, and profits for energy conglomerates. However, this bounty comes with risks to environmental and public health, and has led to divisive community polarization over the issue in the Marcellus shale region. In the face of potential environmental and social disruption, and a great deal of controversy surrounding 'fracking,' the oil and gas industry has had to undertake a myriad of public relations campaigns and initiatives to legitimize their extraction efforts in the Marcellus shale region, and to project the oil and gas industry in a positive light to residents, policy makers, and landowners. This thesis describes one such public relations initiative, the Energy in Depth Northeast Marcellus Initiative. Through qualitative content analysis of Energy in Depth's online web material, this thesis examines the ways in which the oil and gas industry narrates the shale gas boom in the Marcellus shale region, and the ways in which the industry frames the discourse surrounding natural gas development. Through the use of environmental imagery, appeals to scientific reason, and appeals to patriotism, the oil and gas industry uses Energy in Depth to frame the shale gas extraction process in a positive way, all the while framing those who question or oppose the processes of shale gas extraction as irrational obstructionists.

Cases and Controversy: Guide to Teaching the Public Issues Series/Harvard Social Studies Project, and Supplement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver, Donald W.; Newmann, Fred M.

This general guide presents an overview and explains the rationale of the teaching approach of the "Public Issues Series," units produced by the Harvard Social Studies Project to help students in grades 9-19 analyze and discuss human dilemmas related to public issues. (A detailed report on the nature, development, and evaluation of the Harvard…