Does College Focus Matter? Explaining Differences in Performance among Community Colleges in North Carolina: A CAPSEE Working Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunn, Michael; Kalleberg, Arne L.

2016-01-01

The evolution of community colleges from their origins as junior colleges to institutions with dual missions to provide both academic and workforce preparation raises questions about the impact of a college's mission focus on its students' labor market success. We examine this question using data from the 58 colleges in the North Carolina…

Survey of management practices related to bovine respiratory disease in preweaned calves on California dairies.

PubMed

Love, W J; Lehenbauer, T W; Karle, B M; Hulbert, Lindsey E; Anderson, Randall J; Van Eenennaam, A L; Farver, T B; Aly, S S

2016-02-01

In the spring of 2013, a survey of California (CA) dairies was performed to characterize management practices related to bovine respiratory disease in preweaned calves, compare these practices across geographic regions of the state, and determine the principal components that explain the variability in management between herds. The questionnaire consisted of 53 questions divided into 6 sections to assess management practices affecting dairy calves from precalving to weaning. The questionnaire was mailed to 1,523 grade A licensed dairies in CA and 224 responses (14.7%) were collected. Survey response rates were similar over the 3 defined regions of CA: northern CA, northern San Joaquin Valley, and the greater southern CA region. The mean size of respondent herds was 1,423 milking cows. Most dairies reported raising preweaned calves on-site (59.7%). In 93.3% of dairies, preweaned calves were raised in some form of individual housing. Nonsaleable milk was the most frequent liquid diet fed to preweaned heifers (75.2%). Several important differences were identified between calf-raising practices in CA and practices reported in recent nationwide studies, including herd sizes, housing practices, and sources of milk fed to heifers. The differences between the CA and nationwide studies may be explained by differences in herd size. Regional differences within CA were also identified. Compared with the 2 other regions, northern CA dairies were found to have smaller herds, less Holstein cattle, calves remained with dams for longer periods of time after calving, were more likely to be certified organic dairies, and raised their own calves more often. Principal component analysis was performed and identified 11 components composed of 28 variables (questions) that explained 66.5% of the variability in the data. The identified components and questions will contribute to developing a risk assessment tool for bovine respiratory disease in preweaned dairy calves. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gender Differences in E-Learning Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez-Gomez, Francisco; Guardiola, Jorge; Rodriguez, Oscar Martin; Alonso, Miguel Angel Montero

2012-01-01

Student learning skills differ depending on gender. The importance of studying this situation in the classroom is that recommendations can be made taking gender into consideration. In e-learning, the roles of students and teachers change. In line with recent research, the question this paper raises is whether or not gender differences also exist…

Nationality as a Determinant of Learning Styles: Comparing Marketing Students from Bulgaria and the USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Budeva, Desislava; Kehaiova, Maria; Petkus, Ed

2015-01-01

More than ever, college students vary in terms of nationality and cultural backgrounds, which raises the question: do these cultural differences translate into different learning styles? This study attempts to investigate how marketing students from different countries adopt certain learning styles using two samples of undergraduate students from…

An EEG Investigation of the Differences in the Hemispheric Specialization of Formal and Concrete Operational Persons.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dilling, Richard A.; And Others

This study attempts to raise and answer the question as to whether lateral specialization of the brain could explain some of the differences in persons at different stages of intellectual development from birth to adulthood according to Piaget's theory of individual development via sequential, qualitatively different stages.…

Making Sense of the Atmospheric Science Gender Gap: Do Female and Male Graduate Students Have Different Career Motives, Goals, and Challenges?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canetto, Silvia Sara; Trott, Carlie D.; Thomas, Jenifer J.; Wynstra, Cheryl A.

2012-01-01

There is a persisting gap in the participation of women in atmospheric science (ATS), particularly at the higher levels of ATS education and occupations. This gap raises questions about ATS women's career motives, plans, and challenges relative to men's. To explore these questions, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 female and male ATS…

Power and Empowerment in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kissen, Rita M.

2004-01-01

Maughn Rollins Gregory's essay raises questions about power and authority that are at the heart of the teaching enterprise. Each of Gregory's four episodes illuminates this essential conundrum from a different angle: the disempowerment of a teacher by an administrator responding to student homophobia; the effort to normalize difference through…

Using Scientific Inquiry to Teach Students about Water Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puche, Helena; Holt, Jame

2012-01-01

This semi-guided inquiry activity explores the macroinvertebrate fauna in water sources affected by different levels of pollution. Students develop their ability to identify macroinvertebrates, compare aquatic fauna from different sources of water samples, evaluate water quality using an index, document and analyze data, raise questions and…

Reading Interest in a Digital Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Putro, Nur Hidayanto Pancoro Setyo; Lee, Jihyun

2017-01-01

The era of "digital literacy" raises the question of whether the meaning of reading interest may have changed. This study examined psycho-behavioral dimensions of reading interest as these relate to different reading modes and different purposes of reading. Findings show that reading interest is best represented by its subcomponents of…

Estrogen fueled, nuclear kiss: did it move for you?

PubMed

Belmont, Andrew S

2010-01-01

A paper appearing in late 2008,1 attracted considerable attention with its description of a dramatic juxtaposition of two estrogen responsive genes on different chromosomes within 15-60 minutes of adding estradiol. These results challenged a growing consensus of limited chromosome mobility within interphase nuclei, while raising questions of whether a hitherto unknown molecular mechanism might exist to move chromosomes long distances within the nucleus. These results also raised the fascinating question of how two genes on widely separated chromosomes might find each other over such a short time span. Now, a more recent paper reports no such long-range interaction or chromosome movements in the same cell types under what appear to be well replicated conditions, forcing a reexamination of the prior results.

The Perceived Credibility of Scientific Claims, Paranormal Phenomena, and Miracles among Primary Teacher Students: A Comparative Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keranto, Tapio

2001-01-01

Presents data collected concerning scientific, religious, and magic-occult connections from Finnish, Estonian, and Michigan primary teacher students to answer questions such as Do we find any differences between the credibility estimates?, Are there any differences between primary teacher students raised in different societies and educated in…

A Mathematical Model of the Evolution of Individual Differences in Developmental Plasticity Arising through Parental Bet-Hedging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frankenhuis, Willem E.; Panchanathan, Karthik; Belsky, Jay

2016-01-01

Children vary in the extent to which their development is shaped by particular experiences (e.g. maltreatment, social support). This variation raises a question: Is there no single level of plasticity that maximizes biological fitness? One influential hypothesis states that when different levels of plasticity are optimal in different environmental…

Niépce-Bell or Turing: how to test odour reproduction.

PubMed

Harel, David

2016-12-01

Decades before the existence of anything resembling an artificial intelligence system, Alan Turing raised the question of how to test whether machines can think, or, in modern terminology, whether a computer claimed to exhibit intelligence indeed does so. This paper raises the analogous issue for olfaction: how to test the validity of a system claimed to reproduce arbitrary odours artificially, in a way recognizable to humans. Although odour reproduction systems are still far from being viable, the question of how to test candidates thereof is claimed to be interesting and non-trivial, and a novel method is proposed. Despite the similarity between the two questions and their surfacing long before the tested systems exist, the present question cannot be answered adequately by a Turing-like method. Instead, our test is very different: it is conditional, requiring from the artificial no more than is required from the original, and it employs a novel method of immersion that takes advantage of the availability of easily recognizable reproduction methods for sight and sound, a la Nicéphore Niépce and Alexander Graham Bell. © 2016 The Authors.

Niépce–Bell or Turing: how to test odour reproduction

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Decades before the existence of anything resembling an artificial intelligence system, Alan Turing raised the question of how to test whether machines can think, or, in modern terminology, whether a computer claimed to exhibit intelligence indeed does so. This paper raises the analogous issue for olfaction: how to test the validity of a system claimed to reproduce arbitrary odours artificially, in a way recognizable to humans. Although odour reproduction systems are still far from being viable, the question of how to test candidates thereof is claimed to be interesting and non-trivial, and a novel method is proposed. Despite the similarity between the two questions and their surfacing long before the tested systems exist, the present question cannot be answered adequately by a Turing-like method. Instead, our test is very different: it is conditional, requiring from the artificial no more than is required from the original, and it employs a novel method of immersion that takes advantage of the availability of easily recognizable reproduction methods for sight and sound, a la Nicéphore Niépce and Alexander Graham Bell. PMID:28003527

Expressions of Different-Trajectory Caused Motion Events in Chinese

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paul, Jing Z.

2013-01-01

We perform motion events in all aspects of our daily life, from walking home to jumping into a pool, from throwing a frisbee to pushing a shopping cart. The fact that languages may encode such motion events in different fashions has raised intriguing questions regarding the typological classifications of natural languages in relation to…

Sex Differences in Doctoral Student Publication Rates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lubienski, Sarah Theule; Miller, Emily K.; Saclarides, Evthokia Stephanie

2018-01-01

Women in the sciences who earn PhDs are less likely than their male counterparts to pursue tenure-track positions at research universities. Moreover, among those who become STEM researchers, men have been found to publish more than women. These patterns raise questions about when sex differences in publication begin. Using data from a survey of…

Arguments at cross-purposes: moral epistemology and medical ethics

PubMed Central

Loughlin, M

2002-01-01

Different beliefs about the nature and justification of bioethics may reflect different assumptions in moral epistemology. Two alternative views (put forward by David Seedhouse and Michael H Kottow) are analysed and some speculative conclusions formed. The foundational questions raised here are by no means settled and deserve further attention. PMID:11834756

Reflexive Deliberation in International Research Collaboration: Minimising Risk and Maximising Opportunity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brew, Angela; Boud, David; Lucas, Lisa; Crawford, Karin

2013-01-01

International research collaboration raises questions about how groups from different national and institutional contexts can work together for common ends. This paper uses issues that have arisen in carrying out the first stage of an international research project to discuss a framework designed to map different kinds of multi-national research…

The 150 most important questions in cancer research and clinical oncology series: questions 40-49.

PubMed

2017-07-13

Since the beginning of 2017, Chinese Journal of Cancer has published a series of important questions in cancer research and clinical oncology, which sparkle diverse thoughts, interesting communications, and potential collaborations among researchers all over the world. In this article, 10 more questions are presented as followed. Question 40. Why do mice being used as tumorigenesis models raised in different places or different conditions possess different tumor formation rate? Question 41. How could we generate more effective anti-metastasis drugs? Question 42. What is the molecular mechanism underlying heterogeneity of cancer cachexia in patients with the same pathologic type? Question 43. Will patients with oligo-metastatic disease be curable by immunotherapy plus stereotactic body radiotherapy? Question 44. Can the Warburg effect regulation be targeted for cancer treatment? Question 45. Why do adenocarcinomas seldom occur in the small intestine? Question 46. Is Epstein-Barr virus infection a causal factor for nasal natural killer/T cell lymphoma formation? Question 47. Why will not all but very few human papillomavirus-infected patients eventually develop cervical cancer? Question 48. Why do cervical carcinomas induced by human papilloma virus have a low mutation rate in tumor suppressor genes? Question 49. Can viral infection trigger lung cancer relapse?

The Prospectus, Challenges and Causes of Gender Disparity and Its Implication for Ethiopia's Development: Qualitative Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dea, Mulatu

2016-01-01

The study conducted with proposition that development needs to be participatory including both men and women. Different scholars came up with different explanations by raising the question why gender gap in different sectors The objectives of this paper are to: Analyze some relevant theories of development related to the causes of gender equality…

Coping with Dialectical Tensions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brockriede, Wayne

This paper discusses some of the central issues involved in philosophizing about rhetoric by raising two primary questions within the context of three traditional branches of philosophy: ontology, axiology, and epistemology. The two questions raised are: What are dialectical tensions in a philosophy of rhetoric? and How does a person try to cope…

Report: Awards Made by EPA’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer Raise Questions

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #16-P-0048, November 30, 2015. OCFO’s unprecedented award of $9,000 in bonuses to a Director less than 3 months after being hired raises questions about the reasonableness of the awards and how the OCFO uses the awards process.

Questioning the Questions: The Good, the Bad, and the Dicey in Fund-Raising and Alumni Surveys.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trimarco, Paola

1994-01-01

A discussion of college alumni surveys considers the kinds of information that are most helpful to the institution in fund raising, including names and preferred forms of address, significant others, demographics, Social Security numbers, occupational information, and income and net worth. (MSE)

Exploring Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breuil, Stéphanie

2016-04-01

Mars is our neighbour planet and has always fascinated humans as it has been seen as a potential abode for life. Knowledge about Mars is huge and was constructed step by step through numerous missions. It could be difficult to describe these missions, the associated technology, the results, the questions they raise, that's why an activity is proposed, that directly interests students. Their production is presented in the poster. Step 1: The main Mars feature and the first Mars explorations using telescope are presented to students. It should be really interesting to present "Mars Canals" from Percival Lowell as it should also warn students against flawed interpretation. Moreover, this study has raised the big question about extra-terrestrial life on Mars for the first time. Using Google Mars is then a good way to show the huge knowledge we have on the planet and to introduce modern missions. Step 2: Students have to choose and describe one of the Mars mission from ESA and NASA. They should work in pairs. Web sites from ESA and NASA are available and the teacher makes sure the main missions will be studied. Step 3: Students have to collect different pieces of information about the mission - When? Which technology? What were the main results? What type of questions does it raise? They prepare an oral presentation in the form they want (role play, academic presentation, using a poster, PowerPoint). They also have to produce playing cards about the mission that could be put on a timeline. Step 4: As a conclusion, the different cards concerning different missions are mixed. Groups of students receive cards and they have to put them on a timeline as fast as possible. It is also possible to play the game "timeline".

Concept Innateness, Concept Continuity, and Bootstrapping

PubMed Central

Carey, Susan

2011-01-01

The commentators raised issues relevant to all three important theses of The Origin of Concepts (TOOC). Some questioned the very existence of innate representational primitives, and others questioned my claims about their richness and whether they should be thought of as concepts. Some questioned the existence of conceptual discontinuity in the course of knowledge acquisition and others argued that discontinuity is much more common than portrayed in TOOC. Some raised issues with my characterization of Quinian bootstrapping, and others questioned the dual factor theory of concepts motivated by my picture of conceptual development. PMID:23264705

Emotional Differences between Early and Late Degree Program Music Teacher Education Students Using a Concise Emotional Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fredrickson, William E.; Madsen, Clifford K.

2010-01-01

Teaching music can be a stressful profession. How current and future teachers perceive stress, and the personal emotions that result from stressful situations, raises many questions. This study investigated differences in perception of levels of emotional stress between early and late program students in music teacher education using a concise…

A Response to Some Questions Raised About the Woodcock-Johnson: I. The Mean Score Discrepancy Issue.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodcook, Richard W.

1984-01-01

Twenty-one studies that reported mean score differences between the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability (WJTCA) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) Full Scale are summarized. The differences are found to be minimal and are attributed to data bias and WJTCA's higher correlation with achievement. (EGS)

Innovation Practices in Schools: The Impact of Different Models of Organization on the Practice of Norwegian Municipalities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jentoft, Nina

2017-01-01

Services provided by primary schools have a significant impact on citizens' living conditions. We need more knowledge of how innovation activities in primary schools should be organized and managed. This article addresses this gap by raising the following question: "Why do municipalities have different ways of organizing preventive work in…

Cytotype differences in radial increment provide novel insight into aspen reproductive ecology and stand dynamics

Treesearch

R. Justin DeRose; Karen E. Mock; James N. Long

2015-01-01

High rates of triploidy have recently been described in quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) of the Intermountain West, raising questions about the contributions of triploidy to stand persistence and dynamics. In this study, we investigated cytotype differences between diploid and triploid aspen clones using dendrochronological techniques. We used tree-ring data...

Reclaiming Our Traditions, Raising Some Questions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hands On, 1994

1994-01-01

Several members of the Sequoia Foxfire Teachers Network in California discuss their teaching experiences in multicultural classroom settings, including issues of empowerment and democracy, difficulties in communicating with children who have different language and cultural backgrounds, problems in developing a sense of community among students,…

Learning Analytics across a Statewide System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buyarski, Catherine; Murray, Jim; Torstrick, Rebecca

2017-01-01

This chapter explores lessons learned from two different learning analytics efforts at a large, public, multicampus university--one internally developed and one vended platform. It raises questions about how to best use analytics to support students while keeping students responsible for their own learning and success.

Job Satisfaction of University Faculty.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Onuoha, Alphonso R. A.

1980-01-01

In testing Herzberg's two-factor theory of job satisfaction, it was found that theories of job satisfaction may be closely related to the methods used in collecting data; hence, the results of studies employing different methods raise questions about the validity of a particular theory. (Author/IRT)

Generic Principles for Resolving Intergroup Conflict.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Ronald J.

1994-01-01

Provides an initial statement of generic principles deemed effective for addressing protracted social conflicts between identity groups. These principles are compatible with certain values for societal organization and approaches to social change, raising questions of value differences between intervenors and the host culture(s). Three case…

Is Your Salary Schedule up to Speed?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neugebauer, Roger

1994-01-01

Presents four key questions for day-care center administrators to consider when evaluating their salary schedules: (1) what are we paying for?; (2) is our pay equitable?; (3) should we offer annual increases?; and (4) should we offer merit raises? Considers various issues raised by these questions, based upon an analysis of over 100 salary…

Dilemmas in Medicine, 2nd Edition 1977. CEM Probe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Undy, Harry, Ed.

Published for secondary school youth in England, the PROBE series presents provocative information and discussion questions on topical themes. The focus of this issue is on aspects of medicine which raise moral dilemmas for doctors, patients, and society in general. This issue contains case studies which illustrate ethical questions raised by the…

Motivational Adequacy and Educational Faith

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weithman, Paul

2010-01-01

Justice is often thought to require that students receive educations that are, in some important sense, equal. I lay out, and raise questions about, an argument that seems to support this conclusion. The questions I raise about the argument suggest that what justice requires is not equality, but adequacy, of education. More specifically, I contend…

Bayesian accounts and black swans: Questioning the erotetic theory of delusional thinking.

PubMed

McKay, Ryan

2015-01-01

Parrott and Koralus argue that a particular cognitive factor--"impaired endogenous question raising"--offers a parsimonious account of three delusion-related phenomena: (1) the development of the Capgras delusion; (2) evidence that patients with schizophrenia outperform healthy control participants on a conditional reasoning task; and (3) evidence that deluded individuals "jump to conclusions". In this response, I assess these claims, and raise my own questions about the "erotetic" theory of delusional thinking.

Incorporating children's toxicokinetics into a risk framework.

PubMed Central

Ginsberg, Gary; Slikker, William; Bruckner, James; Sonawane, Babasaheb

2004-01-01

Children's responses to environmental toxicants will be affected by the way in which their systems absorb, distribute, metabolize, and excrete chemicals. These toxicokinetic factors vary during development, from in utero where maternal and placental processes play a large role, to the neonate in which emerging metabolism and clearance pathways are key determinants. Toxicokinetic differences between neonates and adults lead to the potential for internal dosimetry differences and increased or decreased risk, depending on the mechanisms for toxicity and clearance of a given chemical. This article raises a number of questions that need to be addressed when conducting a toxicokinetic analysis of in utero or childhood exposures. These questions are organized into a proposed framework for conducting the assessment that involves problem formulation (identification of early life stage toxicokinetic factors and chemical-specific factors that may raise questions/concerns for children); data analysis (development of analytic approach, construction of child/adult or child/animal dosimetry comparisons); and risk characterization (evaluation of how children's toxicokinetic analysis can be used to decrease uncertainties in the risk assessment). The proposed approach provides a range of analytical options, from qualitative to quantitative, for assessing children's dosimetry. Further, it provides background information on a variety of toxicokinetic factors that can vary as a function of developmental stage. For example, the ontology of metabolizing systems is described via reference to pediatric studies involving therapeutic drugs and evidence from in vitro enzyme studies. This type of resource information is intended to help the assessor begin to address the issues raised in this paper. PMID:14754583

Knowledge Brokers, Entrepreneurs and Markets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caswill, Chris; Lyall, Catherine

2013-01-01

This paper expands the discussion of knowledge brokerage by connecting it to long-standing debates within the social sciences about the effective transmission of scientifically produced knowledge into the worlds of policy and practice. This longer-term perspective raises some different questions about intermediary roles which are then tested…

Culture, Ethics, Scripts, and Gifts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Messerschmitt, Dorothy; Hafernik, Johnnie Johnson; Vandrick, Stephanie

1997-01-01

Discusses gift-giving patterns in different cultures, particularly in relation to teacher-student interactions in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction. Situations in which gift-giving can raise ethical questions and how to teach culturally diverse students about this issue are highlighted. Script theory provides a theoretical basis for…

Contesting the Public School: Reconsidering Charter Schools as Counterpublics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Terri S.

2016-01-01

Although technically open to all, charter schools often emphasize distinctive missions that appeal to particular groups of students and families. These missions, especially ones focusing on ethnic, linguistic, and cultural differences, also contribute to segregation between schools. Such schools raise normative questions about the aims of…

The Construction of Fear: Americans' Preferences for Social Distance from Children and Adolescents with Mental Health Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Jack K.; Pescosolido, Bernice A.; Olafsdottir, Sigrun; McLeod, Jane D.

2007-01-01

Debates about children's mental health problems have raised questions about the reliability and validity of diagnosis and treatment. However, little research has focused on social reactions to children with mental health problems. This gap in research raises questions about competing theories of stigma, as well as specific factors shaping…

Public Libraries and Private Fund Raising: Opportunities and Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeavons, Thomas H.

In the context of faster growth of community information needs and demands than growth of public funds, questions about where new resources can be found are the subject of much discussion within the library profession. This report is an attempt to raise questions and clarify issues that should be considered in advance of the formulation of library…

The Octopus, the Squid and the Tortoise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caruth, Gail D.; Caruth, Donald L.

2013-01-01

What is the role of the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) today? This is not a new question. In 1903, William James questioned the value of the degree as an indicator of teaching ability. Unfortunately, the issue James raised has never been resolved. Move forward in time to 1990. Theodore Ziolkowski essentially agreed with James, but raised additional…

Teaching Rhetorica: Theory, Pedagogy, Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ronald, Kate, Ed.; Ritchie, Joy, Ed.

2006-01-01

In their breakthrough anthology of women's rhetoric, "Available Means," Kate Ronald and Joy Ritchie presented the first comprehensive collection of women's rhetorical theory and practice from the third century B.C. to 2001. With that expansive gathering of women's rhetoric, they raised questions about gender, difference, and the rhetorical canon,…

Teaching Sexuality from Divergent Life-Style Viewpoints.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moy, Caryl T.; Hotvedt, Mary

A unique approach to teaching human sexuality at the college level is to present the content and raise sociological and interpersonal value questions from different lifestyle viewpoints. Developing a course such as this has involved securing approval and encouragement from university administration who trust faculty judgment but who are under…

Dysprosody and Stimulus Effects in Cantonese Speakers with Parkinson's Disease

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Joan K.-Y.; Whitehill, Tara; Cheung, Katherine S.-K.

2010-01-01

Background: Dysprosody is a common feature in speakers with hypokinetic dysarthria. However, speech prosody varies across different types of speech materials. This raises the question of what is the most appropriate speech material for the evaluation of dysprosody. Aims: To characterize the prosodic impairment in Cantonese speakers with…

Examining the Discourses of Cross-Cultural Communication in Transnational Higher Education: From Imposition to Transformation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Djerasimovic, Sanja

2014-01-01

The expansion of transnational higher education programmes over the last decade has foregrounded the themes of internationalisation, cross-cultural learning and cooperation in international research, whilst also raising questions about the appropriateness of educational programmes originally tailored for very different contexts, about the nature…

Putting the Pieces Together

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomson, Alastair

2007-01-01

Recent policy reports by Lord Leitch and Sir Michael Lyons on educational skills and corresponding government spending raise the question of how a demand-led system for adult skills led by employers can operate concurrent with intertwined policies driven by different factors. There is also the need to integrate with regional policy and policies…

Troubling Intra-Actions: Gender, Neo-Liberalism and Research in the Global Academy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morley, Louise

2016-01-01

This article raises questions about gender in the neo-liberalised research economy. Theoretically, it includes Barad's concept of intra-action to analyse how discursive-material differences between research winners and losers are created and sustained. Empirically, it draws on international research conducted at British Council seminars on…

On Estimating Achievement Dynamic Models from Repeated Cross Sections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Contini, Dalit; Grand, Elisa

2017-01-01

Despite the increasing spread of standardized assessments of student learning, longitudinal data on achievement data are still lacking in many countries. This article raises the following question: Can we exploit cross-sectional assessments held at different schooling stages to evaluate how achievement inequalities related to individual-ascribed…

Conceptual Relations between Anxiety Disorder and Fearful Temperament

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rapee, Ronald M.; Coplan, Robert J.

2010-01-01

Fearful temperaments have been identified as a major risk factor for anxiety disorders. However, descriptions of fearful temperament and several forms of anxiety disorder show strong similarities. This raises the question whether these terms may simply refer to different aspects of the same underlying construct. The current review examines…

Relative Chemical Binding Affinities for Trout and Human Estrogen Receptor Using Different Competitive Binding Assays

EPA Science Inventory

Rainbow trout-based assays for estrogenicity are currently being used for development of predictive models based upon quantitative structure activity relationships. A predictive model based on a single species raises the question of whether this information is valid for other spe...

Education: The Untapped Resource in Oil Rich Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kissane, Carolyn

2007-01-01

This article raises the question of whether having a high value primary product resource, such as petroleum, makes a constructive contribution to economic and social development, and specifically to education. Although many scholars study the political and economic impact of oil on different societies, the impact on education remains an…

Educational Assessment of Students in Primary School in Tunisia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khalifa, Wiem Ben; Souilem, Dalila; Neji, Mahmoud

2017-01-01

Regardless of the study level, the assessments applied in the different educational institutions in Tunisia raise many questions. Do these practices indicate the learners' cognitive metamorphoses? Do formative and summative evaluations intend to access knowledge acquisition at the expense of understanding? Is the content of the evaluation…

Evidence and the Antisocial Behaviour Policy Cycle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bannister, Jon; O'Sullivan, Anthony

2014-01-01

Context conditions the nature of policy development. The relationship between evidence and policy is similarly conditioned in terms of the types of evidence deployed to address specific policy matters. This raises a number of interesting questions: how are different types of evidence best classified? Are there systematic linkages between context…

Cultural Worldviews of Foster Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Jason D.; George, Natalie; St. Arnault, David; Sintzel, Jennifer

2011-01-01

A random sample of Canadian foster parents were asked about the importance of culture in fostering. In response to the question "What values, beliefs and traditions were you raised with and feel are important?," a total of 74 different responses were received. These responses were grouped together by foster parents and the groupings…

Transsexualism: An Issue of Sex-Role Stereotyping.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raymond, Janice

Transsexualism offers a unique perspective on gender identity, sex-role stereotyping, and sex differences in a patriarchal society. It is also an important medical ethical issue which raises questions of bodily mutilation and integrity, nature versus technology, medical research priorities, unnecessary surgery, and the medical model, as well as…

Economic Questions Raised in Iraq’s New Constitution

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-11-01

oriented.[7] The economic sections of the Constitution agreed upon toward the end of August 2005 set a somewhat different tone than in earlier...of economic systems across the various regions. For example, slightly different variants of free market capitalism across the various U.S. states...three major regions of Iraq adopting variants of these three somewhat different and potentially competing economic systems. Whether or not these

Analytical Study of the Status of Myth in the Creation of Literary and Artistic Works

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moghaddam, Sedigheh Sherkat; Abai, Andia

2016-01-01

The prevalent question raised in literary theories has been the quiddity of literature. However, the question of "what is literature?" is a philosophical issue. On the other hand, the relationship between myth and literature has always been raised by most scholars and many have considered literature a subtype of myths. In this paper,…

Knowledge for a Common World? On the Place of Feminist Epistemology in Philosophy of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schumann, Claudia

2016-01-01

The paper discusses the place of feminist epistemology in philosophy of education. Against frequently raised criticisms, the paper argues that the issues raised by feminist standpoint theory lead neither to a reduction of questions of knowledge to questions of power or politics nor to the endorsement of relativism. Within the on-going discussion…

Interim Exceptional Events Rule Frequently Asked Questions

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Air agencies and other stakeholders have raised technical questions and issues related to implementation since the EPA promulgated the EER. This Question and Answer (Q&A) document is intended to respond to some of these frequently asked questions.

Using group consciousness theories to understand political activism: case studies of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Ingo Hasselbach.

PubMed

Duncan, Lauren E

2010-12-01

I describe and integrate several theories of group consciousness and collective action, along with 3 case studies of political activists. I have 2 goals: (1) to use the theories to help us understand something puzzling about each life and (2) to use the cases to complicate and expand the theories. Barack Obama's case raises the question of how someone with a politicized Black identity evolved into a politician working for all oppressed people and complicates racial identity development theory. Hillary Clinton's case raises the question of how a middle-class White girl raised in a conservative family became a prominent Democratic Party politician and complicates group consciousness theories by demonstrating the importance of generation and personality. Ingo Hasselbach's (a former German neo-Nazi leader) case illustrates relative deprivation theory and raises the question of whether theories developed to explain subordinate group consciousness can be applied to movements of dominant group consciousness. © 2010 The Author. Journal of Personality © 2010, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The impact of international experience on student nurses' personal and professional development.

PubMed

Lee, N-J

2004-06-01

Many student nurses undertake international clinical experience during their education programmes, which raises the question 'How do these experiences impact on students nurses' personal and professional development?' A case study was conducted in one School of Nursing in the United Kingdom. Student nurses participating in a new module, International Nursing and Health Care, which included clinical experience overseas, gave qualitative accounts of their international experiences and subsequent learning. Their accounts were also compared with the perceptions and expectations of the module facilitators. While there were some similarities in student experience and facilitator expectations, there were also notable differences. The students believed that their international experiences had a deep impact on their personal development, helping them make the transition from student to qualified nurse. The case study raised further questions about the acquisition of cultural knowledge and the facilitation and provision of learning from experience.

The Generalizability of Students' Interests in Biology Across Gender, Country and Religion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagay, G.; Baram-Tsabari, A.; Ametller, J.; Cakmakci, G.; Lopes, B.; Moreira, A.; Pedrosa-de-Jesus, H.

2013-06-01

In order to bridge the existing gap between biology curricula and students' interests in biology, a strategy for identifying students' interest based on their questions and integrating them into the curriculum was developed. To characterize the level of generalizability of students' science interests over 600 high school students from Portugal, Turkey, England and Israel, who chose biology as an advanced subject, their interest level was ranked in 36 questions that were originally raised by Israeli students. Results indicate that students from four different countries show interest in similar science questions. The most intriguing questions were the ones that dealt with human health and new developments in reproduction and genetics. Religious affiliation had the strongest effect on students' interest level, followed by national affiliation and gender. The findings suggest that students' interest in one context is relevant to the development of interest-based learning materials in a different context. However, despite these similarities, cultural and sociological differences need to be taken into account.

Questions and Answers for Architectural Coatings Rule

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The EPA compiled this question and answer document from inquiries received after the publication of the 1999 final architectural coatings rule and from questions raised at meetings with industry associations.

The Campus Green: Fund Raising in Higher Education. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brittingham, Barbara E.; Pezzullo, Thomas R.

This digest summarizes issues raised in a research report on fund raising in higher education. The following questions are addressed: What are the changes and trends since the early days of educational fund raising? What are the implications? What is known about spending? What is known about donor behavior? What are the major ethical issues? What…

Are phase 1 trials therapeutic? Risk, ethics, and division of labor.

PubMed

Anderson, James A; Kimmelman, Jonathan

2014-03-01

Despite their crucial role in the translation of pre-clinical research into new clinical applications, phase 1 trials involving patients continue to prompt ethical debate. At the heart of the controversy is the question of whether risks of administering experimental drugs are therapeutically justified. We suggest that prior attempts to address this question have been muddled, in part because it cannot be answered adequately without first attending to the way labor is divided in managing risk in clinical trials. In what follows, we approach the question of therapeutic justification for phase 1 trials from the viewpoint of five different stakeholders: the drug regulatory authority, the IRB, the clinical investigator, the referring physician, and the patient. Our analysis shows that the question of therapeutic justification actually raises multiple questions corresponding to the roles and responsibilities of the different stakeholders involved. By attending to these contextual differences, we provide more coherent guidance for the ethical negotiation of risk in phase 1 trials involving patients. We close by discussing the implications of our argument for various perennial controversies in phase 1 trial practice. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Pesticide Labeling Questions & Answers

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Pesticide manufacturers, applicators, state regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders raise questions or issues about pesticide labels. The questions on this page are those that apply to multiple products or address inconsistencies among product labels.

The Multiverse and Particle Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donoghue, John F.

2016-10-01

The possibility of fundamental theories with very many ground states, each with different physical parameters, changes the way that we approach the major questions of particle physics. Most importantly, it raises the possibility that these different parameters could be realized in different domains in the larger universe. In this review, I survey the motivations for the multiverse and the impact of the idea of the multiverse on the search for new physics beyond the Standard Model.

Problematizing the "Taken for Granted" in Educational Issues: Karl Marx, Antonio Gramsci, and Michel Foucault.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qi, Jie

This paper explores how educators would raise different questions about educational issues by using Karl Marx's framework, Antonio Gramsci's conception, and Michel Foucault's notions, respectively. First, the paper compares the historical perspectives of Marx and Foucault. Marx concludes that history is a progressive linear production and that…

Students' Genre Expectations and the Effects of Text Cohesion on Reading Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmitz, Anke; Gräsel, Cornelia; Rothstein, Björn

2017-01-01

This study raises the question what makes school texts comprehensible by analyzing whether students' genre expectations about literary or expository texts moderate the impact of different forms of text cohesion on reading comprehension, even when the texts are similar regarding their genre. 754 students (Grade 9) from comprehensive schools read…

Introducing DNA Concepts to Swiss High School Students Based on a Brazilian Educational Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cardona, Tania da S.; Spiegel, Carolina N.; Alves, Gutemberg G.; Ducommun, Jacques; Henriques-Pons, Andrea; Araujo-Jorge, Tania C.

2007-01-01

Subjects such as techniques for genetic diagnosis, cloning, sequencing, and gene therapy are now part of our lives and raise important questions about ethics, future medical diagnosis, and such. Students from different countries observe this explosion of biotechnological applications regardless of their social, academic, or cultural backgrounds,…

Theorizing Content: Tools from Cultural History

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkey, Kate

2007-01-01

What lies behind the lack of theorizing about content in history in contrast to much greater attention given to theorizing about children's developing understanding of historical skills and processes? Egan's model of the characteristic ways in which children of different ages engage with the world is used to raise the question of what content to…

The Value of a Liberal Arts Education to the Professionally Trained.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frost, Charles H.

Questions concerning the appropriate level of, and foundation for, professional education in social work have been raised. A study was undertaken to compare the professional achievements of individuals holding master's degrees in social work (MSWs) who had different types of undergraduate education. Subjects were 719 MSW graduates of the 5 years,…

An Exploration of Egyptian Students' Attitudes toward Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El-Zayaty, Nady

2018-01-01

Open and Distance Learning (ODL) has become an increasingly popular platform for delivering education the world over. The acceptance of ODL as a viable alternative to traditional brick and mortar educational institutes has been a topic of debate however. Furthermore, many questions have been raised about the different levels of interest…

Language, Name, and Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bronowski, J.; Bellugi, Ursula

1970-01-01

Summarizes the results of attempts to teach a young chimpanzee to use sign language, and raises questions about the uniqueness of human language. Analyzes language development in children and suggests that humans differ from nonhuman primates in the ability to analyze the environment into parts which can be manipulated in the mind, and that it is…

Do You Always Need a Textbook to Teach Astro 101?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rudolph, Alexander L.

2013-01-01

The increasing use of interactive learning [IL] strategies in Astro 101 classrooms has led some instructors to consider the usefulness of a textbook in such classes. These strategies provide students a learning modality very different from the traditional lecture supplemented by reading a textbook and homework and raise the question of whether the…

Rural Futures: Development, Aspirations, Mobilities, Place, and Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corbett, Michael

2016-01-01

This piece responds to the content of each of the articles in this issue and raises questions in response to some explicit and implicit themes including particularly the way that differently positioned rural youth are "oriented" in the course of their educational experience. These articles are read as accounts of people in place that…

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) genotypes differ between coastal sites and inland road corridors in the Northeastern US

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a North American grass that exhibits vast genetic diversity across its geographic range. In the Northeast, switchgrass was restricted to a narrow zone adjacent to the coastal salt marsh, but current populations inhabit inland road verges raising questions about t...

Subjects, Networks and Positions: Thinking Educational Guidance Differently

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Usher, Robin; Edwards, Richard G.

2005-01-01

This article explores the ways in which framings drawn from post-structuralism can help to inform the understanding of guidance practices. In particular, it draws upon the later work of Foucault and Actor-Network Theory to question the centrality of the humanistic subject predominant within discourses of contemporary guidance and raise issues of…

Clay Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Liz; Steffan, Dana

2009-01-01

This article describes how to use clay as a potential material for young children to explore. As teachers, the authors find that their dialogue about the potential of clay as a learning medium raises many questions: (1) What makes clay so enticing? (2) Why are teachers noticing different play and conversation around the clay table as compared to…

Evidence-Based Teaching: Rhetoric and Reality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wrigley, Terry

2015-01-01

This essay connects a number of recent books relating, in different ways, to the contentious issue of how teaching might be better guided by research evidence. In order to shed light on this problematic area, Terry Wrigley begins by pointing out that raising awkward questions about terms such as "evidence- based teaching" is not the same…

Unveiling MERCURY's Mysteries with Bepicolombo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benkhoff, J.; Fujimoto, M.; Murakami, G.; Zender, J.

2017-09-01

NASA's MESSENGER mission has fundamentally changed our view of the innermost planet. Mercury is in many ways a very different planet from what we were expecting. Now BepiColombo has to follow up on answering the fundamental questions that MESSENGER raised and go beyond. The authors are the JAXA and ESA Project Scientists of this wonderful mission.

Developments in Language Testing with the Focus on Ethics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vladi, Alma Cenkaj

2015-01-01

Language tests have become powerful tools, because they are used to measure the success of individuals in different aspects of life. Despite their influence on the lives of individuals taking them, only in the last decades have language theorists started to raise questions of high sensitivity. Tests were considered as purely linguistic acts,…

Leadership in Multiple Perpetrator Stranger Rape

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodhams, Jessica; Cooke, Claire; Harkins, Leigh; da Silva, Teresa

2012-01-01

Sexual offences by multiple perpetrators are more violent and involve more severe forms of sexual violation than those perpetrated by a lone offender. Often a clear leader exists within these groups. Questions have been raised as to the relative risk of reoffending and the potentially differing criminogenic needs of leaders and followers. However,…

Surveillance Cameras in Schools: An Ethical Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warnick, Bryan R.

2007-01-01

In this essay, Bryan R. Warnick responds to the increasing use of surveillance cameras in public schools by examining the ethical questions raised by their use. He explores the extent of a student's right to privacy in schools, stipulates how video surveillance is similar to and different from commonly accepted in-person surveillance practices,…

Social Connections for Older People with Intellectual Disability in Ireland: Results from Wave One of IDS-TILDA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCausland, Darren; McCallion, Philip; Cleary, Eimear; McCarron, Mary

2016-01-01

Background: The literature on influences of community versus congregated settings raises questions about how social inclusion can be optimised for people with intellectual disability. This study examines social contacts for older people with intellectual disability in Ireland, examining differences in social connection for adults with intellectual…

Commentary and Challenges to Grusec and Davidov's Domain-Specific Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunn, Judy

2010-01-01

J. E. Grusec and M. Davidov's article (this issue) about domains of parenting and their links with different aspects of childhood outcome raises both interesting questions and challenges. Four of these concerns are discussed in relation to early childhood. First is the issue of bidirectionality. Recent studies highlight the contribution of…

Freedom of Speech and Philosophy of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Roy

2009-01-01

Why is freedom of speech so seldom raised as an issue in philosophy of education? In assessing this question, it is important to distinguish (i) between a freedom and its exercise, and (ii) between different philosophies of education. Western philosophies of education may be broadly divided into classes derived from theories of knowledge first…

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…

Representation and Structure in Connectionist Models

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-08-01

among those who are actively exploring the to wonder how these models might differ topic (cf. Dolan & Dyer, 1987; Dolan & from traditional theories , and...because one of the critical ways in which cognitive theories may differ is in the Elman Representation & Structure some of the specific questions raised...that whereas Classi- atomistic or can they possess internal struc- cal theories (e.g., the Language of Thought, ture? Can that structure be used to

Immigration Policies and Issues on Health-Related Grounds for Exclusion

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-29

particularly with its relationship to foreign travel. With Mexico also suffering high infection rates of this strain of influenza, questions have been raised on...particularly with its relationship to foreign travel. With Mexico also suffering high infection rates of this strain of influenza, questions have been raised...meningococcal, pneumococcal, rotavirus, varicella , zoster, and the annual influenza vaccine.36 Most visas denied on this basis are overcome when

Does uncontrolled cardiac death for organ donation raise ethical questions? An opinion survey.

PubMed

Goudet, V; Albouy-Llaty, M; Migeot, V; Pain, B; Dayhot-Fizelier, C; Pinsard, M; Gil, R; Beloucif, S; Robert, R

2013-11-01

Organ donation after uncontrolled cardiac death raises complex ethical issues. We conducted a survey in a large hospital staff population, including caregivers and administrators, to determine their ethical viewpoints regarding organ donation after uncontrolled cardiac death. Multicenter observational survey using a questionnaire, including information on the practical modalities of the procedure. Respondents were asked to answer 15 detailed ethical questions corresponding to different ethical issues raised in the literature. Ethical concerns was defined when respondents expressed ethical concerns in their answers to at least three of nine specifically selected ethical questions. One thousand one hundred ninety-six questionnaires were received, and 1057 could be analysed. According to our definition, 573 respondents out of 1057 (54%) had ethical concerns with regard to donation after cardiac death and 484 (46 %) had no ethical concerns. Physicians (55%) and particularly junior intensivists (65%) tended to have more ethical issues than nurses (52%) and hospital managers (37%). Junior intensivists had more ethical issues than senior intensivists (59%), emergency room physicians (46%) and transplant specialists (43%). Only 46% of hospital-based caregivers and managers appear to accept easily the legitimacy of organ donation after cardiac death. A significant number of respondents especially intensivists, expressed concerns over the dilemma between the interests of the individual and those of society. These results underline the need to better inform both healthcare professionals and the general population to help to the development of such procedure. © 2013 The Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor?

MedlinePlus

... Trials Database Supporting Research Raising Awareness Our Blog Patient Education Pancreas News Basics of Pancreatic Cancer FAQs The ... Detection- Goggins Lab Sol Goldman Center Discussion Board Patient Education / Basics of Pancreatic Cancer Questions What questions should ...

Toddlers, Electronic Media, and Language Development: What Researchers Know So Far

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guernsey, Lisa

2013-01-01

Electronic media--whether child-oriented videos and games or background television--is increasingly embedded in young children's lives, raising questions of its impact on children's language skills. New research presents a multitextured picture of how different types of e-media--depending on content, context, and a child's age--can help and hurt.…

ICT in Schools: What Rationale? A Conceptual Frame for a Technological Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calvani, Antonio

2009-01-01

Why introduce ICT in schools? If we challenge educational reformers and practitioners with such a question, we find a lot of ambiguous answers, depending mainly on the kind of different expectations that ICT raise. To better understand the educational role of ICT, it is important to reveal the underlying assumptions one expects when proposing…

Silences and Images: The Social History of the Classroom. History of Schools and Schooling, Volume 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grosvenor, Ian, Ed.; Lawn, Martin, Ed.; Rousmaniere, Kate, Ed.

This collection of essays is drawn from a series of international seminars in which participants explored different methodologies for writing social history of the classroom. The collection features 13 essays divided into 3 parts: Part 1, "Raising Questions about Classroom History," contains: (1) "Sneaking into School: Classroom History at Work"…

Comparison of Available Soil Nitrogen Assays in Control and Burned Forested Sites

Treesearch

Jennifer D. Knoepp; Wayne T. Swank

1995-01-01

The existence of several different methods for measuring net Nmineralization and nitrilkation rates and indexing N availability has raised questions about the comparability of these methods. We compared in situ covered cores, in situ buried bags, aerobic laboratory incubations, and tension lysimetry on control and treated plots of a prescribed burn experiment in the...

On the Compound Questions Raised by Attempts to Quantify Conversation Analysis' Phenomena, Part I: Introduction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weider, D. Lawrence

1993-01-01

Drummond and Hopper's article in this issue, "Back Channels Revisited," is discussed in terms of its ability to elicit contrary responses from different scholars because it incorporates elements of two incommensurate approaches to the study of conversation. Weider sets the stage for subsequent articles in this issue. (11 references) (LB)

Color Makes a Difference: Two-Dimensional Object Naming in Literate and Illiterate Subjects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reis, Alexandra; Faisca, Luis; Ingvar, Martin; Petersson, Karl Magnus

2006-01-01

Previous work has shown that illiterate subjects are better at naming two-dimensional representations of real objects when presented as colored photos as compared to black and white drawings. This raises the question if color or textural details selectively improve object recognition and naming in illiterate compared to literate subjects. In this…

The Bologna Process Policy Implementation in Russia and Ukraine: Similarities and Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luchinskaya, Daria; Ovchynnikova, Olena

2011-01-01

The recent establishment of the European Higher Education Area and the ongoing monitoring carried out by the Bologna Follow-up Group raises the question: to what extent have the objectives of the Bologna Process been implemented in the varied higher education systems of the 47 signatory states, including the former Soviet Union states? This…

Does Writing System Influence the Associations between Phonological Awareness, Morphological Awareness, and Reading? A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruan, Yufang; Georgiou, George K.; Song, Shuang; Li, Yixun; Shu, Hua

2018-01-01

Differences in how writing systems represent language raise important questions about the extent to which the role of linguistic skills such as phonological awareness (PA) and morphological awareness (MA) in reading is universal. In this meta-analysis, the authors examined the relationship between PA, MA, and reading (accuracy, fluency, and…

Bilingual Life in a Multilingual High School Classroom: Teaching and Learning in Cantonese and English.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Tara

1997-01-01

Explores how Cantonese-speaking math students and their teacher use different languages to achieve academic and social success in their multilingual classroom in Toronto. The article discusses inter-ethnic tensions related to the use of languages other than English and raises questions regarding the advantages and disadvantages of multilingual…

Recognising and Revealing Knowers: An Enhanced Bernsteinian Analysis of Masonic Recruitment and Apprenticeship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poulet, Celia

2010-01-01

The increasing opening of French freemasonry to lower social classes raises the question of how individuals from different social backgrounds can be assimilated into the practice of context-independent ways of speaking and writing. I address these issues by, first, describing a selection by existing members based on the dispositions already…

Communities of Practice in Higher Education: Professional Learning in an Academic Career

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arthur, Linet

2016-01-01

This article focuses on the life history of a university academic, and the ways in which he learned in different communities of practice during his career. This account raises questions about the applicability of situated learning theory to a knowledge-based organisation, and argues that both the external context and the individuals within the…

Challenges and Solutions of Adopting Public Electronic Services for the Needs of Z Generation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabaityte, Jolanta; Davidavicius, Sigitas

2017-01-01

Today's society consists of individuals who belong to different generations. Natural change will lead to the fact that a new generation of individuals will take up most of the society's structure, at the same time raising questions about behaviour in virtual space changes. Assimilation of new technologies in society greatly depends on consumer…

An Old Problem with a New Solution, Raising Classical Questions: A Commentary on Humphry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heene, Moritz

2011-01-01

Humphry (this issue) deserves credit for drawing attention to the long-neglected fact that differences in item discrimination parameters are often due to empirical factors and not the product of random error components. In doing so, Humphry offers a psychometrically elegant, coherent, and practically important new model that is more flexible while…

Frequency of Applying Different Teaching Strategies and Social Teaching Methods in Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ivic, Sonja

2016-01-01

The question that every modern teacher raises in their daily work is the reflection on selecting teaching strategies and social forms of teaching. Unlike traditional teaching strategies in which knowledge transfer is mainly done by the teacher while the students are passive listeners and recipients of such knowledge, modern teaching strategies…

Individual Differences in Children's Corepresentation of Self and Other in Joint Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milward, Sophie J.; Kita, Sotaro; Apperly, Ian A.

2017-01-01

Previous research has shown that children aged 4-5 years, but not 2-3 years, show adult-like interference from a partner when performing a joint task (Milward, Kita, & Apperly, 2014). This raises questions about the cognitive skills involved in the development of such "corepresentation (CR)" of a partner (Sebanz, Knoblich, &…

Crossing the Divide: Helen Keller and Yvonne Pitrois Dialogue on Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartig, Rachel

2007-01-01

How do those who are living with a difference most effectively cross the cultural divide and explain themselves to mainstream society? This is a central question raised by Yvonne Pitrois in her biography of Helen Keller, titled "Une nuit rayonnante: Helen Keller" [A Shining Night: Helen Keller]. Helen Keller responded to Pitrois' book in a…

Education in the Virtues: Tragic Emotions and the Artistic Imagination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penwell, Derek L.

2009-01-01

The profoundly thoughtful--not to mention extensive--character of the scholarship historically applied to the nature of the difference between Plato and Aristotle on the issue of the tragic emotions raises the obvious question: What new is there left to say? In this article, the author seeks to hold together two separate issues that have occupied…

Enhanced learning of natural visual sequences in newborn chicks.

PubMed

Wood, Justin N; Prasad, Aditya; Goldman, Jason G; Wood, Samantha M W

2016-07-01

To what extent are newborn brains designed to operate over natural visual input? To address this question, we used a high-throughput controlled-rearing method to examine whether newborn chicks (Gallus gallus) show enhanced learning of natural visual sequences at the onset of vision. We took the same set of images and grouped them into either natural sequences (i.e., sequences showing different viewpoints of the same real-world object) or unnatural sequences (i.e., sequences showing different images of different real-world objects). When raised in virtual worlds containing natural sequences, newborn chicks developed the ability to recognize familiar images of objects. Conversely, when raised in virtual worlds containing unnatural sequences, newborn chicks' object recognition abilities were severely impaired. In fact, the majority of the chicks raised with the unnatural sequences failed to recognize familiar images of objects despite acquiring over 100 h of visual experience with those images. Thus, newborn chicks show enhanced learning of natural visual sequences at the onset of vision. These results indicate that newborn brains are designed to operate over natural visual input.

African American Single Mothers Raising Sons: Implications for Family Therapy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gantt, Ann L.; Greif, Geoffrey L.

2009-01-01

Being raised by a single mother is one factor that has been suggested as contributing to the plight of African American males. Yet few studies have focused specifically on African American single mothers' experiences with raising sons. This qualitative study explored the following questions: (1) What are the experiences of African American single…

Gay-Straight Alliance Involvement and Youths' Participation in Civic Engagement, Advocacy, and Awareness-Raising.

PubMed

Poteat, V Paul; Calzo, Jerel P; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu

2018-01-01

Civic engagement among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ) youth and heterosexual cisgender allies can challenge oppressive systems. Among 295 youth in 33 Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs; 69% LGBQ, 68% cisgender female, 68% white, M age = 16.07), we examined whether greater GSA involvement was associated with greater general civic engagement, as well as participation in greater LGBTQ-specific advocacy and awareness-raising efforts. Further, we tested whether these associations were partly mediated through members' sense of agency. Greater GSA involvement was associated with greater civic engagement, advocacy, and awareness-raising; associations did not differ based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Finally, the association between GSA involvement and civic engagement was partially mediated through youths' greater sense of agency. Agency did not mediate the association between GSA involvement and engagement in advocacy or awareness-raising efforts. The results suggest GSAs are settings with potential to foster students' capacity to be active and engaged citizens.

Promoting an active form of learning out-of-class via answering online "study questions" leads to higher than expected exam scores in General Biology.

PubMed

Gibson, Susan I

2015-01-01

A rising need for workers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields has fueled interest in improving teaching within STEM disciplines. Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of active learning approaches on student learning outcomes. However, many of these studies have been conducted in experimental, rather than real-life class, settings. In addition, most of these studies have focused on in-class active learning exercises. This study tested the effects of answering questions outside of class on exam performance for General Biology students at the University of Minnesota. An online database of 1,020 multiple-choice questions covering material from the first half of the course was generated. Students in seven course sections (with an average of ∼265 students per section) were given unlimited access to the online study questions. These students made extensive use of the online questions, with students answering an average of 1,323 questions covering material from the half of the semester for which the questions were available. After students answered a set of questions, they were shown the correct answers for those questions. More specific feedback describing how to arrive at the correct answer was provided for the 73% of the questions for which the correct answers were not deemed to be self-explanatory. The extent to which access to the online study questions improved student learning outcomes was assessed by comparing the performance on exam questions of students in the seven course sections with access to the online study questions with the performance of students in course sections without access to the online study questions. Student performance was analyzed for a total of 89 different exams questions that were not included in the study questions, but that covered the same material covered by the study questions. Each of these 89 questions was used on one to five exams given to students in course sections that had access to the online study questions and on three to 77 exams given to students in sections that lacked such access. Data from over 1,800 students in sections with access to the online study questions show that those students scored a statistically significant average of 6.6% points higher on the exam questions analyzed than students in sections without access to the study questions. This difference was greater than the average amount necessary to raise students' exam grades by one grade (e.g., from a "B-" to a "B"). In addition, there was a higher correlation between number of questions answered and success on exam questions on material related to the study questions than between number of questions answered and success on exam questions on material unrelated to the study questions. The online study question system required substantial effort to set up, but required minimal effort to maintain and was effective in significantly raising average exam scores for even very large course sections.

Designing Haptic Assistive Technology for Individuals Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired.

PubMed

Pawluk, Dianne T V; Adams, Richard J; Kitada, Ryo

2015-01-01

This paper considers issues relevant for the design and use of haptic technology for assistive devices for individuals who are blind or visually impaired in some of the major areas of importance: Braille reading, tactile graphics, orientation and mobility. We show that there is a wealth of behavioral research that is highly applicable to assistive technology design. In a few cases, conclusions from behavioral experiments have been directly applied to design with positive results. Differences in brain organization and performance capabilities between individuals who are "early blind" and "late blind" from using the same tactile/haptic accommodations, such as the use of Braille, suggest the importance of training and assessing these groups individually. Practical restrictions on device design, such as performance limitations of the technology and cost, raise questions as to which aspects of these restrictions are truly important to overcome to achieve high performance. In general, this raises the question of what it means to provide functional equivalence as opposed to sensory equivalence.

Rights and representations: querying the male-to-male sexual subject in India.

PubMed

Boyce, Paul; Khanna, Akshay

2011-01-01

Same-sex sexualities in India have been portrayed in research and activism as socially marginal and minoritarian. Whilst proceeding from a commitment to the political utility of such a view, this paper questions such a standpoint. Drawing on ethnographic research conducted in different sites, the paper considers male-to-male sexualities as enacted and implicated in the production of ostensibly heteronormative spaces. This, in turn, raises questions about the representation of the queer or same-sex sexual subject in law and HIV prevention, especially in the context of post-colonial perspectives on sexuality.

The right not to hear: the ethics of parental refusal of hearing rehabilitation.

PubMed

Byrd, Serena; Shuman, Andrew G; Kileny, Sharon; Kileny, Paul R

2011-08-01

To explore the ethics of parental refusal of auditory-oral hearing rehabilitation. Case study with medical ethical discussion and review. Two young brothers present with severe-to-profound congenital sensorineural hearing loss. The parents, both of whom have normal hearing and work as sign language interpreters, have decided to raise their children with American Sign Language as their only form of communication. They have chosen not to pursue cochlear implantation nor support the use of hearing aids. This case raises significant questions concerning whether hearing rehabilitation should be mandated, and if there are circumstances in which parental preferences should be questioned or overridden with regard to this issue. In addition, legal concerns may be raised regarding the possible need to file a report with Child Protective Services. Although similar cases involving the Deaf community have historically favored parental rights to forego hearing rehabilitation with either cochlear implantation or hearing aids, we explore whether conclusions should be different because the parents in this case are not hearing impaired. The ethics of parental rights to refuse hearing rehabilitation are complex and strikingly context-dependent. A comprehensive appreciation of the medical, practical, and legal issues is crucial prior to intervening in such challenging situations. Copyright © 2011 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

The Right Not To Hear: The Ethics of Parental Refusal of Hearing Rehabilitation

PubMed Central

Byrd, Serena; Shuman, Andrew G.; Kileny, Sharon; Kileny, Paul R.

2015-01-01

Objective To explore the ethics of parental refusal of auditory-oral hearing rehabilitation. Study Design Case study with medical ethical discussion and review. Methods Two young brothers present with severe-to-profound congenital sensorineural hearing loss. The parents, both of whom have normal hearing and work as sign language interpreters, have decided to raise their children with American Sign Language as their only form of communication. They have chosen not to pursue cochlear implantation nor support the use of hearing aids. Discussion This case raises significant questions concerning whether hearing rehabilitation should be mandated, and if there are circumstances in which parental preferences should be questioned or overridden with regard to this issue. In addition, legal concerns may be raised regarding the possible need to file a report with child protective services. Although similar cases involving the Deaf community have historically favored parental rights to forego hearing rehabilitation with either cochlear implantation or hearing aids, we explore whether conclusions should be different because the parents in this case are not hearing impaired. Conclusions The ethics of parental rights to refuse hearing augmentation are complex and strikingly context-dependent. A comprehensive appreciation of the medical, practical and legal issues is crucial prior to intervening in such challenging situations. PMID:21792972

Care Farms in the Netherlands: An Underexplored Example of Multifunctional Agriculture--Toward an Empirically Grounded, Organization-Theory-Based Typology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassink, Jan; Hulsink, Willem; Grin, John

2012-01-01

For agricultural and rural development in Europe, multifunctionality is a leading concept that raises many questions. Care farming is a promising example of multifunctional agriculture that has so far received little attention. An issue that has not been examined thoroughly is the strategic mapping of different care farm organizations in this…

Pedagogies of the Global: Knowledge in the Human Interest. Cultural Politics & The Promise of Democracy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dirlik, Arif, Ed.

2006-01-01

The essays in this collection address questions raised by a modernity that has become global with the victory of capitalism over its competitors in the late twentieth century. Rather than erase difference by converting all to Euro/American norms of modernity, capitalist modernity as it has gone global has empowered societies once condemned to…

Words Make a Difference: The Effects of Greco-Latinate and Anglo-Saxon Lexical Variation on College Writing Instructors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maylath, Bruce

1996-01-01

Uses 90 postsecondary writing instructors and their rankings of 9 student essays to determine whether they have biases for a Greco-Latinate or Anglo-Saxon vocabulary. Raises questions about assessment practices, teaching methods, and possible effects on students who are exposed to teachers who variously favor a Greco-Latinate or an Anglo-Saxon…

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

Heath, Garvin; Warner, Ethan; Steinberg, Daniel

A growing number of studies have raised questions regarding uncertainties in our understanding of methane (CH 4) emissions from fugitives and venting along the natural gas (NG) supply chain. In particular, a number of measurement studies have suggested that actual levels of CH 4 emissions may be higher than estimated by EPA" tm s U.S. GHG Emission Inventory. We reviewed the literature to identify the growing number of studies that have raised questions regarding uncertainties in our understanding of methane (CH 4) emissions from fugitives and venting along the natural gas (NG) supply chain.

Emotion regulation and psychopathology: the role of gender.

PubMed

Nolen-Hoeksema, Susan

2012-01-01

This review addresses three questions regarding the relationships among gender, emotion regulation, and psychopathology: (a) are there gender differences in emotion regulation strategies, (b) are emotion regulation strategies similarly related to psychopathology in men and women, and (c) do gender differences in emotion regulation strategies account for gender differences in psychopathology? Women report using most emotion regulation strategies more than men do, and emotion regulation strategies are similarly related to psychopathology in women and men. More rumination in women compared to men partially accounts for greater depression and anxiety in women compared to men, while a greater tendency to use alcohol to cope partially accounts for more alcohol misuse in men compared to women. The literature on emotion regulation is likely missing vital information on how men regulate their emotions. I discuss lessons learned and questions raised about the relationships between gender differences in emotion regulation and gender differences in psychopathology.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED BY VISITORS TO FLINT'S COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flint Board of Education, MI.

QUESTIONS ARE RAISED CONCERNING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MOTT FOUNDATION PROGRAM, THE FLINT BOARD OF EDUCATION, THE COST OF THE PROGRAM, AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL PROGRAM. QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DIRECTOR RANGE FROM HIS ROLE TO HIS ON-THE-JOB TRAINING. QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO ADULT EDUCATION AND THE…

Bibliometrics: The best available information?

PubMed

Klein, Waldo C; Bloom, Martin

2005-01-01

This commentary raises significant cautions related to inherent shortcomings in the use of bibliographic analytic technology, and in particular its use in substantive decision making around promotion and tenure. Questions are raised concerning the continued use of scholarly energy for bibliometric analysis of subtly different settings. The recommendation is offered that future efforts in bibliometrics must target methods to reduce methodological shortcomings. These include clarifying the metric used to count sole/multiple authorship, and to evaluate the"merit" of manuscripts as well as journals in which they appear. Finally, the fundamental meaning of the information produced in these analyses (i.e., the validity of the measure) must be clearly presented in order for it to be credibly used.

Some Unanswered Questions in Astronomy: Are There More than Nine Planets in the Universe? Is the Theory of Stellar Evolution Wrong?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Field, George

1982-01-01

Based on the premise that discoveries raise more questions than they answer, explores various research questions related to the discovery of the planets and discoveries related to the theory of stellar evolution. (SK)

"They're Dealing with Very Different Issues": Examining the Relational Implications of Sexual Assault from the Perspective of Mental Health Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lauridsen, Erica I.; Everall, Robin D.

2013-01-01

A non-normative gender identity raises questions concerning widely accepted theories of gender that prevail in Western society. These theories are founded upon dichotomous models of gender identity that are posited as having a direct relationship to binary biological sex. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how individuals who…

Less Time to Study, Less Well Prepared for Work, yet Satisfied with Higher Education: A UK Perspective on Links between Higher Education and the Labour Market

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Little, Brenda; Arthur, Lore

2010-01-01

This paper explores graduates' views on the relationship between higher education and employment. It draws on a major European study involving graduates five years after graduation and highlights similarities and differences between UK graduates' experiences and their European counterparts. Specifically, we address questions raised in the study…

Sexual Dimorphism and Estrogen Action in Mouse Liver.

PubMed

Torre, Della; Lolli, Federica; Ciana, Paolo; Maggi, Adriana

2017-01-01

Recent studies have demonstrated that in mice, the estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is expressed in the liver and has a direct effect on the regulation of the hepatic genes relevant for energy metabolism and drug metabolism. The sex-related differential expression of the hepatic ERα raises the questions as to whether this receptor is responsible for the sexual differences observed in the physiopathology of the liver.

Online Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Software Training through the Behavioral Modeling Approach: A Longitudinal Field Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Charlie C.; Shaw, Ruey-shiang

2006-01-01

The continued and increasing use of online training raises the question of whether the most effective training methods applied in live instruction will carry over to different online environments in the long run. Behavior Modeling (BM) approach--teaching through demonstration--has been proven as the most effective approach in a face-to-face (F2F)…

An English Geography Curriculum Abroad: Using "Third Space" as an Ideal Type to Understand Similarity and Difference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Kay

2016-01-01

Where there is a demand for English-medium schooling and English academic qualifications in a former British colony such as Sri Lanka, questions about power relations and the construction of knowledge are raised. Geography is a school subject that claims to make sense of the world. In this article I propose a postcolonial theoretical framework and…

Issues and Dilemmas in Sexual Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lassen, Carol L.

1976-01-01

This paper raises issues and questions which repeatedly confront the sex therapist rather than the patient. Issues raised are: conflict in values; the impotent male; masturbation; nonorgasmic females; and the philosophical approach to therapy of women therapists influenced by the women's movement. (NG)

Economics of Ethics in the Business of Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broglio, Lawrence

1992-01-01

Raises numerous questions concerning ethical dilemmas faced by theater educators from the point of view of higher education as big business. Presents four categories of questions: philosophy, pedagogy, production, and administration. (RS)

Discourse Integration Guided by the "Question under Discussion"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clifton, Charles, Jr.; Frazier, Lyn

2012-01-01

What makes a discourse coherent? One potential factor has been discussed in the linguistic literature in terms of a Question under Discussion (QUD). This approach claims that discourse proceeds by continually raising explicit or implicit questions, viewed as sets of alternatives, or competing descriptions of the world. If the interlocutor accepts…

Promoting an active form of learning out-of-class via answering online “study questions” leads to higher than expected exam scores in General Biology

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

A rising need for workers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields has fueled interest in improving teaching within STEM disciplines. Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of active learning approaches on student learning outcomes. However, many of these studies have been conducted in experimental, rather than real-life class, settings. In addition, most of these studies have focused on in-class active learning exercises. This study tested the effects of answering questions outside of class on exam performance for General Biology students at the University of Minnesota. An online database of 1,020 multiple-choice questions covering material from the first half of the course was generated. Students in seven course sections (with an average of ∼265 students per section) were given unlimited access to the online study questions. These students made extensive use of the online questions, with students answering an average of 1,323 questions covering material from the half of the semester for which the questions were available. After students answered a set of questions, they were shown the correct answers for those questions. More specific feedback describing how to arrive at the correct answer was provided for the 73% of the questions for which the correct answers were not deemed to be self-explanatory. The extent to which access to the online study questions improved student learning outcomes was assessed by comparing the performance on exam questions of students in the seven course sections with access to the online study questions with the performance of students in course sections without access to the online study questions. Student performance was analyzed for a total of 89 different exams questions that were not included in the study questions, but that covered the same material covered by the study questions. Each of these 89 questions was used on one to five exams given to students in course sections that had access to the online study questions and on three to 77 exams given to students in sections that lacked such access. Data from over 1,800 students in sections with access to the online study questions show that those students scored a statistically significant average of 6.6% points higher on the exam questions analyzed than students in sections without access to the study questions. This difference was greater than the average amount necessary to raise students’ exam grades by one grade (e.g., from a “B-” to a “B”). In addition, there was a higher correlation between number of questions answered and success on exam questions on material related to the study questions than between number of questions answered and success on exam questions on material unrelated to the study questions. The online study question system required substantial effort to set up, but required minimal effort to maintain and was effective in significantly raising average exam scores for even very large course sections. PMID:26500828

Report on Questions Raised and Requests Made at the 1980 National Conference of Librarians Serving Blind and Physically Handicapped Readers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Library of Congress, Washington, DC. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.

Using a question and answer format, this report provides answers to a wide variety of questions and requests about National Library Service policies and procedures, planning and development, reading materials, equipment, and publication services of concern to librarians serving these user groups. Questions directed to guest speakers and panelists…

Forgiveness and justice: a research agenda for social and personality psychology.

PubMed

Exline, Julie Juola; Worthington, Everett L; Hill, Peter; McCullough, Michael E

2003-01-01

Forgiveness and related constructs (e.g., repentance, mercy, reconciliation) are ripe for study by social and personality psychologists, including those interested in justice. Current trends in social science, law, management, philosophy, and theology suggest a need to expand existing justice frameworks to incorporate alternatives or complements to retribution, including forgiveness and related processes. In this article, we raise five challenging empirical questions about forgiveness. For each question, we briefly review representative research, raise hypotheses, and suggest specific ways in which social and personality psychologists could make distinctive contributions.

New uterine-preserving therapies raise questions about interdisciplinary management and the role of surgery for symptomatic fibroids.

PubMed

Pron, Gaylene

2006-01-01

Mounting evidence to support the safety and effectiveness of new uterine-preserving fibroid therapies is raising questions not only about changing indications for surgery but also about gynecologists' role in therapies offered by other specialists. New collaborative relationships are needed to provide the best possible treatment; without them, those lag times of 10-15 years often cited as the time it takes for advances in clinical research to diffuse into clinical practice will be even longer for women with symptomatic fibroids.

Recruiting Students into Nursing: Prior Questions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hipps, Opal S.

1983-01-01

Raises fundamental questions regarding student recruitment: (1) why recruit students into nursing? (2) what are the issues that determine whether a school should have a nursing program? and (3) what are students being recruited into? (JOW)

[The contribution of jurisprudential comparative law to the drawing up of an international custom in life sciences: the example of the status of the embryo].

PubMed

Sprumont, Dominique; Roduit, Guillaume; Hertig Pea, Agnès

2006-01-01

While medicine has made remarkable progress over the last decades, its development has also raised numerous ethical and legal issues. In this context, the question arises as to what framework is needed for research, organ transplants, and medically assisted reproduction. A balance has to be found between scientific freedom, the imperatives of public health and the protection of people ' welfare, rights and human dignity. Those questions have led to the adoption of multiple national laws as well as ethical and legal norms at the international level. The judiciary is also often involved in settling legal issues raised in this context, long before the legislature manages to provide a legislative or regulatory framework. In this analysis of the role of the judges in bioethics, the present paper aims at offering a comparative view of case law in different countries (France, Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) concerning the status of the embryo. In life sciences, the status of the embryo is at the heart of the debate as it determines the very notion of human life. The hypothesis suggested by the organisers of the workshop fbr which this paper has been prepared was that a custom was emerging from national cases related to this question. Our analysis concerning the status of the embryo does not confirm this hypothesis. On the contrary, courts are reluctant to take the place of the legislature in dealing with this delicate issue. Even when judges take novel positions on the protection of the embryo, we can notice a wide range of judicial solutions that raise a serious doubt about the actual existence of an international custom that could be binding in the various legal orders.

Assessment of Automated Analyses of Cell Migration on Flat and Nanostructured Surfaces

PubMed Central

Grădinaru, Cristian; Łopacińska, Joanna M.; Huth, Johannes; Kestler, Hans A.; Flyvbjerg, Henrik; Mølhave, Kristian

2012-01-01

Motility studies of cells often rely on computer software that analyzes time-lapse recorded movies and establishes cell trajectories fully automatically. This raises the question of reproducibility of results, since different programs could yield significantly different results of such automated analysis. The fact that the segmentation routines of such programs are often challenged by nanostructured surfaces makes the question more pertinent. Here we illustrate how it is possible to track cells on bright field microscopy images with image analysis routines implemented in an open-source cell tracking program, PACT (Program for Automated Cell Tracking). We compare the automated motility analysis of three cell tracking programs, PACT, Autozell, and TLA, using the same movies as input for all three programs. We find that different programs track overlapping, but different subsets of cells due to different segmentation methods. Unfortunately, population averages based on such different cell populations, differ significantly in some cases. Thus, results obtained with one software package are not necessarily reproducible by other software. PMID:24688640

A Critical Analysis of the Scientific and Commercial Rationales for the De Novo Synthesis of Horsepox Virus

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT This article evaluates the scientific and commercial rationales for the synthesis of horsepox virus. I find that the claimed benefits of using horsepox virus as a smallpox vaccine rest on a weak scientific foundation and an even weaker business case that this project will lead to a licensed medical countermeasure. The combination of questionable benefits and known risks of this dual use research raises serious questions about the wisdom of undertaking research that could be used to recreate variola virus. This analysis also raises important questions about the propriety of a private company sponsoring such dual use research without appropriate oversight and highlights an important gap in United States dual use research regulations. PMID:29569633

Can One Learn to Think Critically? – A Philosophical Exploration

PubMed Central

Raymond-Seniuk, Christy; Profetto-McGrath, Joanne

2011-01-01

Within nursing, critical thinking is a required skill that educators strive to foster in their students’ development for use in complex healthcare settings. Hence the numerous studies published measuring critical thinking as a terminal outcome of education. However, an important comparison between different philosophical underpinnings such as person, truth and the nature of nursing, and how one defines and utilizes critical thinking in practice, has been absent from discussions about critical thinking and learning. When one views critical thinking with varying philosophical lenses, important questions are raised and discussion is expanded. These questions illuminate different perspectives of critical thinking and attempt to explore whether critical thinking can be learned in nursing. The implications of taking a single philosophical viewpoint and a pluralistic approach to understanding critical thinking and learning are explored. PMID:21760871

Divergent projections of future land use in the United States arising from different models and scenarios

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sohl, Terry L.; Wimberly, Michael; Radeloff, Volker C.; Theobald, David M.; Sleeter, Benjamin M.

2016-01-01

A variety of land-use and land-cover (LULC) models operating at scales from local to global have been developed in recent years, including a number of models that provide spatially explicit, multi-class LULC projections for the conterminous United States. This diversity of modeling approaches raises the question: how consistent are their projections of future land use? We compared projections from six LULC modeling applications for the United States and assessed quantitative, spatial, and conceptual inconsistencies. Each set of projections provided multiple scenarios covering a period from roughly 2000 to 2050. Given the unique spatial, thematic, and temporal characteristics of each set of projections, individual projections were aggregated to a common set of basic, generalized LULC classes (i.e., cropland, pasture, forest, range, and urban) and summarized at the county level across the conterminous United States. We found very little agreement in projected future LULC trends and patterns among the different models. Variability among scenarios for a given model was generally lower than variability among different models, in terms of both trends in the amounts of basic LULC classes and their projected spatial patterns. Even when different models assessed the same purported scenario, model projections varied substantially. Projections of agricultural trends were often far above the maximum historical amounts, raising concerns about the realism of the projections. Comparisons among models were hindered by major discrepancies in categorical definitions, and suggest a need for standardization of historical LULC data sources. To capture a broader range of uncertainties, ensemble modeling approaches are also recommended. However, the vast inconsistencies among LULC models raise questions about the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings of current modeling approaches. Given the substantial effects that land-use change can have on ecological and societal processes, there is a need for improvement in LULC theory and modeling capabilities to improve acceptance and use of regional- to national-scale LULC projections for the United States and elsewhere.

Imagining Education: An Arendtian Response to an Inmate's Question

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Karen Ann; Fels, Lynn

2013-01-01

This article responds to a "what-if" question regarding education, raised by a woman inmate. Emerging in the midst of a research project with women in prison, the unexpected question haunts the two authors, both educational researchers, who in turn reconsider education's role in difficult circumstances. For guidance, the authors turn to…

Report to the Nuclear energy Research Advisory Committee (NERAC) Subcommittee on "Long-Term Isotope Research and Productions Plan" - Responses to Questions

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

Ammoniums

1999-07-01

This report presents responses to two series of questions that were raised by a subcommittee of the Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee (NERAC) that has been charged with producing a ''Long-Term Isotope Research and Production Plan.'' The NERAC subcommittee is chaired by Dr. Richard Reba, and the Hanford Site Visit team, which comprises a subset of the subcommittee members, is chaired by Dr. Thomas Ruth. The first set of questions raised by the subcommittee on isotope production at the Hanford Site was received from Dr. Ruth on May 10, 1999, and the second set was received from him on Julymore » 5, 1999. Responses to the first set of questions were prepared as part of a June 1999 report entitled ''Isotope Production at the Hanford Site in Richland, Washington'' (PNNL 1999a). The responses to these questions are summarized in this document, with frequent references to the June 1999 report for additional details. Responses to the second set of questions from the NERAC subcommittee are presented in this document for the first time.« less

Classification of Horn of Africa School Children: Is It Appropriate for the Educational Authorities in England to Refer to Them as Refugees?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuyok, Kuyok Abol

2010-01-01

Drawing on evidence from a PhD study, this paper raises questions about the appropriateness of English educational authorities to continue to refer to the Horn of Africa children, most of them born in the UK, as refugees. The word refugee, in its broad definition, seemingly masks fundamental differences and may reinforce stereotypical perceptions…

Thermal inactivation of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 (ECOH) and non-0157 Shiga-toxin producing E.coli (STEC) in mechanically tenderized veal

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Among the veal samples tested by FSIS from June to September 2012, 3 of 11 (27.3%) were confirmed positive for STEC, compared to 5 of 729 (0.69%) beef trim samples. This difference in detection of confirmed positives from veal samples compared to that from beef is striking and raises the question of...

Life cycle impacts of forest management and wood utilization on carbon mitigation : knowns and unknowns

Treesearch

Bruce Lippke; Elaine Oneil; Rob Harrison; Kenneth Skog; Leif Gustavsson; Roger Sathre

2011-01-01

This review on research on life cycle carbon accounting examines the complexities in accounting for carbon emissions given the many different ways that wood is used. Recent objectives to increase the use of renewable fuels have raised policy questions, with respect to the sustainability of managing our forests as well as the impacts of how best to use wood from our...

Caribbean Heat Threatens Health, Well-being and the Future of Humanity.

PubMed

Macpherson, Cheryl C; Akpinar-Elci, Muge

2015-07-01

Climate change has substantial impacts on public health and safety, disease risks and the provision of health care, with the poor being particularly disadvantaged. Management of the associated health risks and changing health service requirements requires adequate responses at local levels. Health-care providers are central to these responses. While climate change raises ethical questions about its causes, impacts and social justice, medicine and bioethics typically focus on individual patients and research participants rather than these broader issues. We broaden this focus by examining awareness among health-care providers in the Caribbean region, where geographic and socioeconomic features pose particular vulnerabilities to climate change. In focus groups, Caribbean providers described rises in mosquito-borne, flood-related, heat-related, respiratory and mental illnesses, and attributed these to local impacts of climate change. Their discussions showed that the significance of these impacts differs in different Caribbean nations, raising policy and social justice questions. Bioethics and public health ethics are situated to frame, inform and initiate public and policy dialog about values and scientific evidence associated with climate change. We urge readers to initiate such dialog within their own institutions about the context-dependent nature of the burdens of climate change, and values and policies that permit it to worsen.

Caribbean Heat Threatens Health, Well-being and the Future of Humanity

PubMed Central

Macpherson, Cheryl C.; Akpinar-Elci, Muge

2015-01-01

Climate change has substantial impacts on public health and safety, disease risks and the provision of health care, with the poor being particularly disadvantaged. Management of the associated health risks and changing health service requirements requires adequate responses at local levels. Health-care providers are central to these responses. While climate change raises ethical questions about its causes, impacts and social justice, medicine and bioethics typically focus on individual patients and research participants rather than these broader issues. We broaden this focus by examining awareness among health-care providers in the Caribbean region, where geographic and socioeconomic features pose particular vulnerabilities to climate change. In focus groups, Caribbean providers described rises in mosquito-borne, flood-related, heat-related, respiratory and mental illnesses, and attributed these to local impacts of climate change. Their discussions showed that the significance of these impacts differs in different Caribbean nations, raising policy and social justice questions. Bioethics and public health ethics are situated to frame, inform and initiate public and policy dialog about values and scientific evidence associated with climate change. We urge readers to initiate such dialog within their own institutions about the context-dependent nature of the burdens of climate change, and values and policies that permit it to worsen. PMID:26180551

Spaceflight-Induced Intracranial Hypertension: An Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Traver, William J.

2011-01-01

This slide presentation is an overview of the some of the known results of spaceflight induced intracranial hypertension. Historical information from Gemini 5, Apollo, and the space shuttle programs indicated that some vision impairment was reported and a comparison between these historical missions and present missions is included. Optic Disc Edema, Globe Flattening, Choroidal Folds, Hyperopic Shifts and Raised Intracranial Pressure has occurred in Astronauts During and After Long Duration Space Flight. Views illustrate the occurrence of Optic Disc Edema, Globe Flattening, and Choroidal Folds. There are views of the Arachnoid Granulations and Venous return, and the question of spinal or venous compliance issues is discussed. The question of increased blood flow and its relation to increased Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is raised. Most observed on-orbit papilledema does not progress, and this might be a function of plateau homeostasis for the higher level of intracranial pressure. There are seven cases of astronauts experiencing in flight and post flight symptoms, which are summarized and follow-up is reviewed along with a comparison of the treatment options. The question is "is there other involvement besides vision," and other Clinical implications are raised,

Ethical reflections on pharmacogenetics and DNA banking in a cohort of HIV-infected patients

PubMed Central

de Montgolfier, Sandrine; Moutel, Grégoire; Duchange, Nathalie; Theodorou, Ioannis; Hervé, Christian; Leport, Catherine

2002-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyze ethical questions concerning the storage of human biological samples to be used in genetic analyses and pharmacogenetic research based on a French experience of DNA banking in a cohort of HIV-infected patients receiving protease inhibitor treatment (APROCO). We describe the ethical issues raised during the establishment of a DNA bank, including questions dealing with autonomy, benefit to the patient, information sharing and confidentiality as well as guarantees concerning the storage and use of DNA. We describe the practical applications of themes illustrated theoretically in the literature. Most of the points raised are not specific to HIV, but some of them may be more accurate due to the characteristics of the HIV population. The questions raised are not exhaustive and we conclude with specific points that remain to be defined. Our results are summarized in the memorandum and consent form presented in the appendices. This work should allow other researchers and members of evaluation committees to enrich their considerations and should stimulate discussion on this subject. PMID:12464796

Myelination: an overlooked mechanism of synaptic plasticity?

PubMed

Fields, R Douglas

2005-12-01

Myelination of the brain continues through childhood into adolescence and early adulthood--the question is, Why? Two new articles provide intriguing evidence that myelination may be an underappreciated mechanism of activity-dependent nervous system plasticity: one study reported increased myelination associated with extensive piano playing, another indicated that rats have increased myelination of the corpus callosum when raised in environments providing increased social interaction and cognitive stimulation. These articles make it clear that activity-dependent effects on myelination cannot be considered strictly a developmental event. They raise the question of whether myelination is an overlooked mechanism of activity-dependent plasticity, extending in humans until at least age 30. It has been argued that regulating the speed of conduction across long fiber tracts would have a major influence on synaptic response, by coordinating the timing of afferent input to maximize temporal summation. The increase in synaptic amplitude could be as large as neurotransmitter-based mechanisms of plasticity, such as LTP. These new findings raise a larger question: How did the oligodendrocytes know they were practicing the piano or that their environment was socially complex?

Resting-state fMRI in sleeping infants more closely resembles adult sleep than adult wakefulness

PubMed Central

Snyder, Abraham Z.; Tagliazucchi, Enzo; Laufs, Helmut; Elison, Jed; Emerson, Robert W.; Shen, Mark D.; Wolff, Jason J.; Botteron, Kelly N.; Dager, Stephen; Estes, Annette M.; Evans, Alan; Gerig, Guido; Hazlett, Heather C.; Paterson, Sarah J.; Schultz, Robert T.; Styner, Martin A.; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie; Schlaggar, Bradley L.

2017-01-01

Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) in infants enables important studies of functional brain organization early in human development. However, rs-fMRI in infants has universally been obtained during sleep to reduce participant motion artifact, raising the question of whether differences in functional organization between awake adults and sleeping infants that are commonly attributed to development may instead derive, at least in part, from sleep. This question is especially important as rs-fMRI differences in adult wake vs. sleep are well documented. To investigate this question, we compared functional connectivity and BOLD signal propagation patterns in 6, 12, and 24 month old sleeping infants with patterns in adult wakefulness and non-REM sleep. We find that important functional connectivity features seen during infant sleep closely resemble those seen during adult sleep, including reduced default mode network functional connectivity. However, we also find differences between infant and adult sleep, especially in thalamic BOLD signal propagation patterns. These findings highlight the importance of considering sleep state when drawing developmental inferences in infant rs-fMRI. PMID:29149191

Resting-state fMRI in sleeping infants more closely resembles adult sleep than adult wakefulness.

PubMed

Mitra, Anish; Snyder, Abraham Z; Tagliazucchi, Enzo; Laufs, Helmut; Elison, Jed; Emerson, Robert W; Shen, Mark D; Wolff, Jason J; Botteron, Kelly N; Dager, Stephen; Estes, Annette M; Evans, Alan; Gerig, Guido; Hazlett, Heather C; Paterson, Sarah J; Schultz, Robert T; Styner, Martin A; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie; Schlaggar, Bradley L; Piven, Joseph; Pruett, John R; Raichle, Marcus

2017-01-01

Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) in infants enables important studies of functional brain organization early in human development. However, rs-fMRI in infants has universally been obtained during sleep to reduce participant motion artifact, raising the question of whether differences in functional organization between awake adults and sleeping infants that are commonly attributed to development may instead derive, at least in part, from sleep. This question is especially important as rs-fMRI differences in adult wake vs. sleep are well documented. To investigate this question, we compared functional connectivity and BOLD signal propagation patterns in 6, 12, and 24 month old sleeping infants with patterns in adult wakefulness and non-REM sleep. We find that important functional connectivity features seen during infant sleep closely resemble those seen during adult sleep, including reduced default mode network functional connectivity. However, we also find differences between infant and adult sleep, especially in thalamic BOLD signal propagation patterns. These findings highlight the importance of considering sleep state when drawing developmental inferences in infant rs-fMRI.

Implications of Sponge Biodiversity Patterns for the Management of a Marine Reserve in Northern Australia

PubMed Central

Przeslawski, Rachel; Alvarez, Belinda; Kool, Johnathan; Bridge, Tom; Caley, M. Julian; Nichol, Scott

2015-01-01

Marine reserves are becoming progressively more important as anthropogenic impacts continue to increase, but we have little baseline information for most marine environments. In this study, we focus on the Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (CMR) in northern Australia, particularly the carbonate banks and terraces of the Sahul Shelf and Van Diemen Rise which have been designated a Key Ecological Feature (KEF). We use a species-level inventory compiled from three marine surveys to the CMR to address several questions relevant to marine management: 1) Are carbonate banks and other raised geomorphic features associated with biodiversity hotspots? 2) Can environmental (depth, substrate hardness, slope) or biogeographic (east vs west) variables help explain local and regional differences in community structure? 3) Do sponge communities differ among individual raised geomorphic features? Approximately 750 sponge specimens were collected in the Oceanic Shoals CMR and assigned to 348 species, of which only 18% included taxonomically described species. Between eastern and western areas of the CMR, there was no difference between sponge species richness or assemblages on raised geomorphic features. Among individual raised geomorphic features, sponge assemblages were significantly different, but species richness was not. Species richness showed no linear relationships with measured environmental factors, but sponge assemblages were weakly associated with several environmental variables including mean depth and mean backscatter (east and west) and mean slope (east only). These patterns of sponge diversity are applied to support the future management and monitoring of this region, particularly noting the importance of spatial scale in biodiversity assessments and associated management strategies. PMID:26606745

Power relations in qualitative research.

PubMed

Karnieli-Miller, Orit; Strier, Roni; Pessach, Liat

2009-02-01

This article focuses on the tensions between the commitment to power redistribution of the qualitative paradigm and the ethical and methodological complexity inherent in clinical research. Qualitative inquiry, in general, though there are significant variations between its different paradigms and traditions, proposes to reduce power differences and encourages disclosure and authenticity between researchers and participants. It clearly departs from the traditional conception of quantitative research, whereby the researcher is the ultimate source of authority and promotes the participants' equal participation in the research process. But it is precisely this admirable desire to democratize the research process, and the tendency to question traditional role boundaries, that raises multiple ethical dilemmas and serious methodological challenges. In this article, we offer a conceptual frame for addressing questions of power distribution in qualitative research through a developmental analysis of power relations across the different stages of the research process. We discuss ethical and methodological issues.

Effects of changing ambient temperature on metabolic, heart, and ventilation rates during steady state hibernation in golden-mantled ground squirrels (Spermophilus lateralis).

PubMed

Zimmer, M B; Milsom, W K

2001-01-01

To determine whether metabolic rate is suppressed in a temperature-independent fashion in the golden-mantled ground squirrel during steady state hibernation, we measured body temperature and metabolic rate in ground squirrels during hibernation at different T(a)'s. In addition, we attempted to determine whether heart rate, ventilation rate, and breathing patterns changed as a function of body temperature or metabolic rate. We found that metabolic rate changed with T(a) as it was raised from 5 degrees to 14 degrees C, which supports the theory that different species sustain falls in metabolic rate during hibernation in different ways. Heart rate and breathing pattern also changed with changing T(a), while breathing frequency did not. That the total breathing frequency did not correlate closely with oxygen consumption or body temperature, while the breathing pattern did, raises important questions regarding the mechanisms controlling ventilation during hibernation.

Variation in Brain Regions Associated with Fear and Learning in Contrasting Climates

PubMed Central

Roth, Timothy C.; Gallagher, Caitlin M.; LaDage, Lara D.; Pravosudov, Vladimir V.

2012-01-01

In environments where resources are difficult to obtain and enhanced cognitive capabilities might be adaptive, brain structures associated with cognitive traits may also be enhanced. In our previous studies, we documented a clear and significant relationship among environmental conditions, memory and hippocampal structure using ten populations of black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) over a large geographic range. In addition, focusing on just the two populations from the geographical extremes of our large-scale comparison, Alaska and Kansas, we found enhanced problem-solving capabilities and reduced neophobia in a captive-raised population of black-capped chickadees originating from the energetically demanding environment (Alaska) relative to conspecifics from the milder environment (Kansas). Here, we focused on three brain regions, the arcopallium (AP), the nucleus taeniae of the amygdala and the lateral striatum (LSt), that have been implicated to some extent in aspects of these behaviors in order to investigate whether potential differences in these brain areas may be associated with our previously detected differences in cognition. We compared the variation in neuron number and volumes of these regions between these populations, in both wild-caught birds and captive-raised individuals. Consistent with our behavioral observations, wild-caught birds from Kansas had a larger AP volume than their wild-caught conspecifics from Alaska, which possessed a higher density of neurons in the LSt. However, there were no other significant differences between populations in the wild-caught and captive-raised groups. Interestingly, individuals from the wild had larger LSt and AP volumes with more neurons than those raised in captivity. Overall, we provide some evidence that population-related differences in problem solving and neophobia may be associated with differences in volume and neuron numbers of our target brain regions. However, the relationship is not completely clear, and our study raises numerous questions about the relationship between the brain and behavior, especially in captive animals. PMID:22286546

Politics, Practices, and Possibilities of Open Educational Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phelan, Liam

2012-01-01

In this article, I reflect on the politics, practices and possibilities of the open educational resources (OER). OER raise important implications for current and potential students, for postsecondary education institutions, and for those currently teaching in higher education. The key questions raised by OER centre on the role of teaching in…

Violent Women: Findings from the Texas Women Inmates Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pollock, Joycelyn M.; Mullings, Janet L.; Crouch, Ben M.

2006-01-01

Prior research on violent crime by female offenders is reviewed. A Texas female prisoner sample is used to explore specific questions raised by the literature review. Violent and nonviolent offenders were compared, looking specifically at race, socioeconomic status, having been raised in single-parent homes, criminal history, gang membership,…

Liberation Therapeutics: Consciousness Raising as a Problem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lasch-Quinn, Elisabeth

2002-01-01

Questions the content and form of consciousness raising as a mode of purveying knowledge or bringing about change by considering its emergence in the civil rights movement. Examines such books as "Black Rage" (William Grierand Price Cobbs), "Triumph of the Therapeutic" (Philip Reiff), "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or…

78 FR 19326 - Resale Royalty Right; Public Hearing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-29

... is reviewing: (1) how the current copyright legal system affects and supports visual artists; and (2... interested parties to address the legal and factual questions raised in the comments received by this Office... parties. The comments raised a variety of issues, including purely legal matters as well as specific...

A Question of Characteristics: Elements of Successful Fund-Raising Programs at Two-Year Institutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grace, Judy Diane

1988-01-01

Three dissertations are discussed: "Fund-raising from Private Sources in Public Community Colleges Using Not-for-profit Foundation Boards" (Carolyn Hunter); "Personality Traits of Effective Resource Development Officers in Two-year Colleges" (Raymond Taylor); and "The Relationship of Selected Institutional and Personal Characteristics to the…

Factors for Success: Academic Library Development Survey Results.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Irene M.; Smith, Amy; DiBona, Leslie

2000-01-01

Discusses the results of a nationwide survey (57 survey questions) of academic libraries that investigated fund-raising programs, including personnel involved; goals and costs of fund-raising; library donors, friends, and advisory groups; priorities; and factors of success, including involvement of the director and time on task. A copy of the…

Pedagogy of Discernment, New Wine in Old Skins? A Response to Potgieter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nieuwenhuis, F. J.

2015-01-01

In his 2014 paper Potgieter presented a number of pertinent questions on education in a post-modern world. In this article I not only challenge some of the views informing these questions but also raise additional questions for debate and critical analysis. Two pertinent issues, both with religious undertones, are addressed, viz.: a) whether the…

The Obama plan: more regulation, unsustainable spending.

PubMed

Antos, Joseph; Wilensky, Gail; Kuttner, Hanns

2008-01-01

The health reform plan put forth by Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) focuses on expanding insurance coverage and provides new subsidies to individuals, small businesses, and businesses experiencing catastrophic expenses. It greatly increases the federal regulation of private insurance but does not address the core economic incentives that drive health care spending. This omission along with the very substantial short-term savings claimed raise serious questions about its fiscal sustainability. Heavy regulation coupled with a fallback National Health Plan and a play-or-pay financing choice also raise questions about the future of the employer insurance market.

Correlations between spectra with different symmetries: any chance to be observed?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braun, P.; Leyvraz, F.; Seligman, T. H.

2011-06-01

A standard assumption in quantum chaology is the absence of correlation between spectra pertaining to different symmetries. Doubts were raised about this statement for several reasons, in particular because in semiclassics the spectra of different symmetries are expressed in terms of the same set of periodic orbits. We re-examine this question and notice the absence of correlations in the universal regime. In the case of continuous symmetry, the problem is reduced to parametric correlation, and we expect correlations to be present up to a certain time which is essentially classical but larger than the ballistic time.

Tracing Radical Working-Class Education: Praxis and Historical Representation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerrard, Jessica

2012-01-01

Growing collections of social and educational history chronicle the many instances of educational agency that lie outside institutional narratives. Renewing and developing historical understanding, these histories raise important methodological questions surrounding historical representation. Addressing such questions, this paper develops the…

Leadership in Educational Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sunko, Esmeralda

2012-01-01

Many questions concerning quality of functioning and effectiveness are connected with the management of education as a professional field in educational organizations. The role of educational leadership in an educational organization raises many questions related to legislative regulations of activities, issues of institutional placement,…

A decade of debate on the schooling of girls in physics: Where are we now?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kearney, Dorothy

1993-12-01

The last decade has seen an explosion of interest in issues concerned with girls and science education, and the nature of the dialogue has become increasingly sophisticated. Current writing stresses the importance of acknowledging differences between women, as well as differences between women and men. This paper will outline some of the positions it is possible to adopt in the discussion. It will raise some questions concerning the implications of the choice of a position for classroom teachers of science and, in particular, physics teachers.

[RS3PE syndrome: an acute edematous polyarthritis of the elderly with variable prognosis].

PubMed

Beyne-Rauzy, O; Revel, V; Desfossez, V; Bousquet, E; Nourhashemi, F; Adoue, D

2001-06-01

The RS3PE syndrome or subacute edematous polyarthritis of the elderly remains a doubtful entity. We report three cases that exhibited different courses: complete recovery, definite rheumatoid polyarthritis, and chronicity as a sign of myelodysplasic disease. These three different courses raise the question of whether RS3PE is a disease or a syndrome. Actually, the use of the term RS3PE syndrome should be restricted to cases with a favorable outcome. Definitive diagnosis thus cannot be reached before complete recovery.

"talking was a Great Experience": Destabilising Gendered Communication in the Workplace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuban, Sondra

2009-11-01

An evaluation of a workplace course in England for English for Speakers of Other Language (ESOL) learners who were caregivers to the elderly found that while the curriculum emphasised sex differences, the participants voiced ideas and negotiated identities that sidestepped gendered conventions. Their refusal to adopt the workplace communiqué in the curriculum was hidden from management, raising questions about informal resistance strategies among immigrant women in tightly controlled workplaces.

Program Scheduling Handbook.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-03-01

account the outcome of any other task. Each activity must be estimated as a stand-alone entity from the network (statistical indep ndence). The... stress the term program as miiore in dUsive than contract in the WBS and Master Schedule. In this chapter we will present one very usable approach to...questions, not raise them. Use different colored cards to represent the SPO, the contractior, procurement, and any other agency that play, a major role in the

Toward functional classification of neuronal types.

PubMed

Sharpee, Tatyana O

2014-09-17

How many types of neurons are there in the brain? This basic neuroscience question remains unsettled despite many decades of research. Classification schemes have been proposed based on anatomical, electrophysiological, or molecular properties. However, different schemes do not always agree with each other. This raises the question of whether one can classify neurons based on their function directly. For example, among sensory neurons, can a classification scheme be devised that is based on their role in encoding sensory stimuli? Here, theoretical arguments are outlined for how this can be achieved using information theory by looking at optimal numbers of cell types and paying attention to two key properties: correlations between inputs and noise in neural responses. This theoretical framework could help to map the hierarchical tree relating different neuronal classes within and across species. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Right-Handed and Left-Footed? How Andrea Learned to Question the Facts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lord, Thomas R.

1986-01-01

Describes several tests for determining dominance of children's hands, eyes, feet, and thumbs. Discusses the relationship between hemispheric brain dominance and dominant sides of the body. Suggests that raising questions about generalizations can lead to new learning. (TW)

Questionable Methods in Alcoholism Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koocher, Gerald P.

1991-01-01

Alcoholism research paradigms that use substantial cash incentives to attract participants and that call for alcoholics to consume ethanol in laboratory raise ethical questions. When using such methods, investigators should be obligated to discuss risk-benefit rationales and detail precautionary behaviors to protect participants. Discussion of…

Health Numeracy: The Importance of Domain in Assessing Numeracy

PubMed Central

Levy, Helen; Ubel, Peter A.; Dillard, Amanda J.; Weir, David R.; Fagerlin, Angela

2014-01-01

Background Existing research concludes that measures of general numeracy can be used to predict individuals’ ability to assess health risks. We posit that the domain in which questions are posed affects the ability to perform mathematical tasks, raising the possibility of a separate construct of “health numeracy” that is distinct from general numeracy. Objective To determine whether older adults’ ability to perform simple math depends on domain. Design Community-based participants completed four math questions posed in three different domains: a health domain, a financial domain, and a pure math domain. Participants 962 individuals aged 55 and older, representative of the community-dwelling U.S. population over age 54. Results We found that respondents performed significantly worse when questions were posed in the health domain (54 percent correct) than in either the pure math domain (66 percent correct) or the financial domain (63 percent correct). Limitations Our experimental measure of numeracy consisted of only four questions, and it is possible that the apparent effect of domain is specific to the mathematical tasks that these questions require. Conclusions These results suggest that health numeracy is strongly related to general numeracy but that the two constructs may not be the same. Further research is needed into how different aspects of general numeracy and health numeracy translate into actual medical decisions. PMID:23824401

Health numeracy: the importance of domain in assessing numeracy.

PubMed

Levy, Helen; Ubel, Peter A; Dillard, Amanda J; Weir, David R; Fagerlin, Angela

2014-01-01

Existing research concludes that measures of general numeracy can be used to predict individuals' ability to assess health risks. We posit that the domain in which questions are posed affects the ability to perform mathematical tasks, raising the possibility of a separate construct of "health numeracy" that is distinct from general numeracy. The objective was to determine whether older adults' ability to perform simple math depends on domain. Community-based participants completed 4 math questions posed in 3 different domains: a health domain, a financial domain, and a pure math domain. Participants were 962 individuals aged 55 and older, representative of the community-dwelling US population over age 54. We found that respondents performed significantly worse when questions were posed in the health domain (54% correct) than in either the pure math domain (66% correct) or the financial domain (63% correct). Our experimental measure of numeracy consisted of only 4 questions, and it is possible that the apparent effect of domain is specific to the mathematical tasks that these questions require. These results suggest that health numeracy is strongly related to general numeracy but that the 2 constructs may not be the same. Further research is needed into how different aspects of general numeracy and health numeracy translate into actual medical decisions.

On-Line Mathematics Assessment: The Impact of Mode on Performance and Question Answering Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Martin; Green, Sylvia

2006-01-01

The transition from paper-based to computer-based assessment raises a number of important issues about how mode might affect children's performance and question answering strategies. In this project 104 eleven-year-olds were given two sets of matched mathematics questions, one set on-line and the other on paper. Facility values were analyzed to…

Mixed Signals: Combining Linguistic and Affective Functions of Eyebrows in Questions in Sign Language of the Netherlands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Vos, Connie; van der Kooij, Els; Crasborn, Onno

2009-01-01

The eyebrows are used as conversational signals in face-to-face spoken interaction (Ekman, 1979). In Sign Language of the Netherlands (NGT), the eyebrows are typically furrowed in content questions, and raised in polar questions (Coerts, 1992). On the other hand, these eyebrow positions are also associated with anger and surprise, respectively, in…

High Standards Help Struggling Students: New Evidence. Charts You Can Trust

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Constance; Cookson, Peter W., Jr.

2012-01-01

The Common Core State Standards, adopted by 46 states and the District of Columbia, promise to raise achievement in English and mathematics through rigorous standards that promote deeper learning. But while most policymakers, researchers, and educators have embraced these higher standards, some question the fairness of raising the academic bar on…

For Athletics, a Billion-Dollar Goal Line

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolverton, Brad

2009-01-01

The nation's biggest athletics departments are quietly trying to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for separate sports endowments, heating up the competition for donors and raising questions about institutional priorities during the economic crunch. At least eight programs hope to bring in more than $100-million each to defray the rising costs…

Ruled by Hetero-Norms? Raising Some Moral Questions for Teachers in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhana, Deevia

2014-01-01

Thirty-eight countries in Africa regard homosexuality as punishable by law with South Africa remaining a standout country advancing constitutional equality on the basis of sexual orientation. In the context of homophobic violence, however, concerns have been raised about schools' potential to improve the educational, moral and social outcomes for…

Exposure ethics: does HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis raise ethical problems for the health care provider and policy maker?

PubMed

Venter, Francois; Allais, Lucy; Richter, Marlise

2014-07-01

The last few years have seen dramatic progress in the development of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). These developments have been met by ethical concerns. HIV interventions are often thought to be ethically difficult. In a context which includes disagreements over human rights, controversies over testing policies, and questions about sexual morality and individual responsibility, PrEP has been seen as an ethically complex intervention. We argue that this is mistaken, and that in fact, PrEP does not raise new ethical concerns. Some of the questions posed by PrEP are not specific to HIV prophylaxis, but simply standard public health considerations about resource allocation and striking a balance between individual benefit and public good. We consider sexual disinhibition in the context of private prescriptions, and conclude that only unjustified AIDS-exceptionalism or inappropriate moralism about sex supports thinking that PrEP raises new ethical problems. This negative conclusion is significant in a context where supposed ethical concerns about PrEP have been raised, and in the context of HIV exceptionalism. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Medical research-ethics applied to social sciences: relevance, limits, issues and necessary adjustments].

PubMed

Desclaux, A

2008-04-01

Social sciences are concretely concerned by the ethics of medical research when they deal with topics related to health, since they are subjected to clearance procedures specific to this field. This raises at least three questions: - Are principles and practices of medical research ethics and social science research compatible? - Are "research subjects" protected by medical research ethics when they participate in social science research projects? - What can social sciences provide to on-going debates and reflexion in this field? The analysis of the comments coming from ethics committees about social science research projects, and of the experience of implementation of these projects, shows that the application of international ethics standards by institutional review boards or ethics committees raises many problems in particular for researches in ethnology anthropology and sociology. These problems may produce an impoverishment of research, pervert its meaning, even hinder any research. They are not only related to different norms, but also to epistemological divergences. Moreover, in the case of studies in social sciences, the immediate and differed risks, the costs, as well as the benefits for subjects, are very different from those related to medical research. These considerations are presently a matter of debates in several countries such as Canada, Brasil, and USA. From another hand, ethics committees seem to have developed without resorting in any manner to the reflexion carried out within social sciences and more particularly in anthropology Still, the stakes of the ethical debates in anthropology show that many important and relevant issues have been discussed. Considering this debate would provide openings for the reflexion in ethics of health research. Ethnographic studies of medical research ethics principles and practices in various sociocultural contexts may also contribute to the advancement of medical ethics. A "mutual adjustment" between ethics of medical research and social sciences is presently necessary: it raises new questions open for debate.

On the seclusion of psychiatric patients.

PubMed

Brown, J S; Tooke, S K

1992-09-01

The seclusion of psychiatric patients is viewed by some as a violation of basic human rights, by others as a necessity for the control of violence, and by still others as a therapeutic modality. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize the findings from the limited and descriptive research on this controversial practice. The major conclusions suggested by the findings are: (1) The reason cited for seclusion is more often agitation than violence, raising questions as to its necessity. The lack of relationship between the reason for seclusion and its duration indicates loose and arbitrary criteria and raises the question of bias. (2) The tendency to seclude on admission suggests failure to follow the legal stipulation that less restrictive measures be employed first. (3) Psychotic, involuntary and younger patients are at higher risk for seclusion than other patients. (4) Incidence and duration of seclusion differ widely across institutions indicating unnecessary and excessive use in some units. Differences may be better explained by hospital factors such as location, staff attitudes and treatment philosophy than by patient characteristics. (5) Systematic studies of the effectiveness of seclusion are lacking, as is research on events transpiring during seclusion. (6) Attitudes of patients and staff toward seclusion differ greatly. Patients' attitudes are generally negative, whereas staff members believe seclusion benefits patients and preserves the unit's smooth functioning. Changes in procedures are suggested to reduce the frequency of seclusion, and to make seclusion more rational, effective and humane. Research and clinical implications are discussed.

Do US Medical Licensing Applications Treat Mental and Physical Illness Equivalently?

PubMed

Gold, Katherine J; Shih, Elizabeth R; Goldman, Edward B; Schwenk, Thomas L

2017-06-01

State medical licensing boards are responsible for evaluating physician impairment. Given the stigma generated by mental health issues among physicians and in the medical training culture, we were interested in whether states asked about mental and physical health conditions differently and whether questions focused on current impairment. Two authors reviewed physician medical licensing applications for US physicians seeking first-time licensing in 2013 in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Questions about physical and mental health, as well as substance abuse, were identified and coded as to whether or not they asked about diagnosis and/or treatment or limited the questions to conditions causing physician impairment. Forty-three (84%) states asked questions about mental health conditions, 43 (84%) about physical health conditions, and 47 (92%) about substance use. States were more likely to ask for history of treatment and prior hospitalization for mental health and substance use, compared with physical health disorders. Among states asking about mental health, just 23 (53%) limited all questions to disorders causing functional impairment and just 6 (14%) limited to current problems. While most state medical licensing boards ask about mental health conditions or treatment, only half limited queries to disorders causing impairment. Differences in how state licensing boards assess mental health raise important ethical and legal questions about assessing physician ability to practice and may discourage treatment for physicians who might otherwise benefit from appropriate care.

Dating High Arctic Holocene relative sea level changes using juvenile articulated marine shells in raised beaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Antony J.; Strzelecki, Mateusz C.; Lloyd, Jerry M.; Bryant, Charlotte L.

2012-08-01

High Arctic raised beaches provide evidence for changes in relative sea-level (RSL), sea-ice extent, storminess, and variations in sediment supply. In many High Arctic areas, driftwood and whale bone are usually the preferred targets for radiocarbon dating, with marine shells a third choice because of their often large age and height uncertainties with respect to former sea level. Here we detail a new approach to sampling marine shells that reduces these problems by targeting juvenile, articulated specimens of Astarte borealis that are washed onto the beach under storm conditions and become incorporated into the beach crest. Radiocarbon dates from articulated valves of A. borealis from eight raised beaches from Billefjorden, Svalbard, provide a chronology for Holocene beach ridge formation and RSL change that compares favourably to the most precise records developed from elsewhere in Svalbard using driftwood or whale bone. We demonstrate the value of this new approach by comparing our record with previously published RSL data from eastern Svalbard to test different models of Late Weichselian ice load in this region. We find support for a major ice dome centred south and east of Kong Karls Land but no evidence for a significant ice dome located over easternmost Spitsbergen or southern Hinlopen Strait as proposed from recent marine geophysical survey. The approach is potentially applicable elsewhere in Svalbard and the High Arctic to address questions of RSL change and beach ridge chronology, and hence wider questions regarding palaeoclimate and ice load history.

Scaling of theory-of-mind understandings in Chinese children.

PubMed

Wellman, Henry M; Fang, Fuxi; Liu, David; Zhu, Liqi; Liu, Guoxiong

2006-12-01

Prior research demonstrates that understanding of theory of mind develops at different paces in children raised in different cultures. Are these differences simply differences in timing, or do they represent different patterns of cultural learning? That is, to what extent are sequences of theory-of-mind understanding universal, and to what extent are they culture-specific? We addressed these questions by using a theory-of-mind scale to examine performance of 140 Chinese children living in Beijing and to compare their performance with that of 135 English-speaking children living in the United States and Australia. Results reveal a common sequence of understanding, as well as sociocultural differences in children's developing theories of mind.

Complications of obesity in children and adolescents.

PubMed

Daniels, S R

2009-04-01

The increasing prevalence and severity of obesity in children and adolescents has provided greater emphasis on the wide variety of comorbid conditions and complications that can be experienced as a consequence of obesity. These complications can occur both in the short term and in the long term. Some complications, earlier thought to be long-term issues, which would only occur in adulthood, have now been shown to occur in children and adolescents. These findings have raised concerns about the overall health experience of those who develop obesity early in life and have even raised questions about whether the obesity epidemic might shorten the life span of the current generation of children. In this paper, I will examine current knowledge regarding the different organ systems that may be impacted by childhood obesity.

How and why multiple MCMs are loaded at origins of DNA replication.

PubMed

Das, Shankar P; Rhind, Nicholas

2016-07-01

Recent work suggests that DNA replication origins are regulated by the number of multiple mini-chromosome maintenance (MCM) complexes loaded. Origins are defined by the loading of MCM - the replicative helicase which initiates DNA replication and replication kinetics determined by origin's location and firing times. However, activation of MCM is heterogeneous; different origins firing at different times in different cells. Also, more MCMs are loaded in G1 than are used in S phase. These aspects of MCM biology are explained by the observation that multiple MCMs are loaded at origins. Having more MCMs at early origins makes them more likely to fire, effecting differences in origin efficiency that define replication timing. Nonetheless, multiple MCM loading raises new questions, such as how they are loaded, where these MCMs reside at origins, and how their presence affects replication timing. In this review, we address these questions and discuss future avenues of research. © 2016 WILEY Periodicals, Inc.

Whose Opinions Count in Educational Policymaking?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malin, Joel R.; Lubienski, Christopher

2013-01-01

The success of some advocacy organizations in advancing their preferred policies despite questionable evidence of the effectiveness of these policies raises questions about what contributes to successful policy promotion. We hypothesize that some education-focused organizations are advancing their agendas by engaging media, with individuals who…

Assessing National Data on Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plisko, Valena White; And Others

This paper applies questions of coverage, quality and linkages to the current collection of national statistics on education at the preprimary, elementary/secondary, and higher education levels. The main questions raised at the preprimary level pertain to availability of programs, standards, and family-school interaction. At the…

Understanding Ebola Virus Transmission

PubMed Central

Judson, Seth; Prescott, Joseph; Munster, Vincent

2015-01-01

An unprecedented number of Ebola virus infections among healthcare workers and patients have raised questions about our understanding of Ebola virus transmission. Here, we explore different routes of Ebola virus transmission between people, summarizing the known epidemiological and experimental data. From this data, we expose important gaps in Ebola virus research pertinent to outbreak situations. We further propose experiments and methods of data collection that will enable scientists to fill these voids in our knowledge about the transmission of Ebola virus. PMID:25654239

Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-03

Spent nuclear fuel disposal has remained the most critical aspect of the nuclear fuel cycle for the United States, where longstanding nonproliferation...inalienable right and by and large, neither have U.S. government officials. However, the case of Iran raises perhaps the most critical question in...the enrichment process can take advantage of the slight difference in atomic mass between 235U and 238U. The typical enrichment process requires

Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-05

However, the case of Iran raises perhaps the most critical question in this decade for strengthening the nuclear nonproliferation regime: How can...enrichment process can take advantage of the slight difference in atomic mass between 235U and 238U. The typical enrichment process requires about 10 lbs of...neutrons but can induce fission in all actinides , including all plutonium isotopes. Therefore, nuclear fuel for a fast reactor must have a higher

Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-20

critical aspect of the nuclear fuel cycle for the United States, where longstanding nonproliferation policy discouraged commercial nuclear fuel...have U.S. government officials. However, the case of Iran raises perhaps the most critical question in this decade for strengthening the nuclear...slight difference in atomic mass between 235U and 238U. The typical enrichment process requires about 10 lbs of uranium U3O8 to produce 1 lb of low

An Assessment of the Level of Mathematics in Introductory Meteorology Textbooks.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ulanski, Stan L.

1992-10-01

A review of introductory meteorology textbooks shows a wide difference in the level of mathematical treatment of atmospheric principles-from virtually none to fairly high. Particular deficiencies include lack of equations integrated into the text, problem-solving examples, and paucity of end-of-chapter questions requiring mathematical reasoning. These issues are raised in order to generate discussion among the meteorological community with regard to the degree of interaction between mathematics and meteorology in introductory courses.

Statistical aspects of modeling the labor curve.

PubMed

Zhang, Jun; Troendle, James; Grantz, Katherine L; Reddy, Uma M

2015-06-01

In a recent review by Cohen and Friedman, several statistical questions on modeling labor curves were raised. This article illustrates that asking data to fit a preconceived model or letting a sufficiently flexible model fit observed data is the main difference in principles of statistical modeling between the original Friedman curve and our average labor curve. An evidence-based approach to construct a labor curve and establish normal values should allow the statistical model to fit observed data. In addition, the presence of the deceleration phase in the active phase of an average labor curve was questioned. Forcing a deceleration phase to be part of the labor curve may have artificially raised the speed of progression in the active phase with a particularly large impact on earlier labor between 4 and 6 cm. Finally, any labor curve is illustrative and may not be instructive in managing labor because of variations in individual labor pattern and large errors in measuring cervical dilation. With the tools commonly available, it may be more productive to establish a new partogram that takes the physiology of labor and contemporary obstetric population into account. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Commentary on Eugene and Kiyo's "Dialogue on Dialogic Pedagogy"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wegerif, Rupert

2014-01-01

This fascinating dialogue raised many questions. In this commentary I will focus on just three questions that particularly stimulated me to further reflection: "why classification?"; "what is ontology?" and "where does agency come from?" [This article provides a commentary on Eugene Matusov and Kiyotaka Miyazaki's…

Continuing the Conversation: Questions about the "Framework"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dempsey, Megan E.; Dalal, Heather; Dokus, Lynee R.; Charles, Leslin H.; Scharf, Davida

2015-01-01

This essay raises questions about the future of information literacy in higher education, given the prevalence of the "Information Literacy Competency Standards" in the library profession for the past 15 years, and the heated debate that took place regarding whether the "Framework for Information Literacy" and the…

Some Questions for the Information Society.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marien, Michael

1983-01-01

Though frequently forecasted and referred to, the so-called information society is likely but not necessarily inevitable. Questions are raised about such a society, including its impact on work, commerce, health, education, entertainment, politics, intergroup relations, families, and the impact of anticipated changes on the quality of life.…

Beyond Equality of the Sexes: The Question of the Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorber, Judith

1975-01-01

This paper raises the question of how we can achieve stable parenting without the traditional structural underpinnings of the family--the sexual division of labor, economic dependence on males of women and children, and the combination of procreation with sex. Alternative arrangements are explored. (Author)

Systems Engineering

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-05-01

Faced with complaints about lengthy and costly developments , rapid obsolescence, and excessive costs of ownership, we have all heard the following...microwave integrated circuits raises similar system and sub-system issues. Microprocessor developments raise new questions regarding the trade-offs between...imply the need for and utilization of more specialists, but future avionics developments will also require systems-oriented engineess. By definition

The Dilemma of Individual Autonomy versus Choosing Rightly

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yehezkely, Chen

2015-01-01

Many important goals or values of education are tokens of either one of these two meta-goals-values: raising our children to be autonomous, or raising them to choose rightly. Thus, the conflicts between many educational goals-values are tokens of the meta-conflict between these two, and the questions of priority that such conflicts invite are…

The Politics of Invasive Weed Management: Gender, Race, and Risk Perception in Rural California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norgaard, Kari Marie

2007-01-01

"Biological invasions" are now recognized as the cause of significant ecological and economic damage. They also raise a series of less visible social issues. Management of invasive species is often a political process raising questions such as who decides which organisms are to be managed, and who benefits or is affected by different…

Users' Guide to USDA Estimates of the Cost of Raising a Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Carolyn S.

In this article, estimates of the cost of raising a child, that are available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, are described; the most widely requested estimates updated to current price levels are provided; and the most frequently asked questions about the use and interpretation of these estimates are answered. Information on additional…

Babbitt's Brothers & Sisters: Raising Ethical Issues in Business Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halpern, Jeanne W.

A college-level course in business literature is an ideal place to raise and discuss ethical issues. To be successful, a teacher of this course must engage student interest, help the students articulate and understand their own ethical attitudes, clarify the stance and artistry of the author, and refine student responses to ethical questions. When…

One of the Countries That Turkey Models: Finland Secondary Education Social Studies Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kop, Yasar

2017-01-01

Teaching of social studies has basis of education dynamism that governments maintain to raise qualified and efficient citizens. That's why; being examined programs in question has importance for the global citizen concept which comes up with globalization. Therefore, how to be raised efficient citizens who build both governments' and world's…

Psychodynamic Therapists' Reservations About Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

PubMed Central

PERSONS, JACQUELINE B.; GROSS, JAMES J.; ETKIN, MARK S.; MADAN, SIMONE K.

1996-01-01

This article offers suggestions for psychodynamic therapists who encounter obstacles while learning cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or working in settings where CBT is used. The authors discuss three types of questions commonly raised by psychodynamic therapists about CBT. These concern 1) the therapeutic relationship, 2) the focus of therapeutic interventions, and 3) the depth of change. To help psychodynamic therapists overcome obstacles to learning CBT, the authors focus on similarities between psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral models in these three areas. They also examine differences between the models, including differences dependent on value judgments, and offer suggestions for making productive use of differences between the models in the training process. PMID:22700289

[Value-based health care (VbHC): Whence and wither].

PubMed

Raspe, Heiner

2018-02-01

Since about 2005 VbHC has become a prominent movement on the border between population medicine and health economics. The "value" it is aiming at is defined as health care "outcomes per dollar spent". The text focuses on the work of two prominent proponents: M.E. Porter and J.A.M. Gray. It considers background and central elements of VbHC and discusses similarities and differences between the two authors. Especially the differences raise questions that will hopefully play a role in the German discussion that is still in its infancy. Three complex topics seem to be particularly relevant: the relationship between VbHC and evidence-based health care, the question of who is to benefit from VbHC (total, diseased, patient population?), and the role of moral values especially the value of solidarity with the severely ill and socially deprived. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Incidence, prevalence, and hybrid approaches to calculating disability-adjusted life years

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

When disability-adjusted life years are used to measure the burden of disease on a population in a time interval, they can be calculated in several different ways: from an incidence, pure prevalence, or hybrid perspective. I show that these calculation methods are not equivalent and discuss some of the formal difficulties each method faces. I show that if we don’t discount the value of future health, there is a sense in which the choice of calculation method is a mere question of accounting. Such questions can be important, but they don’t raise deep theoretical concerns. If we do discount, however, choice of calculation method can change the relative burden attributed to different conditions over time. I conclude by recommending that studies involving disability-adjusted life years be explicit in noting what calculation method is being employed and in explaining why that calculation method has been chosen. PMID:22967055

Mitochondrial Replacement: Ethics and Identity

PubMed Central

Wilkinson, Stephen; Appleby, John B.

2015-01-01

Abstract Mitochondrial replacement techniques (MRTs) have the potential to allow prospective parents who are at risk of passing on debilitating or even life‐threatening mitochondrial disorders to have healthy children to whom they are genetically related. Ethical concerns have however been raised about these techniques. This article focuses on one aspect of the ethical debate, the question of whether there is any moral difference between the two types of MRT proposed: Pronuclear Transfer (PNT) and Maternal Spindle Transfer (MST). It examines how questions of identity impact on the ethical evaluation of each technique and argues that there is an important difference between the two. PNT, it is argued, is a form of therapy based on embryo modification while MST is, instead, an instance of selective reproduction. The article's main ethical conclusion is that, in some circumstances, there is a stronger obligation to use PNT than MST. PMID:26481204

Practical Strategies for Collaboration across Discipline-Based Education Research and the Learning Sciences

PubMed Central

Peffer, Melanie; Renken, Maggie

2016-01-01

Rather than pursue questions related to learning in biology from separate camps, recent calls highlight the necessity of interdisciplinary research agendas. Interdisciplinary collaborations allow for a complicated and expanded approach to questions about learning within specific science domains, such as biology. Despite its benefits, interdisciplinary work inevitably involves challenges. Some such challenges originate from differences in theoretical and methodological approaches across lines of work. Thus, aims at developing successful interdisciplinary research programs raise important considerations regarding methodologies for studying biology learning, strategies for approaching collaborations, and training of early-career scientists. Our goal here is to describe two fields important to understanding learning in biology, discipline-based education research and the learning sciences. We discuss differences between each discipline’s approach to biology education research and the benefits and challenges associated with incorporating these perspectives in a single research program. We then propose strategies for building productive interdisciplinary collaboration. PMID:27881446

From Cultural Imperialists to Takeover Victims? Questions on Hollywood's Buyouts from the Critical Tradition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAnany, Emile G.; Wilkinson, Kenton T.

1992-01-01

Examines the history of the cultural imperialism debate. Reviews international questions raised concerning the role and influence of the still-popular Hollywood products. Examines changing ownership patterns in Hollywood (buyouts by major foreign interests). Notes important trends, and suggests areas for critical research. (SR)

Mandatory Personal Therapy: Does the Evidence Justify the Practice? In Debate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaturvedi, Surabhi

2013-01-01

The article addresses the question of whether the practice of mandatory personal therapy, followed by several training organisations, is justified by existing research and evidence. In doing so, it discusses some implications of this training requirement from an ethical and ideological standpoint, raising questions of import for training…

California's Class Size Reduction: Implications for Equity, Practice & Implementation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wexler, Edward; Izu, JoAnn; Carlos, Lisa; Fuller, Bruce; Hayward, Gerald; Kirst, Mike

When California implemented its class-size reduction (CSR) program in 1996, a number of questions regarding financial burdens, teacher shortages, scarcity of facilities, and collective bargaining were raised. This first-year implementation study aims to provide some contextual information as background for answering questions, to clarify these…

Educational Expertise, Advocacy, and Media Influence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malin, Joel R.; Lubienski, Christopher

2015-01-01

The efforts of many advocacy organizations to advance their preferred policies despite conflicting evidence of the effectiveness of these policies raise questions about factors that shape successful policy promotion. While many may like to think that expertise on an issue in question is an essential prerequisite for influence in public policy…

The Feminist Critique in Epistemological Perspective: Questions of Context in Family Therapy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taggart, Morris

1985-01-01

Presents the feminist critique of systems-based family therapy. Discusses the functions of "punctuation,""boundary," and "closure" in systemic epistemology. Explores implications of a new context for family therapy with respect to women's issues, clinical epistemology, and the challenge to raise novel questions in family therapy. (BH)

Epistemology Shock: English Professors Confront Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnard, Ian; Osborn, Jan

2017-01-01

This article raises questions and concerns regarding students from the sciences working with faculty in the humanities in interdisciplinary settings. It explores the experience of two English professors facing the privileging of "facts" and a science-based understanding of the world in their own classrooms. It poses both questions and…

Solutions to Infertility: Even the Simplest Medical Answer Raises Troubling Ethical Questions for Catholics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyle, Philip

1989-01-01

Considers the ethical issues surrounding the "simplest" case of in vitro fertilization from the author's interpretation of a Catholic perspective. Discusses serious moral objections to in vitro fertilization voiced by the Vatican, and presents theological reasons why Catholics should question in vitro fertilization. (Author/NB)

Disciplinary Literacy : What You Want to Know about It

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fang, Zhihui; Coatoam, Suzanne

2013-01-01

The recent call for a disciplinary perspective on literacy instruction in the content areas has generated considerable interest among literacy educators. This column addresses some of the questions that have been raised about disciplinary literacy. These questions concern the definition and assessment of disciplinary literacy, as well as the…

Visual Memory for Objects Following Foveal Vision Loss

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geringswald, Franziska; Herbik, Anne; Hofmüller, Wolfram; Hoffmann, Michael B.; Pollmann, Stefan

2015-01-01

Allocation of visual attention is crucial for encoding items into visual long-term memory. In free vision, attention is closely linked to the center of gaze, raising the question whether foveal vision loss entails suboptimal deployment of attention and subsequent impairment of object encoding. To investigate this question, we examined visual…

New Jersey's Nonpublic Program: Issues and Perspectives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merkel-Keller, Claudia

The development of the relationship between nonpublic schools and state and federal governments has raised a number of questions regarding public aid to nonpublic education. This study focuses on one of these questions, the problem of state agencies' responsibility for the evaluation, governance, planning, and monitoring of programs providing…

Applying the CREAM Strategy for Coaching Teaching Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milad, Marine

2017-01-01

Monitoring and evaluating staff tutors necessitates constant follow-up to ensure that they are in line with the University's mission and vision. This has raised a fundamental educational question: how to coach rather than monitor the tutors. To answer this question, Cottrell's (2008) CREAM (Creative, Reflective, Effective, Active, Motivated)…

Dog Fights

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Kelley R.

2010-01-01

Bringing service animals into schools raises serious questions about how to meet one student's special needs while ensuring the educational well-being of all. This article discusses how schools grapple with the practical and legal questions involved in allowing service dogs on campus. The author cites a case in 2009 called "Kalbfleisch v. Columbia…

Surveying Parental Mediation: Connections, Challenges and Questions for Media Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mendoza, Kelly

2009-01-01

This paper examines three strategies of parental mediation--coviewing, restrictive mediation, and active mediation--in order to make connections, challenge, and raise questions for media literacy. Coviewing, whether it is intentional practice, or whether it functions to promote media literacy, is explored. Restrictive mediation, how it connects to…

"Hoffman v. Monsanto": Courts, Class Actions, and Perceptions of the Problem of GM Drift

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLeod-Kilmurray, Heather

2007-01-01

"Hoffman v. Monsanto" raises questions about the civil litigation system. Are courts appropriate institutions, and are class actions the appropriate procedure, for resolving disputes about genetically modified organisms (GMOs)? After addressing the institutional question, this article focuses on procedure. Although class actions are…

Aging and Depression: Some Unanswered Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jarvik, Lissy F.

1976-01-01

The subject of aging and depression leaves many unanswered questions which this author raises. Little is known regarding the differentiation of depressive illness from a melancholic response to the stressful aging process, and equally little regarding the natural history of depressions with onset in the teens, 20s, or 30s. (Author)

Gender, Teaching and Academic Promotions in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Subbaye, Reshma; Vithal, Renuka

2017-01-01

Teaching is increasingly being considered for inclusion in academic promotions in a number of universities. This raises questions about how teaching is appraised in relation to research; and which teaching criteria contribute to promotions outcomes. This article investigates these questions from a gender perspective by statistically analysing the…

Co-Curricular Leadership Education: Considering Critical Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fincher, Justin; Shalka, Tricia R.

2009-01-01

This article highlights the importance of examining the ways that leadership educators approach leadership education on college campuses. It also raises questions by which co-curricular leadership educators can re-evaluate how they prepare students for leadership that is relevant to meet the challenges of today's world. Through these questions…

Ethics and Social Responsibility in Science Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frazer, M. J., Ed.; Kornhauser, A., Ed.

Questions of ethics and social responsibility are considered by many to be important issues in science education. Teachers are being exposed to the difficult task of dealing with global problems and values. This book contains papers which deal with this apparent dilemma, raising questions about the responsibilities of science educators in the…

Sustainability and Our Cultural Myths

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, David

2004-01-01

This paper begins by weighing the term sustainability and considering its meaning in "common culture" terms as people outside the academy might understand it. The first implication is that none of our current behaviour meets the simplest criteria of sustainability. The question "why?" is raised. In responding to this question I suggest that our…

Increased tornado hazard in large metropolitan areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cusack, Stephen

2014-11-01

The tornado climate was compared between large metropolitan areas and neighbouring non-metro cities using modern tornado reports in the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) archives. Twenty large metro areas in the higher-risk region of the U.S. were used to boost sample sizes hence robustness of results. Observational biases were minimised by using the most densely populated zips. The analysis found 50% greater tornado frequency and a thicker-tailed severity distribution in metro areas compared to the non-metro cities. These differences are significant at the 1% level. Regarding tornado frequency, the primary question is whether the raised occurrence rates in metro areas are due to observation biases or real differences in tornado climate. Past studies found no relative biases at the population densities used here, whereas there are two potential urban drivers of tornadogenesis. First, the urban heat island raises the storm severity above and downwind of main urban areas, as recorded in precipitation and lightning datasets. Second, the increased surface roughness over metro areas raises low-level shear which in turn has been found to be favourable for tornadogenesis. Modification of convective storms over large metro areas is the more plausible explanation of raised tornado frequency. The drivers of a thicker-tailed tornado severity distribution in metro areas are less certain. Potential causes include: increased debris-loading in metro tornadoes; modification of storms' lower boundary layer by increased surface roughness in metro areas; the reduced density of damage indicators in non-metro cities.

Why quantify risk?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooke, R.; Frisch, B.; Saleem, A.

1991-08-01

The topic of risk to human life is addressed from different viewpoints. The question is raised whether risk assessment is good only as a tool for ranking risk sources or whether it actually yields sensible numbers for estimating the risk of events. Various measures for the quantification of risk (e.g., deaths per million, activity specific hourly mortality rate) are given and their applications are discussed. The implications of the different uses for risk numbers are explained. Known risks of several activities are used as a baseline for the discussion of the selection criteria for an achievable safety goal for manned space flight.

A political analysis of corporate drug donations: the example of Malarone in Kenya.

PubMed

Shretta, R; Walt, G; Brugha, R; Snow, R

2001-06-01

This paper describes the introduction of the Malarone Donation Programme in KENYA: Using a policy analysis approach it illustrates the political nature of donation programmes and how they are affected by a large and varied group of national, regional and international stakeholders, with different levels of influence and experience. The paper shows that interaction between these different groups may affect the development and implementation of the donation programme. It ends by raising some more general questions about public/private partnerships and corporate donation programmes, and their potential impact on national drug policies.

Official Positions for FRAX® clinical regarding international differences from Joint Official Positions Development Conference of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry and International Osteoporosis Foundation on FRAX®.

PubMed

Cauley, Jane A; El-Hajj Fuleihan, Ghada; Arabi, Asma; Fujiwara, Saeko; Ragi-Eis, Sergio; Calderon, Andrew; Chionh, Siok Bee; Chen, Zhao; Curtis, Jeffrey R; Danielson, Michelle E; Hanley, David A; Kroger, Heikki; Kung, Annie W C; Lesnyak, Olga; Nieves, Jeri; Pluskiewicz, Wojciech; El Rassi, Rola; Silverman, Stuart; Schott, Anne-Marie; Rizzoli, Rene; Luckey, Marjorie

2011-01-01

Osteoporosis is a serious worldwide epidemic. Increased risk of fractures is the hallmark of the disease and is associated with increased morbidity, mortality and economic burden. FRAX® is a web-based tool developed by the Sheffield WHO Collaborating Center team, that integrates clinical risk factors, femoral neck BMD, country specific mortality and fracture data and calculates the 10 year fracture probability in order to help health care professionals identify patients who need treatment. However, only 31 countries have a FRAX® calculator at the time paper was accepted for publication. In the absence of a FRAX® model for a particular country, it has been suggested to use a surrogate country for which the epidemiology of osteoporosis most closely approximates the index country. More specific recommendations for clinicians in these countries are not available. In North America, concerns have also been raised regarding the assumptions used to construct the US ethnic specific FRAX® calculators with respect to the correction factors applied to derive fracture probabilities in Blacks, Asians and Hispanics in comparison to Whites. In addition, questions were raised about calculating fracture risk in other ethnic groups e.g., Native Americans and First Canadians. In order to provide additional guidance to clinicians, a FRAX® International Task Force was formed to address specific questions raised by physicians in countries without FRAX® calculators and seeking to integrate FRAX® into their clinical practice. The main questions that the task force tried to answer were the following: The Task Force members conducted appropriate literature reviews and developed preliminary statements that were discussed and graded by a panel of experts at the ISCD-IOF joint conference. The statements approved by the panel of experts are discussed in the current paper. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Clostridium difficile Infection in Children: Current State and Unanswered Questions

PubMed Central

Tamma, Pranita D.; Sandora, Thomas J.

2012-01-01

The incidence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in children has increased over the past decade. In recent years, new and intriguing data on pediatric CDI have emerged. Community-onset infections are increasingly recognized, even in children who have not previously received antibiotics. A hypervirulent strain is responsible for up to 20% of pediatric CDI cases. Unique risk factors for CDI in children have been identified. Advances in diagnostic testing strategies, including the use of nucleic acid amplification tests, have raised new questions about the optimal approach to diagnosing CDI in children. Novel therapeutic options are available for adult patients with CDI, raising questions about the use of these agents in children. Updated recommendations about infection prevention and control measures are now available. We summarize these recent developments in pediatric CDI in this review and also highlight remaining knowledge gaps that should be addressed in future research efforts. PMID:23687578

Looking at CER from the pharmaceutical industry perspective.

PubMed

Dubois, Robert W

2012-05-01

Comparative effectiveness research (CER) is increasing as an element of health care reform in the United States. By comparing drugs against other drugs or other therapies instead of just to placebo, CER has the potential to improve decisions about the appropriate treatment for patients. But the growth of CER also brings an array of questions and decisions for purchasers and policy makers that will not be easy to answer and which require significant dialogue to fully understand and address. To describe some of the impact, both positive and negative, that comparative effectiveness research (CER) may have on the pharmaceutical industry. As CER data proliferate, questions are being raised about who can access the data, who can discuss it, and in what forums. Regulations place different communication restrictions on the pharmaceutical industry than on other health care stakeholders, which creates a potential inequality. Another CER consideration will be the tendency to apply average results to individuals, even if not every individual experiences the average result. Policy makers should implement CER findings carefully with a goal toward accommodating flexibility. A final impact to consider is whether greater expectations for CER will have a negative or positive effect on incentives for drug innovation. In some cases, CER may increase development costs or decrease market size. In other cases, better targeting of trial populations could result in lower development costs. The rising expectations and growth in CER raise questions about information access, communication restrictions, flexible implementation policies, and incentives for innovation. Members of the pharmaceutical industry should be cognizant of the questions and should be participating in dialogues now to pave the way for future solutions.

Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-01

inalienable right and, by and large, neither have U.S. government officials. However, the case of Iran raises perhaps the most critical question in this...slight difference in atomic mass between 235U and 238U. The typical enrichment process requires about 10 lbs of uranium U3O8 to produce 1 lb of low...thermal neutrons but can induce fission in all actinides , including all plutonium isotopes. Therefore, nuclear fuel for a fast reactor must have a

[Freud and Jung. Cooperation--break--mutual stimulation].

PubMed

Falzeder, Ernst

2011-01-01

The article tries to throw new light on the Freud/Jung relationship. First, it studies the nature of the fundamental differences between the two theories. Second, it raises the question of what, and how much, each of them took over from the other, and reaches the conclusion that it was Freud who let himself be inspired to a greater degree than Jung did. Third, the stimulating effect of their conflicts and of their break on the respective development of their theories is underlined.

A cornucopia of human polyomaviruses

PubMed Central

DeCaprio, James A.; Garcea, Robert L.

2014-01-01

During the past 6 years, focused virus hunting has led to the discovery of nine new human polyomaviruses, including Merkel cell polyomavirus, which has been linked to Merkel cell carcinoma, a lethal skin cell cancer. The discovery of so many new and highly divergent human polyomaviruses raises key questions regarding their evolution, tropism, latency, reactivation, immune evasion and contribution to disease. This Review describes the similarities and differences among the new human polyomaviruses and discusses how these viruses might interact with their human host. PMID:23474680

Verbs and attention to relational roles in English and Tamil*

PubMed Central

SETHURAMAN, NITYA; SMITH, LINDA B.

2013-01-01

English-learning children have been shown to reliably use cues from argument structure in learning verbs. However, languages pair overtly expressed arguments with verbs to varying extents, raising the question of whether children learning all languages expect the same, universal mapping between arguments and relational roles. Three experiments examined this question by asking how strongly early-learned verbs by themselves, without their corresponding explicitly expressed arguments, point to ‘conceptual arguments’ – the relational roles in a scene. Children aged two to four years and adult speakers of two languages that differ structurally in terms of whether the arguments of a verb are explicitly expressed more (English) or less (Tamil) frequently were compared in their mapping of verbs, presented without any overtly expressed arguments, to a range of scenes. The results suggest different developmental trajectories for language learners, as well as different patterns of adult interpretation, and offer new ways of thinking about the nature of verbs cross-linguistically. PMID:22289295

Eye tracking uncovered great apes' ability to anticipate that other individuals will act according to false beliefs.

PubMed

Kano, Fumihiro; Krupenye, Christopher; Hirata, Satoshi; Call, Josep

2017-01-01

Using a novel eye-tracking test, we recently showed that great apes anticipate that other individuals will act according to false beliefs. This finding suggests that, like humans, great apes understand others' false beliefs, at least in an implicit way. One key question raised by our study is why apes have passed our tests but not previous ones. In this article, we consider this question by detailing the development of our task. We considered 3 major differences in our task compared with the previous ones. First, we monitored apes' eye movements, and specifically their anticipatory looks, to measure their predictions about how agents will behave. Second, we adapted our design from an anticipatory-looking false belief test originally developed for human infants. Third, we developed novel test scenarios that were specifically designed to capture the attention of our ape participants. We then discuss how each difference may help explain differences in performance on our task and previous ones, and finally propose some directions for future studies.

The More Things Change the More They Stay the Same? A Response to the Audit Commission's Report on Statutory Assessment and Statements of Special Education Needs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florian, Lani

2002-01-01

This article addresses issues raised by the British Audit Commission's report on statutory assessment and Statements of Special Educational Needs (SEN). Questions are raised concerning ideas of "special educational needs,""areas of need," and "categories of handicap"; fair distribution of SEN funding; relationships…

[Ethical aspects of biological sample banks].

PubMed

Cambon-Thomsen, A; Rial-Sebbag, E

2003-02-01

Numerous activities in the domain of epidemiology require the constitution or the use of biological sample banks. Such biobanks raise ethical issues. A number of recommendations are applicable to this field, in France and elsewhere. Major principles applicable to biobanks include the respect of person's autonomy, the respect of human body, the respect of confidentiality. These principles are translated into practices through the following procedures: relevant information to the persons regarding their sample management prior to informed consent, opinion of an independent ethics committee, actual implementation of conditions for protecting samples and data. However, although those principles may appear quite simple and obvious, in the context of a largely international practice of research and given the large variety of biobanks, it is not always obvious for researchers to find their way. The attitudes vary between countries, there are numerous texts for various types of biobanks, the same texts raise different interpretations in different institutions, there are new ethical opinions expressed, and mainly the novelty of questions raised by the uses of samples that are possible today, especially in genetics, and were not foreseeable at the time of sampling make the field difficult in practice. This article reviews the types of biobanks, the relevant ethical issues. It also underlines the still unclear or ambiguous situations using some examples of practical situations.

Socializing makes thick-skinned individuals: on the density of epidermal alarm substance cells in cyprinid fish, the crucian carp (Carassius carassius).

PubMed

Stabell, Ole B; Vegusdal, Anne

2010-09-01

In cyprinid fish, density of epidermal club cells (i.e. alarm substance cells) has been found to vary between lakes with different predator fauna. Because predators can be labelled with chemical cues from prey, we questioned if club cell density could be controlled indirectly by predators releasing prey cues. In particular, we suspected a possible feedback mechanism between chemical alarm signals and their cellular source. We raised crucian carp singly and in groups of four. For both rearing types, fish were exposed to skin extracts of either conspecifics or brown trout (without club cells), and provided either low or high food rations. Independent of rearing type, condition factor and club cell density increased with food ration size, but no change was found in club cell density following exposure to conspecific alarm signals. However, the density of club cells was found significantly higher for fish raised in groups than for fish raised alone. We conclude that an increased condition factor results in more club cells, but crucian carp may also possess an awareness of conspecific presence, given by higher club cell densities when raised in groups. This increase in club cell density may be induced by unknown chemical factors released by conspecifics.

Employee Reactions to Merit Pay: Cognitive Approach and Social Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Yingchun

2010-01-01

The dissertation aims to tackle one of the most pressing questions facing the merit pay system researchers and practitioners: Why do merit pay raises have such a small effect on employees' satisfaction, commitment and job performance? My approach to the study of this question is to develop explanatory frameworks from two perspectives: cognitive…

Spinning the Epidemic: The Making of Mythologies of Orphanhood in the Context of AIDS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meintjes, Helen; Giese, Sonja

2006-01-01

This article questions why a somewhat singular focus on orphanhood in the context of AIDS persists despite important shifts to more inclusive terminology of "orphans and vulnerable children." Analysis of data from South Africa raises questions about the "spin" placed on "orphanhood" and its perceived consequences for…

Students First, Not Stuff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Will

2013-01-01

The author of this article writes about how this moment of technological explosion raises a host of important questions for education leaders that speak directly to the way people think about the potentials of technology in school.The author asserts that if technology is seen simply as additive, the questions will be about the technology: Should…

Justice. Law in a Free Society Series. Level VI. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Civic Education, Calabasas, CA.

Designed to help high school students, this curriculum guides youngsters to develop a better understanding of difficult issues raised by questions of justice. It is hoped that the ideas, observations, questions, and procedures students learn in the curriculum will help them to make informed decisions about how to promote justice and combat…

Mumps virus pathogenesis: Insights and knowledge gaps.

PubMed

Gouma, Sigrid; Koopmans, Marion P G; van Binnendijk, Rob S

2016-12-01

The recent mumps outbreaks among MMR vaccinated persons have raised questions about the biological mechanisms related to mumps symptoms and complications in the background of waning immunity. Contrary to other paramyxoviruses, the understanding of mumps virus pathogenesis is limited, and further in-depth clinical studies are required to provide answers to important research questions.

Reason, Unfettered by Faith

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krauss, Lawrence M.

2007-01-01

In a speech at the University of Regensburg, the pope emphasized the role of theology in correlating faith with reason. He argued that within the university it should be accepted without question that "it is still necessary and reasonable to raise the question of God through the use of reason." That speech created an uproar in the Muslim…

Higher Education Is More than Just about the Economy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higgs, Philip

2006-01-01

This essay addresses the question, "What is quality in higher education?" In so doing it raises many interesting and vexing questions in relation to education. For example, is "quality" in higher education the same as, for example, "quality" with reference to the quality of clothing or the quality of meat in local…

Three Questions about the Internet of Things and Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manches, Andrew; Duncan, Pauline; Plowman, Lydia; Sabeti, Shari

2015-01-01

Children's interaction with technology is evolving; increasingly there are devices that can capture and respond seamlessly to their everyday activity. This raises pertinent questions such as: how these technologies shape children's activity; how the data from their activity is used, and to what extent children, and their parents, are…

Back to the Future: Prospects for Education Faculty and Librarian Collaboration Thirty Years Later

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scripps-Hoekstra, Lindy; Hamilton, Erica R.

2016-01-01

Thirty years ago, education conference panelists shared concerns regarding collaboration between education faculty and librarians and they presented ideas for expanding these partnerships. A review of their ideas raises an important question: In what ways have their ideas for collaboration and partnership been realized? To answer this question,…

Situating Qualitative Modes of Inquiry within the Discipline of Statistics Education Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groth, Randall E.

2010-01-01

Qualitative methods have become common in statistics education research, but questions linger about their role in scholarship. Currently, influential policy documents lend credence to the notion that qualitative methods are inherently inferior to quantitative ones. In this paper, several of the questions about qualitative research raised in recent…

Graduate Level Research Methods and Statistics Courses: The Perspective of an Instructor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulvenon, Sean W.; Wang, Victor C. X.

2015-01-01

The goal of an educational system or degree program is to "educate" students. This immediately raises the question of what does it mean to "educate" students. All academic institutions, degree programs and content areas are typically expected to answer this question and establish appropriate academic expectations both within…

Virtue-Epistemology and the Chagos Unknown: Questioning the Indictment of Knowledge Transmission

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papastephanou, Marianna

2015-01-01

Though concerned with knowledge, this article begins with unknown political events that are ignored by the culture and educational practices of the societies in whose name the events took place. The questions that these events raise indicate a relation of epistemology with ethics and education that complicates some theoretical and managerial…

Autonomous Language Learning in Africa: A Mismatch of Cultural Assumptions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sonaiya, Remi

2002-01-01

Questions the global validity of the autonomous method of language learning, which has origins in the European and North American traditions of individualism. Raises the question of appropriateness of the cultural content of educational materials that are alleged to be suitable for global dissemination, with special reference to the Yoruba world…

Is Quality Assurance in Higher Education Contextually Relative?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ntshoe, I.; Higgs, P.; Wolhuter, C. C.; Higgs, L. G.

2010-01-01

This article examines notions of quality and quality assurance in higher education. It does this by raising questions such as whether quality in higher education is the same as, for example, quality of clothing or the quality of meat in local butcheries. The article questions the assumption that if certain things, such as criteria or…

Questioning Needs Assessment: Some Limitations and Positive Alternatives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hannum, Wallace

2013-01-01

This article raises questions about the use of needs assessment by those seeking to improve the performance of organizations and individuals. While the discrepancy model of needs assessment has enjoyed a long history and is widely accepted, the author states that it has several undesirable consequences in terms of its impact. This article offers…

As Year Ends, Questions Remain for New Orleans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxwell, Lesli A.

2008-01-01

In rebuilding public schooling in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, education reformers have managed to hire energetic teachers, break ground on a few new school buildings, raise public confidence, and show progress on test scores. But fundamental questions remain as the 2007-08 academic year draws to a close, including how the city's…

Plenary Speeches: Is the Second Language Acquisition Discipline Disintegrating?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hulstijn, Jan H.

2013-01-01

After characterizing the study of second language acquisition (SLA) from three viewpoints, I try to answer the question, raised by DeKeyser (2010), of whether the SLA field is disintegrating. In answering this question, I first propose a distinction between SLA as the relatively fundamental academic discipline and SLA as the relatively applied…

Two Mind-Altering Curriculums: Contemplation, Mindfulness, and the Educational Question Whether "To Think or Not to Think?"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ergas, Oren

2013-01-01

Findings "from" neuroscience and psychological research reveal that the mind's "default" state is "wandering" bearing directly on our well-being. These findings raise difficult questions as to the premises underlying the curriculum rendered as a "mind-altering device" (Eisner, 1993). This article analyzes…

The campaign to raise the tobacco tax in Massachusetts.

PubMed

Heiser, P F; Begay, M E

1997-06-01

Question 1 raised the Massachusetts state tobacco tax to fund tobacco education programs. This paper examines the process of qualifying and passing Question 1. Information was gathered from internal memoranda, meeting minutes, newspaper articles, internal documents, letters, newsletters, news and press releases, and personal interviews. Data about campaign contributions were obtained from the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance. Three factors help explain why Question 1 passed: (1) the policy environment was favorable because of the social unacceptability of smoking; (2) the activists assembled a large coalition of supporters; and (3) the activists countered industry claims that the new tax would hurt small business and lower-income smokers and would be wasted by the legislature. The ballot initiative passed despite the industry's $7 million campaign to defeat it. The apparent influence of the tobacco industry on the legislature was the driving force behind the decision of public health activists to qualify Question 1. Moving policy-making out of the legislature into the public arena widened the scope of conflict and enabled public health activists to win.

Psychopharmacological enhancement: a conceptual framework

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

The availability of a range of new psychotropic agents raises the possibility that these will be used for enhancement purposes (smart pills, happy pills, and pep pills). The enhancement debate soon raises questions in philosophy of medicine and psychiatry (eg, what is a disorder?), and this debate in turn raises fundament questions in philosophy of language, science, and ethics. In this paper, a naturalistic conceptual framework is proposed for addressing these issues. This framework begins by contrasting classical and critical concepts of categories, and then puts forward an integrative position that is based on cognitive-affective research. This position can in turn be used to consider the debate between pharmacological Calvinism (which may adopt a moral metaphor of disorder) and psychotropic utopianism (which may emphasize a medical metaphor of disorder). I argue that psychiatric treatment of serious psychiatric disorders is justified, and that psychotropics are an acceptable kind of intervention. The use of psychotropics for sub-threshold phenomena requires a judicious weighing of the relevant facts (which are often sparse) and values. PMID:22244084

Workshop on environmental qualification of electric equipment

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

Lofaro, R.; Gunther, W.; Villaran, M.

1994-05-01

Questions concerning the Environmental Qualification (EQ) of electrical equipment used in commercial nuclear power plants have recently become the subject of significant interest to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Initial questions centered on whether compliance with the EQ requirements for older plants were adequate to support plant operation beyond 40 years. After subsequent investigation, the NRC Staff concluded that questions related to the differences in EQ requirements between older and newer plants constitute a potential generic issue which should be evaluated for backfit, independent of license renewal activities. EQ testing of electric cables was performed by Sandia National Laboratoriesmore » (SNL) under contract to the NRC in support of license renewal activities. Results showed that some of the environmentally qualified cables either failed or exhibited marginal insulation resistance after a simulated plant life of 20 years during accident simulation. This indicated that the EQ process for some electric cables may be non-conservative. These results raised questions regarding the EQ process including the bases for conclusions about the qualified life of components based upon artificial aging prior to testing.« less

The Different Moral Bases of Patient and Surrogate Decision-Making.

PubMed

Brudney, Daniel

2018-01-01

My topic is a problem with our practice of surrogate decision-making in health care, namely, the problem of the surrogate who is not doing her job-the surrogate who cannot be reached or the surrogate who seems to refuse to understand or to be unable to understand the clinical situation. The analysis raises a question about the surrogate who simply disagrees with the medical team. One might think that such a surrogate is doing her job-the team just doesn't like how she is doing it. My analysis raises the question of whether (or perhaps when) she should be overridden. In approaching this problem, I focus not on the range of difficulties in practice but on the underlying moral conceptual issue. My concern will be to show that the moral values that underpin patient decision-making are fundamentally different from those that underpin surrogate decision-making. Identifying the distinctions will set parameters for any successful solution to the "Who should decide?" A patient has a specific kind of moral right to make her own medical decisions. A surrogate has no analogous moral right to decide for someone else. We want the surrogate to make the decision because we believe that she has a relevant epistemological advantage over anyone else on the scene. If and when she has no such advantage or if she refuses or is unable to use it, then there might not be sufficient reason to let her be the decision-maker. © 2018 The Hastings Center.

The origins of the universe: why is there something rather than nothing?

PubMed

Paulson, Steve; Albert, David; Holt, Jim; Turok, Neil

2015-12-01

Perhaps the greatest mystery is why the universe exists in the first place. How is it possible for something to emerge from nothing, or has a universe in some form always existed? This question of origins-both of the universe as a whole and of the fundamental laws of physics-raises profound scientific, philosophical, and religious questions, culminating in the most basic existential question of all: Why are we here? Discussion of this and related questions is presented in this paper. © 2015 New York Academy of Sciences.

[Ribonucleic acids and proteins of influenza A/USSR/90/77 viruses].

PubMed

Vorkunova, G K; Dotsenko, G N; Bukrinskaia, A G; Zhdanov, V M

1979-01-01

The "return" of influenza A (HINI) virus after 20 years of absence raised the question of the sources and mechanisms of emergence of epidemic influenza viruses and, particularly, of a new HINI virus (A/USSR/90/77). Two alternative hypotheses answer this question differently: the new HINI virus is the progeny of old HINI viruses retained in the human population or is a newly arising recombinant between numerous human and animal influenza viruses circulation in the biosphere. For the acceptance of one or the other hypothesis further accumulation of facts is required and, first of all, comparative investigations of RNAs and proteins of various influenza viruses. This paper presents the results of comparative studies of RNAs and proteins of old and new influenza A (HINI) viruses.

Acupuncture induce the different modulation patterns of the default mode network: an fMRI study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Peng; Qin, Wei; Tian, Jie; Zhang, Yi

2009-02-01

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory and certain clinical treatment reports, the sustained effects of acupuncture indeed exist, which may last several minutes or hours. Furthermore, increased attention has fallen on the sustained effects of acupuncture. Recently, it is reported that the sustained acupuncture effects may alter the default mode network (DMN). It raises interesting questions: whether the modulations of acupuncture effects to the DMN are still detected at other acupoints and whether the modulation patterns are different induced by different acupoints. In the present study, we wanted to investigate the questions. An experiment fMRI design was carried out on 36 subjects with the electroacupuncture stimulation (EAS) at the three acupoints: Guangming (GB37), Kunlun (BL60) and Jiaoxin (KI8) on the left leg. The data sets were analyzed by a data driven method named independent component analysis (ICA). The results indicated that the three acupoints stimulations may modulate the DMN. Moreover, the modulation patterns were distinct. We suggest the different modulation patterns on the DMN may attribute to the distinct functional effects of acupoints.

Spacetime symmetries and topology in bimetric relativity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torsello, Francesco; Kocic, Mikica; Högâs, Marcus; Mörtsell, Edvard

2018-04-01

We explore spacetime symmetries and topologies of the two metric sectors in Hassan-Rosen bimetric theory. We show that, in vacuum, the two sectors can either share or have separate spacetime symmetries. If stress-energy tensors are present, a third case can arise, with different spacetime symmetries within the same sector. This raises the question of the best definition of spacetime symmetry in Hassan-Rosen bimetric theory. We emphasize the possibility of imposing ansatzes and looking for solutions having different Killing vector fields or different isometries in the two sectors, which has gained little attention so far. We also point out that the topology of spacetime imposes a constraint on possible metric combinations.

Humic acid provenance influence to the adsorption capacity in uranium and thorium removal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasetyo, E.

2018-01-01

It is common knowledge that humic acid is organic compound without certain chemical composition since it is derived from different organic materials. Further this raises question whether the different humic acid sample used could lead to different adsorbent properties e.g. adsorption capacity. To address the problem, this paper is aimed to clarify the relation between the provenances of humic acid and synthesized adsorbent properties especially adsorption capacities by quantitative and qualitative functional groups determination including discussion on their effect to the metal ion adsorption mechanism using three humic acid samples. Two commercial samples were derived from recent compost while the other extracted from tertiary carbonaceous mudstone strata.

'Any questions?'--Clinicians' usage of invitations to ask questions (IAQs) in outpatient plastic surgery consultations.

PubMed

Bristowe, Katherine; Patrick, Peter L

2014-12-01

To explore use of 'Invitations to Ask Questions' (IAQs) by plastic surgeons in outpatient consultations, and consider how type of IAQ impacts on patients' responses to, and recollection of, IAQs. Descriptive study: 63 patients were audio recorded in consultation with 5 plastic surgeons, and completed a brief questionnaire immediately after the consultation. Consultation transcripts were analyzed using inductive qualitative methods of Discourse Analysis and compared with questionnaire findings. A taxonomy of IAQs was developed, including three types of IAQ (Overt, Covert, and Borderline). Overt IAQs were rarely identified, and almost all IAQs occurred in the closing stages of the consultation. However, when an overt IAQ was used, patients always recollected being asked if they had any questions after the consultation. Patients are rarely explicitly offered the opportunity to ask questions. When this does occur, it is often in the closing stages of the consultation. Clinicians should openly encourage patients to ask questions frequently throughout the consultation, and be mindful that subtle differences in construction of these utterances may impact upon interpretation. Clear communication, of message and intention, is essential in clinical encounters to minimize misunderstanding, misinterpretation, or missed opportunities for patients to raise concerns. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Are participants in face-to-face and internet support groups the same? Comparison of demographics and depression levels among women bereaved by stillbirth.

PubMed

Gold, Katherine J; Normandin, Margaret M; Boggs, Martha E

2016-12-01

Support groups can help individuals cope with difficult health situations but have been understudied for women with perinatal bereavement. An early study suggested those using internet support groups had high rates of positive depression screens, raising the question whether these users were more symptomatic than those in similar face-to-face support groups. We therefore conducted two convenience sample surveys of women bereaved by perinatal loss, one looking at use of online support groups and the other in-person support groups. The surveys identified demographics, use of peer support, potential confounders, and current depression symptoms using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Four hundred sixteen women from 18 internet groups and 60 women from 13 in-person groups met inclusion criteria. Participants in both groups were predominantly Caucasian, highly educated, and had private insurance. Severe depression symptoms were similar in the two groups despite the different modalities. Women in both face-to-face or internet groups for pregnancy and perinatal loss demonstrated similar scores on depression screens. Women of color, poor, and less-educated women were starkly underrepresented in both types of groups, raising questions about knowledge of support options, barriers to use, preferences for bereavement support, and optimization of groups for a broader population.

[Mental competence in the context of deep brain stimulation].

PubMed

Berghmans, R L P; De Wert, G M W R

2004-07-10

In a case of Parkinson's disease, the patient was treated with deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS). STN-DBS affected the mental competence of the patient and ethical questions were raised about the decision as to the direction of further treatment. The patient was asked for his opinion on the therapeutic options during a phase of non-stimulation and chose to be stimulated and admitted to a psychiatric hospital because of mental incompetence rather than remaining unstimulated, mentally competent but bedridden. Developments in the neurosciences (including STN-DBS) raise a number of different fundamental (theoretical and philosophical) as well as practical questions. STN-DBS can have various unintended (behavioural) effects. In the case presented, more weight was rightly given to the mental competence of the unstimulated patient, although comments can be made with regard to his decision making, as his choice was made in a phase of serious distress. Attention is paid to the relevance of a so-called self-binding directive. STN-DBS is not morally neutral and the case involves a tragic dilemma: a conflict between irreconcilable duties for the physician. The further development and proliferation of STN-DBS requires caution and moral deliberation. It remains important to search for alternative treatment strategies with less undesirable side effects.

Exciton size and quantum transport in nanoplatelets

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

Pelzer, Kenley M., E-mail: kpelzer@anl.gov; Gray, Stephen K.; Darling, Seth B.

2015-12-14

Two-dimensional nanoplatelets (NPLs) are an exciting class of materials with promising optical and energy transport properties. The possibility of efficient energy transport between nanoplatelets raises questions regarding the nature of energy transfer in these thin, laterally extended systems. A challenge in understanding exciton transport is the uncertainty regarding the size of the exciton. Depending on the material and defects in the nanoplatelet, an exciton could plausibly extend over an entire plate or localize to a small region. The variation in possible exciton sizes raises the question how exciton size impacts the efficiency of transport between nanoplatelet structures. Here, we exploremore » this issue using a quantum master equation approach. This method goes beyond the assumptions of Förster theory to allow for quantum mechanical effects that could increase energy transfer efficiency. The model is extremely flexible in describing different systems, allowing us to test the effect of varying the spatial extent of the exciton. We first discuss qualitative aspects of the relationship between exciton size and transport and then conduct simulations of exciton transport between NPLs for a range of exciton sizes and environmental conditions. Our results reveal that exciton size has a strong effect on energy transfer efficiency and suggest that manipulation of exciton size may be useful in designing NPLs for energy transport.« less

Exciton size and quantum transport in nanoplatelets.

PubMed

Pelzer, Kenley M; Darling, Seth B; Gray, Stephen K; Schaller, Richard D

2015-12-14

Two-dimensional nanoplatelets (NPLs) are an exciting class of materials with promising optical and energy transport properties. The possibility of efficient energy transport between nanoplatelets raises questions regarding the nature of energy transfer in these thin, laterally extended systems. A challenge in understanding exciton transport is the uncertainty regarding the size of the exciton. Depending on the material and defects in the nanoplatelet, an exciton could plausibly extend over an entire plate or localize to a small region. The variation in possible exciton sizes raises the question how exciton size impacts the efficiency of transport between nanoplatelet structures. Here, we explore this issue using a quantum master equation approach. This method goes beyond the assumptions of Förster theory to allow for quantum mechanical effects that could increase energy transfer efficiency. The model is extremely flexible in describing different systems, allowing us to test the effect of varying the spatial extent of the exciton. We first discuss qualitative aspects of the relationship between exciton size and transport and then conduct simulations of exciton transport between NPLs for a range of exciton sizes and environmental conditions. Our results reveal that exciton size has a strong effect on energy transfer efficiency and suggest that manipulation of exciton size may be useful in designing NPLs for energy transport.

'Troubling' moments in health promotion: unpacking the ethics of empowerment.

PubMed

Spencer, Grace

2015-12-01

Concepts of empowerment feature strongly in global health discourses. Empowerment is frequently advocated as a positive approach to addressing individual and community-level health needs. Despite its popularity, relatively little has been said about the unintended consequences of empowerment, which may give rise to some troubling ethical issues or, indeed, result in outcomes that may not be considered health promoting. Drawing on current uses of empowerment within health promotion, along with insights from an ethnographic study on young people's health, this paper raises some critical questions about the ethics of empowerment. By doing so, the paper troubles the idea that empowerment is a 'good thing' without some careful attention to the varying ways in which the ethics of empowerment may unfold in practice. Findings revealed young people's different perspectives on health and priorities for health promotion. The present analysis highlights how these alternative framings prompt a number of ethical tensions for understanding and operationalising empowerment. In conclusion, the findings underscore the importance of promoting ethical reflexivity in health promotion and, crucially, attending to the unintended and potentially ethically problematic consequences of empowerment. So what? This paper raises some critical questions about the ethics of empowerment and calls for a more thorough engagement with the unintended consequences of empowerment within health promotion.

Bringing up Gender: Academic Abjection?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Emily F.

2014-01-01

The principal questions raised in this article are: what does it mean to bring up the topic of gender in a space where it is not known, and how can this moment of bringing up gender--or not bringing it up--be conceptualised? The article departs from the thoughts and questions that were provoked by an interview conducted with a Gender Studies…

Unit: Minerals and Crystals, First Trial Materials, Inspection Set.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Australian Science Education Project, Toorak, Victoria.

This unit, one of a series being developed for Australian secondary school science courses, consists of a teacher's guide, two student booklets, a test booklet, and a student workbook which also contains answers to questions raised in the student booklets, and a answer sheet containing comments on the answers to the questions in the test booklet.…

Pedagogy beyond Piracy: Un-Learning the White Body to Recreate a Body of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perkinson, James W.

2012-01-01

This essay highlights a range of questions that arise when white suburban students engage urban neighborhoods of poverty and color in the United States. How can involvement in an "other" context move beyond "educational tourism"? The essay presents a pedagogical style that raises questions of the kind of socialized body one…

The Academic Non-Consultation Phenomenon Revisited: A Research Agenda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Nhien; Hansen, Jens Ørding

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to revive interest in the question, never definitively answered, which Stephen Watson raised in the title of his 2000 paper, "Why is it that management academics rarely advise on their own institutions?" It is argued that finding the answer to the question would not only be interesting in and of…

Justice. Law in a Free Society Series. Level VI. Teacher's Guide. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Civic Education, Calabasas, CA.

This teacher's curriculum guide is designed to help high school teachers guide students to develop a better understanding of difficult issues raised by questions of justice. It is hoped that the ideas, observations, questions, and procedures students learn in the curriculum will help them to make informed decisions about how to promote justice and…

Evolution and Revolution in China's Skill Formation System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Jing

2011-01-01

This article outlines the current problems facing vocational education in China in order to raise the question as to how deep-seated and intractable they might be. In order to address this question a historical analysis of vocational education from the turn of the twentieth century to the end of Mao's period of office is undertaken. The rise of…

Inviting Perspective Transformation: Sexual History Awareness for Professional Formation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ott, Kate

2017-01-01

How do we deal with our own sexuality as teachers and as learners in the classroom? As a seminary professor in a mainline Christian context, I find that discussing sexuality increases student discomfort levels by threatening to raise questions about the connections between morality, behavior, and bodies of those in the room--questions we have been…

Complexity Theory, School Leadership and Management: Questions for Theory and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrison, Keith

2010-01-01

Complexity theory (CT) has had a meteoric rise in management literature and the social sciences. Its fledgling importation into school leadership and management raises several questions and concerns. This article takes one view of CT and argues that, though its key elements have much to offer school leadership and management, caution has to be…

A New Defendant at the Table: An Overview of Missouri School Finance and Recent Litigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Podgursky, Michael; Smith, James; Springer, Matthew G.

2008-01-01

Like many other states, Missouri has gone through several rounds of school finance litigation. However, the trial just concluded was unusual in two respects. First, three taxpayers were allowed to intervene for the defense and, in the process, raise important questions concerning the efficiency of school spending and broader questions of school…

A Longitudinal Study of the Impact of an Environmental Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rioux, Liliane; Pasquier, Daniel

2013-01-01

In a previous study, we investigated the impact of an awareness-raising campaign on the behaviour of secondary school children in the Centre Region of France, regarding the recycling of used batteries. But, was it a question of pro-environmental behaviour or simply an environmental action? To answer this question, a three-year longitudinal study…

"Sntrusntm i7 captik[superscript w]lh": Unravel the Story, the Okanagan Way

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ragoonaden, Karen; Cherkowski, Sabre; Baptiste, Maxine; Despres, Blane

2009-01-01

This study raises the question of how the Canadian educational system can avoid promoting cultural or ideological racism in a student population that is increasingly Indigenous and immigrant. It responds to this question by pointing to the need to expand knowledge systems in teacher education programs, presenting a multi-thematic discussion that…

Will the Real Author Come Forward? Questions of Ethics, Plagiarism, Theft and Collusion in Academic Research Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sikes, Pat

2009-01-01

This paper raises some questions about academic authorial honesty under the headings of Plagiarism (including self-plagiarism), Theft, and Collusion. Compared with the medical sciences, the social sciences in general and education specifically, lag behind in terms of critical attention being paid to the problem of plagiarism, the peer review…

The Question in Educational Leadership: For Whom and for What Are We Responsible?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Dennis

2010-01-01

Jacques Derrida wrote about democratic leadership in educational institutions throughout his later work, but in this article the author notes the importance of Derrida's essays published as "Eyes of the University" (2004). Derrida begins by returning to questions raised by Immanuel Kant two centuries earlier with regard to the founding of the…

Re-Appropriating a Question/Answer System to Support Dialectical Constructivist Learning Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carroll, John M.; Wu, Yu; Shih, Patrick C.; Zheng, Saijing

2016-01-01

Learning can be engaged by dialectic, that is, by identifying pros and cons that inhere in propositions, and more generally, by raising questions about the validity of claims. We report here on a classroom case study of dialectical constructivist pedagogy: Students created dialectical analyses of two lectures and four books as core activities in a…

Visions of CSCL: Eight Provocations for the Future of the Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wise, Alyssa Friend; Schwarz, Baruch B.

2017-01-01

The field of Computer Supported Computer Learning (CSCL) is at a critical moment in its development. Internally we face issues of fragmentation and questions about what progress is being made. Externally the rise of social media and a variety of research communities that study the interactions within it raise questions about our unique identity…

Science and Technology as Social Relations: Towards a Philosophy of Technology for Liberal Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Klaus-Henning

1997-01-01

Raises the question of the philosophical base of a liberal technology education, assuming that it cannot be provided simply by an engineer's perspective. Suggests a series of questions for reconstructing the cultural meaning of technology and a structural model that shows how meaning is generated through a variety of social relationships;…

Claiming the Polarity of Art Therapy: Lessons from the Field in Colombia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salom, Andrée

2017-01-01

Long-posed questions about art therapy's artistic and psychological polarity are revisited when the profession is introduced into a new country. In a symposium dedicated to the process of advancing the profession in Colombia, attendees who were unfamiliar with art therapy raised questions that resonated with the historical polarity of art versus…

The State, Parenting, and the Populist Energies of Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conroy, James C.

2010-01-01

In this essay James Conroy raises the question of how far the state should engage in the rearing of children, looking in particular at homeschooling as a site for contestation. He considers this question by looking specifically at recent developments in the United Kingdom around the elision of child safeguarding issues with concern about the…

Emergent issues in forest plan revision: a dialogue

Treesearch

Susan I. Stewart; Pamela J. Jakes; Paul Monson

1998-01-01

Working with National Forest planners can raise many questions for social scientists regarding their role in planning or plan revision. Social scientists from the North Central Forest Experiment Station and the National Forest System Eastern Region debate 3 questions that continue to surface in their work with Forest Service managers on plan revision: first, what is...

Comparing Validity Evidence of Two ECERS-R Scoring Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeng, Songtian

2017-01-01

Over 30 states have adopted the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R) as a component of their program quality assessment systems, but the use of ECERS-R on such a large scale has raised important questions about implementation. One of the most pressing question centers upon decisions users must make between two scoring…

Census 1981--Question on Racial and Ethnic Origin. Briefing Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Cheryl

The British Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) is considering the inclusion of a question on race and ethnic origin in the 1981 census of Great Britain. This paper addresses the importance of obtaining statistical data on minority groups and examines some of the arguments and problems likely to be raised over the issue of including…

Young Children and E-Reading: Research to Date and Questions for the Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Elizabeth B.; Warschauer, Mark

2014-01-01

The practice of reading is rapidly moving from print to screen. Young children are not immune from this trend; indeed, many children's principal literacy experiences occur using iPads and other handheld digital devices. This transition raises important questions about how the emergence and development of literacy might change in these new…

How to Improve Your Impact Factor: Questioning the Quantification of Academic Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smeyers, Paul; Burbules, Nicholas C.

2011-01-01

A broad-scale quantification of the measure of quality for scholarship is under way. This trend has fundamental implications for the future of academic publishing and employment. In this essay we want to raise questions about these burgeoning practices, particularly how they affect philosophy of education and similar sub-disciplines. First,…

Generic Gold Standard or Contextualised Public Good? Teaching Excellence Awards in Post-Colonial South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behari-Leak, Kasturi; McKenna, Sioux

2017-01-01

Teaching Excellence Awards have raised the profile of teaching as a scholarly project. There are however a number of questions about what constitutes teaching excellence and how "excellence" is understood in current higher education. In a post-colonial South Africa, where significant injustices permeate our society, we question whether…

A review of ethical issues in dementia.

PubMed

Johnson, Rebecca A; Karlawish, Jason

2015-10-01

Dementia raises many ethical issues. The present review, taking note of the fact that the stages of dementia raise distinct ethical issues, focuses on three issues associated with stages of dementia's progression: (1) how the emergence of preclinical and asymptomatic but at-risk categories for dementia creates complex questions about preventive measures, risk disclosure, and protection from stigma and discrimination; (2) how despite efforts at dementia prevention, important research continues to investigate ways to alleviate clinical dementia's symptoms, and requires additional human subjects protections to ethically enroll persons with dementia; and (3) how in spite of research and prevention efforts, persons continue to need to live with dementia. This review highlights two major themes. First is how expanding the boundaries of dementias such as Alzheimer's to include asymptomatic but at-risk persons generate new ethical questions. One promising way to address these questions is to take an integrated approach to dementia ethics, which can include incorporating ethics-related data collection into the design of a dementia research study itself. Second is the interdisciplinary nature of ethical questions related to dementia, from health policy questions about insurance coverage for long-term care to political questions about voting, driving, and other civic rights and privileges to economic questions about balancing an employer's right to a safe and productive workforce with an employee's rights to avoid discrimination on the basis of their dementia risk. The review highlights these themes and emerging ethical issues in dementia.

The riddle of sex: biological theories of sexual difference in the early twentieth-century.

PubMed

Ha, Nathan Q

2011-01-01

At the turn of the twentieth century, biologists such as Oscar Riddle, Thomas Hunt Morgan, Frank Lillie, and Richard Goldschmidt all puzzled over the question of sexual difference, the distinction between male and female. They all offered competing explanations for the biological cause of this difference, and engaged in a fierce debate over the primacy of their respective theories. Riddle propounded a metabolic theory of sex dating from the late-nineteenth century suggesting that metabolism lay at the heart of sexual difference. Thomas Hunt Morgan insisted on the priority of chromosomes, Frank Lillie emphasized the importance of hormones, while Richard Goldschmidt supported a mixed model involving both chromosomes and hormones. In this paper, I will illustrate how the older metabolic theory of sex was displaced when those who argued for the relatively newer theories of chromosomes and hormones gradually formed an alliance that accommodated each other and excluded the metabolic theory of sex. By doing so, proponents of chromosomes and hormones established their authority over the question of sexual difference as they laid the foundations for the new disciplines of genetics and endocrinology. Their debate raised urgent questions about what constituted sexual difference, and how scientists envisioned the plasticity and controllability of this difference. These theories also had immediate political and cultural consequences at the turn of the twentieth century, especially for the eugenic and feminist movements, both of which were heavily invested in knowledge of sex and its determination, ascertainment, and command.

Angiotensin II and its different receptor subtypes in placenta and fetal membranes.

PubMed

Kalenga, M K; de Gasparo, M; Thomas, K; de Hertogh, R

1996-01-01

The recent discovery of a local renin-angiotensin system in trophoblastic tissues has raised many questions regarding its role in the physiology of normal gestation and its implications in the pathophysiology of hypertension during pregnancy. In this article, the authors first review the most interesting aspects of the chorioplacental renin-angiotensin system, dwelling on the tissue distribution of angiotensin II and its receptor subtypes in the placenta and fetal membranes of different species. The relationship between angiotensin II and other locally synthesized chorioplacental substances is also analysed and the therapeutic implications of phenomena observed in pregnancy-associated hypertension are discussed.

Exploring classroom life through cogenerative dialogues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higgins, Joanna; Bonne, Linda

2014-03-01

In response to Shady's reflection on his experience as a teacher-researcher in which he explored different cogen structures, we consider fluid participant configurations using cogens as a research method to provide insights into classroom life. Our cogens illuminated the role of symbolic, cultural and social capital in student-teacher alignments that changed across different classroom situations. In Shady's study, as well as our own, respectful student-teacher relationships that involved the teacher and students first establishing common social capital, enabled the teacher to "be in with" the students, and vice versa. We raise questions about how the structure of cogens might affect the nature of the dialogue that is cogenerated.

FROM EXCLUSION TO INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION: THE CASE OF LATINO YOUTHS.

PubMed

Sanchez R, Magaly

2006-01-01

In this article, I refer to structural tendencies reflected in the responses of excluded Latinos youths, who range from street children to radical youths (gangs or not) and finally to migrants. The latter, face unusual challenges as a result of being undocumented, forcing them to pursue mobility within a formal system that blocks their way. I review these tendencies through a "positive" lens, focusing mainly on Latino youth who are using different strategies to fight social exclusion. I aim to raise the paradoxical temporality , which indicates that as we learn and analyze more, we tend to move further away from the possibility of transforming pressing problems in society. I raise the question of how to intervene using more knowledge in the alarming situation of one of the most excluded social groups, Latino Youth and also of how to alert and visualize ways of integrating those youth who migrate and become undocumented.

FROM EXCLUSION TO INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION: THE CASE OF LATINO YOUTHS

PubMed Central

Sanchez R, Magaly

2013-01-01

In this article, I refer to structural tendencies reflected in the responses of excluded Latinos youths, who range from street children to radical youths (gangs or not) and finally to migrants. The latter, face unusual challenges as a result of being undocumented, forcing them to pursue mobility within a formal system that blocks their way. I review these tendencies through a “positive” lens, focusing mainly on Latino youth who are using different strategies to fight social exclusion. I aim to raise the paradoxical temporality, which indicates that as we learn and analyze more, we tend to move further away from the possibility of transforming pressing problems in society. I raise the question of how to intervene using more knowledge in the alarming situation of one of the most excluded social groups, Latino Youth and also of how to alert and visualize ways of integrating those youth who migrate and become undocumented. PMID:24235783

Automatic face recognition in HDR imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pereira, Manuela; Moreno, Juan-Carlos; Proença, Hugo; Pinheiro, António M. G.

2014-05-01

The gaining popularity of the new High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging systems is raising new privacy issues caused by the methods used for visualization. HDR images require tone mapping methods for an appropriate visualization on conventional and non-expensive LDR displays. These visualization methods might result in completely different visualization raising several issues on privacy intrusion. In fact, some visualization methods result in a perceptual recognition of the individuals, while others do not even show any identity. Although perceptual recognition might be possible, a natural question that can rise is how computer based recognition will perform using tone mapping generated images? In this paper, a study where automatic face recognition using sparse representation is tested with images that result from common tone mapping operators applied to HDR images. Its ability for the face identity recognition is described. Furthermore, typical LDR images are used for the face recognition training.

From intensive care monitoring to personal health monitoring to ambient intelligence.

PubMed

Rienhoff, Otto

2013-01-01

The historical roots of IT-based monitoring in health care are described. Since the 1970ies monitoring has been spreading to more and more domains of health care and public health. Today one can observe monitoring of persons in many environments and regarding widely different questions. While these monitoring applications have been introduced ethical questions have been raised to balance the possible positive and negative outcomes of the approaches. Today IT-technology is entering many parts of our life - IT eventually became what had been coined already in the last century by IBM as "electronic dust" which one can find in every part of our environment. As most of these "dust-particles" are able to observe something one can also understand this development as a development into ubiquitous monitoring of nearly everything at any time. The foreseen ambient intelligence worlds are also spaces of ambient monitoring. This article describes this historical development. It emphasizes why ethical and data protection questions are an absolute must in most IT activities today.

Spatial Displays and Spatial Instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellis, Stephen R. (Editor); Kaiser, Mary K. (Editor); Grunwald, Arthur J. (Editor)

1989-01-01

The conference proceedings topics are divided into two main areas: (1) issues of spatial and picture perception raised by graphical electronic displays of spatial information; and (2) design questions raised by the practical experience of designers actually defining new spatial instruments for use in new aircraft and spacecraft. Each topic is considered from both a theoretical and an applied direction. Emphasis is placed on discussion of phenomena and determination of design principles.

New Help for Children Raised by Grandparents and Other Relatives: Questions and Answers about the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2009

2009-01-01

This publication is intended to help ensure full and prompt implementation of the improvements in the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act for children being raised by grandparents and other relatives. It was prepared by 18 organizations, many of whom have been working individually and together for a number of years to…

United States-Canada Trade and Economic Relationship: Prospects and Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-10

capita income gap has proven worrisome to Canadian policymakers as it raises questions about Canadian productivity and competitiveness (see box). In ...raised living standards in both the United States and Canada, and has strengthened the global competitiveness of producers on both sides of the border...economy, its automotive plants are among the most competitive in North America. Part of the cost advantage traditionally had been due to the weak

United States-Canada Trade and Economic Relationship: Prospects and Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-13

to Canadian policymakers as it raises questions about Canadian productivity and competitiveness (see box). In terms of sectoral components of GDP...Coordinated automotive production has raised living standards in both the United States and Canada, and has strengthened the global competitiveness of producers...problems in other sectors of its economy, its automotive plants are among the most competitive in North America. Part of the cost advantage

Review of Carbonate Breccia Genetic Classification in West Hill, Beijing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Shuran; Danek, Tomas; Cheng, Xianfeng; Huang, Qianrui

2017-12-01

This thesis proposes genetic classification for carbonate breccia in West Hill, Beijing, summarizes the genesis mechanism and features of 14 types of carbonate breccia there, and raises research questions. Not at all of types were included in this classification, mainly which are not so commonly discussed, such as impact breccia formed by meteorolite. Among other things, it raises the issue of overlapping the concept, which requires further research.

Conjoined Twins: Philosophical Problems and Ethical Challenges

PubMed Central

Savulescu, Julian; Persson, Ingmar

2016-01-01

We examine the philosophical and ethical issues associated with conjoined twins and their surgical separation. In cases in which there is an extensive sharing of organs, but nevertheless two distinguishable functioning brains, there are a number of philosophical and ethical challenges. This is because such conjoined twins: 1. give rise to puzzles concerning our identity, about whether we are identical to something psychological or biological;2. force us to decide whether what matters from an ethical point of view is the biological life of our organisms or the existence of our consciousness or mind;3. raise questions concerning when, if ever, it is morally acceptable to sacrifice one of us to save another;4. force us to reflect on the conditions for ownership of organs and the justification of removal of organs for transplantation which causes the death of the donor;5. raise questions about who should take decisions about life-risking treatments when this cannot be decided by patients themselves. We examine and suggest answers to these questions. PMID:26671962

Suggestibility in neglected children: The influence of intelligence, language, and social skills.

PubMed

Benedan, Laura; Powell, Martine B; Zajac, Rachel; Lum, Jarrad A G; Snow, Pamela

2018-05-01

We administered the GSS-2, a standardised measure of suggestibility, to 5- to 12-year-old children to ascertain whether neglected children's responses to leading questions distinguish them from those of their non-neglected counterparts. Neglected children (n = 75) were more likely than an age-matched sample of non-neglected children (n = 75) to yield to leading questions, despite no difference in their ability to recall the test stimuli. Subsequent collection of individual difference data from the neglected sample revealed that this effect could not be attributed to intelligence, language ability, problem behaviours, age at onset of neglect, or time spent in out-of-home care. With respect to social skill, however, suggestibility was positively correlated with communicative skill, and marginally positively correlated with assertion and engagement. While on the surface our social skills findings seem counter-intuitive, it is possible that maltreated children with relative strengths in these areas have learned to comply with adults in their environment as a way to protect themselves or even foster belonging. Our data, while preliminary, raise interesting questions about whether targeted interventions could help these children to more actively participate in decisions about their lives. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

Shulenburger, Luke; Baczewski, A. D.; Zhu, Z.

Sensitive dependence of the electronic structure on the number of layers in few-layer phosphorene raises a question about the true nature of the interlayer interaction in so-called van der Waals (vdW) solids . We performed quantum Monte Carlo calculations and found that the interlayer interaction in bulk black phosphorus and related few-layer phosphorene is associated with a significant charge redistribution that is incompatible with purely dispersive forces and not captured by density functional theory calculations with different vdW corrected functionals. Lastly, these findings confirm the necessity of more sophisticated treatment of nonlocal electron correlation in total energy calculations.

The task of nursing ethics.

PubMed Central

Melia, K M

1994-01-01

This paper raises the questions: 'What do we expect from nursing ethics?' and 'Is the literature of nursing ethics any different from that of medical ethics?' It is suggested that rather than develop nursing ethics as a separate field writers in nursing ethics should take a lead in making the patient the central focus of health care ethics. The case is made for empirical work in health care ethics and it is suggested that a good way of setting about this is to ask practising nurses about the real ethical problems they encounter. PMID:8035446

Long-Term Visual Training Increases Visual Acuity and Long-Term Monocular Deprivation Promotes Ocular Dominance Plasticity in Adult Standard Cage-Raised Mice.

PubMed

Hosang, Leon; Yusifov, Rashad; Löwel, Siegrid

2018-01-01

For routine behavioral tasks, mice predominantly rely on olfactory cues and tactile information. In contrast, their visual capabilities appear rather restricted, raising the question whether they can improve if vision gets more behaviorally relevant. We therefore performed long-term training using the visual water task (VWT): adult standard cage (SC)-raised mice were trained to swim toward a rewarded grating stimulus so that using visual information avoided excessive swimming toward nonrewarded stimuli. Indeed, and in contrast to old mice raised in a generally enriched environment (Greifzu et al., 2016), long-term VWT training increased visual acuity (VA) on average by more than 30% to 0.82 cycles per degree (cyc/deg). In an individual animal, VA even increased to 1.49 cyc/deg, i.e., beyond the rat range of VAs. Since visual experience enhances the spatial frequency threshold of the optomotor (OPT) reflex of the open eye after monocular deprivation (MD), we also quantified monocular vision after VWT training. Monocular VA did not increase reliably, and eye reopening did not initiate a decline to pre-MD values as observed by optomotry; VA values rather increased by continued VWT training. Thus, optomotry and VWT measure different parameters of mouse spatial vision. Finally, we tested whether long-term MD induced ocular dominance (OD) plasticity in the visual cortex of adult [postnatal day (P)162-P182] SC-raised mice. This was indeed the case: 40-50 days of MD induced OD shifts toward the open eye in both VWT-trained and, surprisingly, also in age-matched mice without VWT training. These data indicate that (1) long-term VWT training increases adult mouse VA, and (2) long-term MD induces OD shifts also in adult SC-raised mice.

Purpose and regulation of stem cells: a systems-biology view from the Caenorhabditis elegans germ line.

PubMed

Cinquin, Olivier

2009-01-01

Stem cells are expected to play a key role in the development and maintenance of organisms, and hold great therapeutic promises. However, a number of questions must be answered to achieve an understanding of stem cells and put them to use. Here I review some of these questions, and how they relate to the model system provided by the Caenorhabditis elegans germ line, which is exceptional in its thorough genetic characterization and experimental accessibility under in vivo conditions. A fundamental question is how to define a stem cell; different definitions can be adopted that capture different features of interest. In the C. elegans germ line, stem cells can be defined by cell lineage or by cell commitment ('commitment' must itself be carefully defined). These definitions are associated with two other important questions about stem cells: their functions (which must be addressed following a systems approach, based on an evolutionary perspective) and their regulation. I review possible functions and their evolutionary groundings, including genome maintenance and powerful regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation, and possible regulatory mechanisms, including asymmetrical division and control of transit amplification by a developmental timer. I draw parallels between Drosophila and C. elegans germline stem cells; such parallels raise intriguing questions about Drosophila stem cells. I conclude by showing that the C. elegans germ line bears similarities with a number of other stem cell systems, which underscores its relevance to the understanding of stem cells.

LGBTQ adolescents and young adults raised within a Christian religious context: positive and negative outcomes.

PubMed

Dahl, Angie L; Galliher, Renee V

2012-12-01

Religious contexts have traditionally been understood as protective for a variety of psychosocial health outcomes. However, the generalizability of these findings to youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ) is questioned due to denominational teachings on same-sex attractions and sexual behavior. Eight adolescents (15-17 years) and 11 young adults (19-24 years) who identify as LGBTQ raised in Christian religious affiliations (16 participants raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 2 participants raised Catholic and 1 participant raised Presbyterian) participated in individual in-depth interviews, journal writings, and focus groups to provide greater insight into the lived experiences of LGBTQ individuals raised within a Christian religious environment. Findings suggest the religious context is related to both positive and negative outcomes. Eight themes are explored using participant's own words and experiences. Directions for future research and implications are discussed. Copyright © 2012 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors influencing blood donation: a cross-sectional survey in Guangzhou, China.

PubMed

Ou-Yang, J; Bei, C-H; He, B; Rong, X

2017-08-01

The present study aimed to determine major factors that influence blood donation in China. Factors affecting blood donation often vary in various populations. This cross-sectional study used self-administered, standardised, structured questionnaires to survey selected donors and non-donors in Guangzhou, China between 10 December 2013 and 25 June 2014. Among the 1080 questionnaires collected, 1034 (95·7%) questionnaires were valid for this analysis, including 602 donors and 432 non-donors. Results revealed that helping patients (n = 405, 68·2%) was the main objective of blood donation, and self-perception of poor health (n = 138, 33·1%) was the main reason for not donating. Responses to questions raised by donors and inquiring about a donor's physical condition were thought to be the most important blood donation routines (n = 302, 65·5%). For non-donors, 90·3% (n = 390) expressed their intention to donate blood in the future, and usage of blood (n = 182, 46·7%) was the most asked question. Prepaid cellular phone cards were the most popular incentives. Raising the awareness of blood donation was the most effective way of enhancing blood donation programmes, and television ads and the internet were the most effective means. Helping patients was the main objective of blood donation in China. However, self-perception of poor health was a major barrier to donating blood. Raising the awareness of blood donation in combination with multiple aspects of campaigns that target different populations with potential blood donors is critical. Television and the internet are the most effective tools for promotion of and recruitment for blood donation. © 2017 British Blood Transfusion Society.

How Do We Know What Works?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

May, Robert

2005-01-01

This commentary raises questions about how we assess therapeutic techniques. In particular, it critiques a recent paper promoting EMDR [Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing]for use with college students.

Does Learning to Read Improve Intelligence? A Longitudinal Multivariate Analysis in Identical Twins From Age 7 to 16

PubMed Central

Ritchie, Stuart J; Bates, Timothy C; Plomin, Robert

2015-01-01

Evidence from twin studies points to substantial environmental influences on intelligence, but the specifics of this influence are unclear. This study examined one developmental process that potentially causes intelligence differences: learning to read. In 1,890 twin pairs tested at 7, 9, 10, 12, and 16 years, a cross-lagged monozygotic-differences design was used to test for associations of earlier within-pair reading ability differences with subsequent intelligence differences. The results showed several such associations, which were not explained by differences in reading exposure and were not restricted to verbal cognitive domains. The study highlights the potentially important influence of reading ability, driven by the nonshared environment, on intellectual development and raises theoretical questions about the mechanism of this influence. PMID:25056688

Relations between Teacher Questioning and Student Talk in One Elementary ELL Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Maureen P.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this article is to raise awareness of how the varied form and responsive and response-able use of teacher questions can invite and direct not only more student talk in classrooms but elicit specific and varied features of student talk that enhance comprehension building and provide evidence of student engagement and high-level…

Dynamic Forces in Educational Development: A Long-run Comparative View of France and Germany in the 19th and 20th Centuries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diebolt, Claude; Fontvieille, Louis

2001-01-01

Discusses the contribution of human capital to national development. Questions assumption of education stability links by examining longitudinal data from France and Germany across 170 years. Results raise the question of whether human investment might be as much a consequence as a cause of economic stability over time. (CAJ)

Concerning the Spiritual in Art and Its Education: Postmodern-Romanticism and Its Discontents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jagodzinski, Jan

2013-01-01

This commentary addresses the holistic-spiritualistic movement in art and its education. In many respects it may be for naught, but questions should be raised in a time of ecological terrorism and climate breakdown of a dying Earth. Belief as opposed to knowledge is always a question of ideology--that is, the "imaginary relationship" of…

Youth and the Politics of Representation: Response to Thomas Hatch's "If the 'Kids' Are Not 'Alright,' I'm 'Clueless'."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giroux, Henry A.

1997-01-01

Responds to T. Hatch's article "If the 'Kids' Are Not 'Alright,' I'm 'Clueless'" (1996) which raised questions about the quasi-documentary film "Kids" and its relevance for addressing questions of representation of youth in the media. Considers what educators might use in connecting strategies of understanding and intervention…

Sociology of Education: A Critical History and Prospects for the Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lauder, Hugh; Brown, Phillip; Halsey, A. H.

2009-01-01

This paper examines the sociology of education from the perspective of its recent history and attempts to assess the current state of the field. The authors argue that cognate disciplines such as economics and social policy have taken over some of the key questions that were once the preserve of sociology of education. This raises the question of…

The Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure (SWAP): Evaluating Psychometric Questions about Its Reliability, Validity, and Impact of Its Fixed Score Distribution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blagov, Pavel S.; Bi, Wu; Shedler, Jonathan; Westen, Drew

2012-01-01

The Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure (SWAP) is a personality assessment instrument designed for use by expert clinical assessors. Critics have raised questions about its psychometrics, most notably its validity across observers and situations, the impact of its fixed score distribution on research findings, and its test-retest reliability. We…

Pay Attention to the Phrasal Structures: Going beyond T-Units--A Response to Weiwei Yang

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biber, Douglas; Gray, Bethany; Poonpon, Kornwipa

2013-01-01

WeiWei Yang, in her forum piece, raises two main criticisms of the authors' "TQ" article on grammatical complexity: "The study the authors conducted [1] is not capable of answering development-related questions and [2] is mathematically questionable" (Yang, 2013, p. 190). In addition, Yang's article has a third goal that is not explicitly…

Memory, Identity and the Politics of Curriculum Construction in Transition Societies: Rwanda and South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weldon, Gail

2009-01-01

A critical question for societies emerging from conflict is what should be done about the traumatic memories of the past. In post-conflict societies political issues of memory and identity are at the same time issues for curriculum construction. Using the examples of post-conflict Rwanda and South Africa, I raise questions about the competing…

Social Skills that Are Not Always Social and Problems that Are Not Always Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, Edward G.

2007-01-01

The best research studies are more noteworthy for the issues they raise than for the questions they answer. Being informative is good; being heuristic is better. The two papers under consideration are heuristic as well as informative. Thus, Wong, Kasari, Freeman, and Paparella (2007) provide an answer to the question of what might influence the…

Interstellar grains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snow, T. P.

1986-01-01

There are few aspects of interstellar grains that can be unambiguously defined. Very little can be said that is independent of models or presuppositions; hence issues are raised and questions categorized, rather than providing definitive answers. The questions are issues fall into three general areas; the general physical and chemical nature of the grains; the processes by which they are formed and destroyed; and future observational approaches.

Still Subversive after All These Years: The Relevance of Feminist Therapy in the Age of Evidence-Based Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Laura S.

2006-01-01

In this article, based on my Carolyn Wood Sherif Memorial Award Address, I address questions of the viability of feminist practice in the current zeitgeist. Using the framework of responding to questions raised by doctoral students about feminist therapy, I address how feminist practice aligns with the evidence-based practice movement,…

Federal Education Funding: Multiple Programs and Lack of Data Raise Efficiency and Effectiveness Concerns (Supplemental Information to Testimony).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

General Accounting Office, Washington, DC. Health, Education, and Human Services Div.

In 1997, United States Senator Barbara Boxer asked the General Accounting Office to address certain questions she had about education programs. The answers to her questions are provided in this report. The information centers on five areas: (1) the definitions and criteria used to identify the number of federal education programs and departments…

Parents' Decisions to Screen Their Newborn for Fragile X Syndrome. FPG Snapshot #63

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

FPG Child Development Institute, 2011

2011-01-01

State newborn screening (NBS) programs have expanded in recent years, and more tests may be added in the future. The expansion of neonatal screening raises ethical, legal, and social questions. The questions surrounding NBS for fragile X syndrome (FXS) typify these concerns. FXS is an X-linked genetic condition that is the most common inherited…

The "Girl Question" in Education: Vocational Education for Young Women in the Progressive Era. Studies in Curriculum History.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Jane Bernard

This book analyzes the history of vocational education for girls in the United States since about 1900. The analysis is developed from the larger issues raised by what turn-of-the-century educators called "the woman question," or "What ought woman to be?" The book analyzes competing ideologies and correlates prescriptions with…

Towards a Rationale for Research into Grammar Teaching in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fontich, Xavier; Camps, Anna

2014-01-01

This article hopes to bring new insights to the debate about the effect of grammar knowledge on language use, especially writing. It raises the question of the need to look more closely at the following three questions: (1) What is the aim of grammar teaching?; (2) How capable are students of conceptualising about language and how is their…

Can Third-Party Help Improve Data Quality in Research Interviews? A Natural Experiment in a Hard-to-Study Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quetulio-Navarra, Melissa; van der Vaart, Wander; Niehof, Anke

2015-01-01

In some survey research settings, it may be not attainable or optimal to interview individual respondents without involving bystanders or third parties in the interview. Due to complex living circumstances or group culture, respondents may be helped by others in answering questions. However, this involvement of third parties raises questions about…

Why Should Mathematics Educators Learn from and about Latina/o Students' In-School and Out-of-School Experiences?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Civil, Marta

2014-01-01

University of Arizona's Marta Civil has been studying the complexities of bridging in-school and out-of-school mathematics for some time, during which she has raised specific questions related to connecting in-school and out-of-school mathematics (Civil, 2002, 2007, 2014). These questions have to do with "What is mathematics?"…

Morphological similarity and ecological overlap in two rotifer species.

PubMed

Gabaldón, Carmen; Montero-Pau, Javier; Serra, Manuel; Carmona, María José

2013-01-01

Co-occurrence of cryptic species raises theoretically relevant questions regarding their coexistence and ecological similarity. Given their great morphological similitude and close phylogenetic relationship (i.e., niche retention), these species will have similar ecological requirements and are expected to have strong competitive interactions. This raises the problem of finding the mechanisms that may explain the coexistence of cryptic species and challenges the conventional view of coexistence based on niche differentiation. The cryptic species complex of the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis is an excellent model to study these questions and to test hypotheses regarding ecological differentiation. Rotifer species within this complex are filtering zooplankters commonly found inhabiting the same ponds across the Iberian Peninsula and exhibit an extremely similar morphology-some of them being even virtually identical. Here, we explore whether subtle differences in body size and morphology translate into ecological differentiation by comparing two extremely morphologically similar species belonging to this complex: B. plicatilis and B. manjavacas. We focus on three key ecological features related to body size: (1) functional response, expressed by clearance rates; (2) tolerance to starvation, measured by growth and reproduction; and (3) vulnerability to copepod predation, measured by the number of preyed upon neonates. No major differences between B. plicatilis and B. manjavacas were found in the response to these features. Our results demonstrate the existence of a substantial niche overlap, suggesting that the subtle size differences between these two cryptic species are not sufficient to explain their coexistence. This lack of evidence for ecological differentiation in the studied biotic niche features is in agreement with the phylogenetic limiting similarity hypothesis but requires a mechanistic explanation of the coexistence of these species not based on differentiation related to biotic niche axes.

Morphological Similarity and Ecological Overlap in Two Rotifer Species

PubMed Central

Gabaldón, Carmen; Montero-Pau, Javier; Serra, Manuel; Carmona, María José

2013-01-01

Co-occurrence of cryptic species raises theoretically relevant questions regarding their coexistence and ecological similarity. Given their great morphological similitude and close phylogenetic relationship (i.e., niche retention), these species will have similar ecological requirements and are expected to have strong competitive interactions. This raises the problem of finding the mechanisms that may explain the coexistence of cryptic species and challenges the conventional view of coexistence based on niche differentiation. The cryptic species complex of the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis is an excellent model to study these questions and to test hypotheses regarding ecological differentiation. Rotifer species within this complex are filtering zooplankters commonly found inhabiting the same ponds across the Iberian Peninsula and exhibit an extremely similar morphology—some of them being even virtually identical. Here, we explore whether subtle differences in body size and morphology translate into ecological differentiation by comparing two extremely morphologically similar species belonging to this complex: B. plicatilis and B. manjavacas. We focus on three key ecological features related to body size: (1) functional response, expressed by clearance rates; (2) tolerance to starvation, measured by growth and reproduction; and (3) vulnerability to copepod predation, measured by the number of preyed upon neonates. No major differences between B. plicatilis and B. manjavacas were found in the response to these features. Our results demonstrate the existence of a substantial niche overlap, suggesting that the subtle size differences between these two cryptic species are not sufficient to explain their coexistence. This lack of evidence for ecological differentiation in the studied biotic niche features is in agreement with the phylogenetic limiting similarity hypothesis but requires a mechanistic explanation of the coexistence of these species not based on differentiation related to biotic niche axes. PMID:23451154

Synaptic plasticity and neuronal refractory time cause scaling behaviour of neuronal avalanches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michiels van Kessenich, L.; de Arcangelis, L.; Herrmann, H. J.

2016-08-01

Neuronal avalanches measured in vitro and in vivo in different cortical networks consistently exhibit power law behaviour for the size and duration distributions with exponents typical for a mean field self-organized branching process. These exponents are also recovered in neuronal network simulations implementing various neuronal dynamics on different network topologies. They can therefore be considered a very robust feature of spontaneous neuronal activity. Interestingly, this scaling behaviour is also observed on regular lattices in finite dimensions, which raises the question about the origin of the mean field behavior observed experimentally. In this study we provide an answer to this open question by investigating the effect of activity dependent plasticity in combination with the neuronal refractory time in a neuronal network. Results show that the refractory time hinders backward avalanches forcing a directed propagation. Hebbian plastic adaptation plays the role of sculpting these directed avalanche patterns into the topology of the network slowly changing it into a branched structure where loops are marginal.

Comparison of current Shuttle and pre-Challenger flight suit reach capability during launch accelerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bagian, James P.; Schafer, Lauren E.

1992-01-01

The Challenger accident prompted the creation of a crew escape system which replaced the former Launch Entry Helmet (LEH) ensemble with the current Launch Entry Suit (LES). However, questions were raised regarding the impact of this change on crew reach capability. This study addressed the question of reach capability and its effects on realistic ground-based training for Space Shuttle missions. Eleven subjects performed reach sweeps in both the LEH and LES suits during 1 and 3 Gx acceleration trials in the Brooks AFB centrifuge. These reach sweeps were recorded on videotape and subsequently analyzed using a 3D motion analysis system. The ANOVA procedure of the Statistical Analysis System program was used to evaluate differences in forward and overhead reach. The results showed that the LES provided less reach capability than its predecessor, the LEH. This study also demonstrated that, since there was no substantial difference between 1 and 3 Gx reach sweeps in the LES, realistic Shuttle launch training may be accomplished in ground based simulators.

Precision in Addiction Care: Does It Make a Difference?

PubMed Central

van der Stel, Jaap

2015-01-01

This perspective article explores the possibilities of precision in addiction care — even better individually fitted or tailor-made care — and examines what changes we need to make in order to realize sensible progress in epidemiological key figures. The first part gives a short review on the development of addiction care and tries to answer the question of where we stand now and what has been achieved in addiction science through the development and evaluation of interventions in the past decades. Following this analysis, attention will be paid to what lies ahead. This second part focuses on the question of how addiction care can deal with the consequences of the emerging paradigm of personalized or precision medicine, which is based on the fundamental assumption that individual differences matter. Finally, some limitations and conditions as well as tasks and goals for progress are raised. In conclusion, it is argued that integration of addiction care in (mental) health care in the future is desirable. PMID:26604867

Synaptic plasticity and neuronal refractory time cause scaling behaviour of neuronal avalanches.

PubMed

Michiels van Kessenich, L; de Arcangelis, L; Herrmann, H J

2016-08-18

Neuronal avalanches measured in vitro and in vivo in different cortical networks consistently exhibit power law behaviour for the size and duration distributions with exponents typical for a mean field self-organized branching process. These exponents are also recovered in neuronal network simulations implementing various neuronal dynamics on different network topologies. They can therefore be considered a very robust feature of spontaneous neuronal activity. Interestingly, this scaling behaviour is also observed on regular lattices in finite dimensions, which raises the question about the origin of the mean field behavior observed experimentally. In this study we provide an answer to this open question by investigating the effect of activity dependent plasticity in combination with the neuronal refractory time in a neuronal network. Results show that the refractory time hinders backward avalanches forcing a directed propagation. Hebbian plastic adaptation plays the role of sculpting these directed avalanche patterns into the topology of the network slowly changing it into a branched structure where loops are marginal.

Do attitudes toward societal structure predict beliefs about free will and achievement? Evidence from the Indian caste system.

PubMed

Srinivasan, Mahesh; Dunham, Yarrow; Hicks, Catherine M; Barner, David

2016-01-01

Intuitive theories about the malleability of intellectual ability affect our motivation and achievement in life. But how are such theories shaped by the culture in which an individual is raised? We addressed this question by exploring how Indian children's and adults' attitudes toward the Hindu caste system--and its deterministic worldview--are related to differences in their intuitive theories. Strikingly, we found that, beginning at least in middle school and continuing into adulthood, individuals who placed more importance on caste were more likely to adopt deterministic intuitive theories. We also found a developmental change in the scope of this relationship, such that in children, caste attitudes were linked only to abstract beliefs about personal freedom, but that by adulthood, caste attitudes were also linked to beliefs about the potential achievement of members of different castes, personal intellectual ability, and personality attributes. These results are the first to directly relate the societal structure in which a person is raised to the specific intuitive theories they adopt. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Myth of Community Differences as the Cause of Variations Among IRBs

PubMed Central

Klitzman, Robert

2013-01-01

Background Although variations among institutional review boards (IRBs) have been documented for 30 years, they continue, raising crucial questions as to why they persist as well as how IRBs view and respond to these variations. Methods In-depth, 2-hour interviews were conducted with 46 IRB chairs, administrators, and members. The leadership of 60 U.S. IRBs were contacted (every fourth one in the list of the top 240 institutions by NIH funding). IRB leaders from 34 of these institutions were interviewed (response rate = 55%). Results The interviewees suggest that differences often persist because IRBs think these are legitimate, and regulations permit variations due to differing “community values.” Yet, these variations frequently appear to stem more from differences in institutional and subjective personality factors, and from “more eyes” examining protocols, trying to foresee all potential future logistical problems, than from the values of the communities from which research participants are drawn. However, IRBs generally appear to defend these variations as reflecting underlying differences in community norms. Conclusions These data pose critical questions for policy and practice. Attitudinal changes and education among IRBs, principal investigators (PIs), policymakers, and others and research concerning these issues are needed. PMID:25285236

10 CFR 709.15 - Processing counterintelligence evaluation results.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... raise significant questions about the covered person's access to classified information or materials... in-depth interview with the covered person, may request relevant information from the covered person...

10 CFR 709.15 - Processing counterintelligence evaluation results.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... raise significant questions about the covered person's access to classified information or materials... in-depth interview with the covered person, may request relevant information from the covered person...

Contextual and Auditory Fear Conditioning Continue to Emerge during the Periweaning Period in Rats

PubMed Central

Burman, Michael A.; Erickson, Kristen J.; Deal, Alex L.; Jacobson, Rose E.

2014-01-01

Anxiety disorders often emerge during childhood. Rodent models using classical fear conditioning have shown that different types of fear depend upon different neural structures and may emerge at different stages of development. For example, some work has suggested that contextual fear conditioning generally emerges later in development (postnatal day 23–24) than explicitly cued fear conditioning (postnatal day 15–17) in rats. This has been attributed to an inability of younger subjects to form a representation of the context due to an immature hippocampus. However, evidence that contextual fear can be observed in postnatal day 17 subjects and that cued fear conditioning continues to emerge past this age raises questions about the nature of this deficit. The current studies examine this question using both the context pre-exposure facilitation effect for immediate single-shock contextual fear conditioning and traditional cued fear conditioning using Sprague-Dawley rats. The data suggest that both cued and contextual fear conditioning are continuing to develop between PD 17 and 24, consistent with development occurring the in essential fear conditioning circuit. PMID:24977415

Select Dietary Phytochemicals Function as Inhibitors of COX-1 but Not COX-2

PubMed Central

Li, Haitao; Zhu, Feng; Sun, Yanwen; Li, Bing; Oi, Naomi; Chen, Hanyong; Lubet, Ronald A.; Bode, Ann M.; Dong, Zigang

2013-01-01

Recent clinical trials raised concerns regarding the cardiovascular toxicity of selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors. Many active dietary factors are reported to suppress carcinogenesis by targeting COX-2. A major question was accordingly raised: why has the lifelong use of phytochemicals that likely inhibit COX-2 presumably not been associated with adverse cardiovascular side effects. To answer this question, we selected a library of dietary-derived phytochemicals and evaluated their potential cardiovascular toxicity in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Our data indicated that the possibility of cardiovascular toxicity of these dietary phytochemicals was low. Further mechanistic studies revealed that the actions of these phytochemicals were similar to aspirin in that they mainly inhibited COX-1 rather than COX-2, especially at low doses. PMID:24098505

Your Genes, Your Choices: Exploring the Issues Raised by Genetic Research

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

Baker, C.

1999-05-31

Your Genes, Your Choices provides accurate information about the ethical, legal, and social implications of the Human Genome Project and genetic research in an easy-to-read style and format. Each chapter in the book begins with a brief vignette, which introduces an issue within a human story, and raises a question for the reader to think about as the basic science and information are presented in the rest of the chapter.

Raising Public Awareness of Clinical Trials: Development of Messages for a National Health Communication Campaign.

PubMed

Massett, Holly A; Dilts, David M; Bailey, Robert; Berktold, Jennifer; Ledsky, Rebecca; Atkinson, Nancy L; Mishkin, Grace; Denicoff, Andrea; Padberg, Rose Mary; Allen, Marin P; Silver, Karen; Carrington, Kelli; Johnson, Lenora E

2017-05-01

Clinical trials are essential for developing new and effective treatments and improving patient quality of life; however, many trials cannot answer their primary research questions because they fall short of their recruitment goals. This article reports the results of formative research conducted in two populations, the public and primary care physicians, to identify messages that may raise awareness and increase interest in clinical trials and be used in a national communication campaign. Results suggested that participants were primarily motivated to participate in clinical trials out of a self-interest to help themselves first. Messages illustrated that current treatments were tested via clinical trials, helped normalize trials as routine practices, and reduced concerns over trying something new first. Participants wanted messages that portray trials as state-of-the-art choices that offer some hope, show people like themselves, and are described in a clear, concise manner with actionable steps for them to take. The study revealed some differences in message salience, with healthy audiences exhibiting lower levels of interest. Our results suggest that targeted messages are needed, and that communication with primary health-care providers is an important and necessary component in raising patient awareness of the importance of clinical trials.

Receiving Unemployment Benefits May Have Positive Effects On The Health Of The Unemployed.

PubMed

Cylus, Jonathan; Avendano, Mauricio

2017-02-01

Research suggests that job loss can cause illness and premature death. This raises the question of whether unemployment benefit programs, which are intended to alleviate the financial stress of job loss, can protect the health of the unemployed. To investigate this question, we analyzed data for the period 1984-2009 from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. We found that receiving unemployment benefits significantly reduced the probability of reporting poor health in the year after job loss, by around 5 percentage points. The health-promoting effects of receiving the benefits were robust across multiple model specifications and after we accounted for preexisting differences between benefit recipients and nonrecipients. Our results add to the growing body of literature that suggests that social policies can have unanticipated health effects. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Spread of large LNG pools on the sea.

PubMed

Fay, J A

2007-02-20

A review of the standard model of LNG pool spreading on water, comparing it with the model and experiments on oil pool spread from which the LNG model is extrapolated, raises questions about the validity of the former as applied to spills from marine tankers. These questions arise from the difference in fluid density ratios, in the multi-dimensional flow at the pool edge, in the effects of LNG pool boiling at the LNG-water interface, and in the model and experimental initial conditions compared with the inflow conditions from a marine tanker spill. An alternate supercritical flow model is proposed that avoids these difficulties; it predicts significant increase in the maximum pool radius compared with the standard model and is partially corroborated by tests of LNG pool fires on water. Wind driven ocean wave interaction has little effect on either spread model.

Mimicry and automatic imitation are not correlated

PubMed Central

van Den Bossche, Sofie; Cracco, Emiel; Bardi, Lara; Rigoni, Davide; Brass, Marcel

2017-01-01

It is widely known that individuals have a tendency to imitate each other. However, different psychological disciplines assess imitation in different manners. While social psychologists assess mimicry by means of action observation, cognitive psychologists assess automatic imitation with reaction time based measures on a trial-by-trial basis. Although these methods differ in crucial methodological aspects, both phenomena are assumed to rely on similar underlying mechanisms. This raises the fundamental question whether mimicry and automatic imitation are actually correlated. In the present research we assessed both phenomena and did not find a meaningful correlation. Moreover, personality traits such as empathy, autism traits, and traits related to self- versus other-focus did not correlate with mimicry or automatic imitation either. Theoretical implications are discussed. PMID:28877197

Publics in the making: mediating different methods of engagement and the publics these construct : commentary on: "Technologies of democracy: experiments and demonstrations".

PubMed

Mohr, Alison

2011-12-01

The potential for public engagement to democratise science has come under increasing scrutiny amid concerns that conflicting motivations have led to confusion about what engagement means to those who mediate science and publics. This raises important yet relatively unexplored questions regarding how publics are constituted by different forms of engagement used by intermediary scholars and other actors. It is possible to identify at least two possible 'rationalities of mediation' that mobilise different versions of the public and the roles they are assumed to play, as 'citizens' or 'users', in discussions around technology. However, combinations of rationalities are found in practice and these have significant implications for the 'new' scientific democracy.

Gender issues on occupational safety and health.

PubMed

Sorrentino, Eugenio; Vona, Rosa; Monterosso, Davide; Giammarioli, Anna Maria

2016-01-01

The increasing proportion of women in the workforce raises a range of gender-related questions about the different effects of work-related risks on men and women. Few studies have characterized gender differences across occupations and industries, although at this time, the gender sensitive approach is starting to acquire relevance in the field of human preventive medicine. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work has encouraged a policy of gender equality in all European member states. Italy has adopted European provisions with new specific legislation that integrates the previous laws and introduces the gender differences into the workplace. Despite the fact that gender equal legislation opportunities have been enacted in Italy, their application is delayed by some difficulties. This review examines some of these critical aspects.

An innovative approach to using both cellphones and the radio to identify young people's sexual concerns in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Nsakala, Gabriel Vodiena; Coppieters, Yves; Kayembe, Patrick Kalambayi

2014-01-01

As teenagers have easy access to both radio programs and cell phones, the current study used these tools so that young people could anonymously identify questions about sex and other related concerns in the urban environment of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The purpose of this healthcare intervention was to identify and address concerns raised by young people, which are related to sexual health, and which promote youth health. This healthcare intervention was conducted over a six month period and consisted of a survey carried out in Kinshasa. This focused on 14 to 24 old young people using phone calls on a radio program raising concerns related to sexuality. The radio program was jointly run by a journalist and a health professional who were required to reply immediately to questions from young people. All sexual health concerns were recorded and analyzed. Forty programs were broadcast in six months and 1,250 messages and calls were recorded: 880 (70%) from girls and 370 (30%) from boys, which represents an average of 32 interventions (of which 10 calls and 22 messages) per broadcast. Most questions came from 15-19- and 20-24-year-old girls and boys. Focus of girls' questions: menstrual cycle calculation and related concerns accounted for the majority (24%); sexual practices (16%), love relationships (15%) and virginity (14%). Boys' concerns are masturbation (and its consequences) (22%), sexual practices (19%), love relationships (18%) and worries about penis size (10%). Infections (genital and STI) and topics regarding HIV represent 9% and 4% of the questions asked by girls against 7% and 10% by boys. Concerns were mainly related to knowledge, attitudes and competences to be developed. Concerns and sexual practices raised by teens about their sexual and emotional life have inspired the design of a practical guide for youth self-training and have steered the second phase of this interactive program towards supporting their responsible sexuality.

Assessing children's inference generation: what do tests of reading comprehension measure?

PubMed

Bowyer-Crane, Claudine; Snowling, Margaret J

2005-06-01

Previous research suggests that children with specific comprehension difficulties have problems with the generation of inferences. This raises important questions as to whether poor comprehenders have poor comprehension skills generally, or whether their problems are confined to specific inference types. The main aims of the study were (a) using two commonly used tests of reading comprehension to classify the questions requiring the generation of inferences, and (b) to investigate the relative performance of skilled and less-skilled comprehenders on questions tapping different inference types. The performance of 10 poor comprehenders (mean age 110.06 months) was compared with the performance of 10 normal readers (mean age 112.78 months) on two tests of reading comprehension. A qualitative analysis of the NARA II (form 1) and the WORD comprehension subtest was carried out. Participants were then administered the NARA II, WORD comprehension subtest and a test of non-word reading. The NARA II was heavily reliant on the generation of knowledge-based inferences, while the WORD comprehension subtest was biased towards the retention of literal information. Children identified by the NARA II as having comprehension difficulties performed in the normal range on the WORD comprehension subtests. Further, children with comprehension difficulties performed poorly on questions requiring the generation of knowledge-based and elaborative inferences. However, they were able to answer questions requiring attention to literal information or use of cohesive devices at a level comparable to normal readers. Different reading tests tap different types of inferencing skills. Lessskilled comprehenders have particular difficulty applying real-world knowledge to a text during reading, and this has implications for the formulation of effective intervention strategies.

On the Ideological Conditions of Canadian Independence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Robert F.

1975-01-01

Article focused on the effect of international professional migration as that migration raises critical questions of appropriate human resource utilization for economically progressive and politically automnomous development in Canada. (Author/RK)

Who Pays the Piper?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gussow, Joan Dye

1980-01-01

An evaluation of the food industry's role in educating children on nutrition raises the question of how objective this instruction is, and whether the industry should be engaged in nutrition education at all. (JD)

Science and Religious Education: A Deepening Conversation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petersen, Rodney L.

1997-01-01

Argues that science and technology associated with research in artificial intelligence, the Human Genome Project, cosmology, and sociobiology raise questions that promote dialog between the worlds of science and religion. (DDR)

29 CFR 1903.4 - Objection to inspection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., or to question any employer, owner, operator, agent, or employee, in accordance with § 1903.3 or to..., apparatus, devices, equipment, materials, records, or interviews concerning which no objection is raised...

29 CFR 1903.4 - Objection to inspection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., or to question any employer, owner, operator, agent, or employee, in accordance with § 1903.3 or to..., apparatus, devices, equipment, materials, records, or interviews concerning which no objection is raised...

Evaluation of a cartoon-based knowledge dissemination intervention on scientific and ethical challenges raised by nutrigenomics/nutrigenetics research.

PubMed

Lafrenière, Darquise; Hurlimann, Thierry; Menuz, Vincent; Godard, Béatrice

2014-10-01

The push for knowledge translation on the part of health research funding agencies is significant in Canada, and many strategies have been adopted to promote the conversion of knowledge into action. In recent years, an increasing number of health researchers have been studying arts-based interventions to transform knowledge into action. This article reports on the results of an online questionnaire aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of a knowledge dissemination intervention (KDI) conveying findings from a study on the scientific and ethical challenges raised by nutrigenomics-nutrigenetics (NGx) research. The KDI was based on the use of four Web pages combining original, interactive cartoon-like illustrations accompanied by text to disseminate findings to Canadian Research Ethics Boards members, as well as to NGx researchers and researchers in ethics worldwide. Between May and October 2012, the links to the Web pages were sent in a personal email to target audience members, one thematic Web page at a time. On each thematic Web page, members of the target audience were invited to answer nine evaluation questions assessing the effectiveness of the KDI on four criteria, (i) acquisition of knowledge; (ii) change in initial understanding; (iii) generation of questions from the findings; and (iv) intent to change own practice. Response rate was low; results indicate that: (i) content of the four Web pages did not bring new knowledge to a majority of the respondents, (ii) initial understanding of the findings did not change for a majority of NGx researchers and a minority of ethics respondents, (iii) although the KDI did raise questions for respondents, it did not move them to change their practice. While target end-users may not feel that they actually learned from the KDI, it seems that the findings conveyed encouraged reflection and raised useful and valuable questions for them. Moreover, the evaluation of the KDI proved to be useful to gain knowledge about our target audiences' views since respondents' comments allowed us to improve our understanding of the disseminated knowledge as well as to modify (and hopefully improve) the content of the Web pages used for dissemination. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How Could It Be? Calling for Science Curricula That Cultivate Morals and Values towards Other Animals and Nature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Logan, Marianne R.; Russell, Joshua J.

2016-01-01

Can science curricula truly cultivate morals and values towards nature? This is the question that is raised by Carolina Castano Rodriguez in her critique of the new Australian Science curriculum. In this response to Castano Rodriguez's paper we ask two questions relating to: the influence of curricula on the relationships of children and other…

Cutaneous anthrax: an overview.

PubMed

Celia, Frank

2002-04-01

The recent acts of bioterrorism have raised new questions about this uncommon disease. Clinicians are puzzled as to why some of the victims exposed to Bacillus anthracis spores developed the cutaneous form of the disease and others the inhalational form. Despite these questions, cutaneous anthrax remains relatively simple to treat effectively. The real clinical challenge lies in the diagnosis, especially being able to distinguish it from a spider bite.

The maximum entropy production principle: two basic questions.

PubMed

Martyushev, Leonid M

2010-05-12

The overwhelming majority of maximum entropy production applications to ecological and environmental systems are based on thermodynamics and statistical physics. Here, we discuss briefly maximum entropy production principle and raises two questions: (i) can this principle be used as the basis for non-equilibrium thermodynamics and statistical mechanics and (ii) is it possible to 'prove' the principle? We adduce one more proof which is most concise today.

The Secret to Great Coaching: Inquiry Method Helps Teachers Take Ownership of Their Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foltos, Les

2014-01-01

A common question raised by new coaches is: When can I share my experience and expertise with teachers I am coaching to help them improve? It is a logical question. Many coaches know that they were chosen for the role in part because their peers respect them as a teacher. They know the instructional strategies they have used give them credibility…

Separating the Wheat from the Chaff: How Much Do Schools Really Benefit When States Raise Taxes on Their Behalf?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gold, Steven D.

Adequate revenue is essential to the existence of good schools. Recognizing this truth, numerous governors have proposed and many states have adopted tax increases to enhance school funding. The real question is whether education spending increased more than it would have if taxes had not been increased. To answer these questions, the booklet was…

Questions abound as start-up nears for physician data bank.

PubMed

Gardner, E; Wagner, L; Burda, D

1990-07-02

The start-up of the National Practitioner Data Bank is only weeks away, but hospitals and physicians still are raising questions about the system's pros and cons. While most laud the data bank's original mission--to prevent practitioners from concealing a history of incompetence--many physicians claim the scope of the system has grown too big and fear abuse of the information.

Course Crash in Hybrid Space: An Exploration and Recommendations for Virtual Course Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerard, Joseph G.; Gerard, Reena Lederman; Casile, Maureen

2010-01-01

Understanding what hybrid space is, much less understanding what happens in that virtual realm, can raise difficult questions. For example, our campus's question "How do we define hybrid?" has kept us busy and guessing for over a year now. In this article, we offer a few suggestions on how to proceed with hybrid issues, including how to deal with…

Digital Images and Human Vision

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Andrew B.; Null, Cynthia H. (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

Processing of digital images destined for visual consumption raises many interesting questions regarding human visual sensitivity. This talk will survey some of these questions, including some that have been answered and some that have not. There will be an emphasis upon visual masking, and a distinction will be drawn between masking due to contrast gain control processes, and due to processes such as hypothesis testing, pattern recognition, and visual search.

Verb inflection in Monolingual Dutch and Sequential Bilingual Turkish-Dutch Children with and without SLI

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blom, Elma; De Jong, Jan; Orgassa, Antje; Baker, Anne; Weerman, Fred

2013-01-01

Both children with specific language impairment (SLI) and children who acquire a second language (L2) make errors with verb inflection. This overlap between SLI and L2 raises the question if verb inflection can discriminate between L2 children with and without SLI. In this study we addressed this question for Dutch. The secondary goal of the study…

High precision tide spectroscopy. [using the superconducting gravimeter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodkind, J. M.

1978-01-01

Diurnal and long period earth tides were measured to high accuracy and precision with the superconducting gravimeter. The results provide new evidence on the geophysical questions which have been attacked through earth tide measurements in the past. In addition, they raise new questions of potential interest. Slow fluctuations in gravity of order 10 micron gal over periods of 3 to 5 months were observed and are discussed.

Reverse engineering the human: artificial intelligence and acting theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soto-Morettini, Donna

2017-01-01

In two separate papers, Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Robotics researcher Guy Hoffman takes as a starting point that actors have been in the business of reverse engineering human behaviour for centuries. In this paper, I follow the similar trajectories of AI and acting theory (AT), looking at three primary questions, in the hope of framing a response to Hoffman's papers: (1) How are the problems of training a human to simulate a fictional human both similar to and different from training a machine to simulate a human? (2) How are the larger questions of AI design and architecture similar to the larger questions that still remain within the area of AT? (3) Is there anything in the work of AI design that might advance the work of acting theorists and practitioners? The paper explores the use of "swarm intelligence" in recent models of both AT and AI, and considers the issues of embodied cognition, and the kinds of intelligence that enhances or inhibits imaginative immersion for the actor, and concludes with a consideration of the ontological questions raised by the trend towards intersubjective, dynamic systems of generative thought in both AT and AI.

Telephone survey respondents' reactions to questions regarding interpersonal violence.

PubMed

Black, Michele C; Kresnow, Marcie-jo; Simon, Thomas R; Arias, Ileana; Shelley, Gene

2006-08-01

Concerns have been raised regarding the appropriateness of asking about violence victimization in telephone interviews and whether asking such questions increases respondents' distress or risk for harm. However, no large-scale studies have evaluated the impact of asking such questions during a telephone interview. This study explored respondents' reactions to questions regarding violence in two large recently completed telephone surveys. After respondents were asked about violence, they were asked if they thought surveys should ask such questions and whether they felt upset or afraid because of the questions. In both surveys, the majority of respondents (regardless of their victimization history) were willing to answer questions about violence and were not upset or afraid because of the questions. More than 92% of respondents thought such questions should be asked. These results challenge commonly held beliefs and assumptions and provide some assurance to those concerned with the ethical collection of data on violent victimization.

Segmentation of hospital markets: where do HMO enrollees get care?

PubMed

Escarce, J J; Shea, J A; Chen, W

1997-01-01

Commercially insured and Medicare patients who are not in health maintenance organizations (HMOs) tend to use different hospitals than HMO patients use. This phenomenon, called market segmentation, raises important questions about how hospitals that treat many HMO patients differ from those that treat few HMO patients, especially with regard to quality of care. This study of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery found no evidence that HMOs in southeast Florida systematically channel their patients to high-volume or low-mortality hospitals. These findings are consistent with other evidence that in many areas of the country, incentives for managed care plans to reduce costs may outweigh incentives to improve quality.

Liquid?solid helium interface: some conceptual questions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leggett, A. J.

2003-12-01

I raise, and discuss qualitatively, some conceptual issues concerning the interface between the crystalline solid and superfluid liquid phases of 4He emphasizing, in particular, the fact that the ground-state wave functions of the two phases are prima facie qualitatively quite different, in that the superfluid liquid phase possesses off-diagonal long-range order (ODLRO), while the crystalline solid does not. The fact that the statics and dynamics of the interface do not appear to be particularly sensitive to the presence of ODLRO in the liquid is tentatively explained by the fact that because of a subtlety associated with the Bose statistics obeyed by the atoms, the solid and liquid wave functions are not locally very different.

Age determination of unaccompanied asylum seeking minors in the European Union: a health law perspective.

PubMed

Abbing, Henriette D C Roscam

2011-01-01

In the European Union, unaccompanied asylum seekers below 18 years of age are entitled to specific treatment. Age assessment practices to verify the age-statement by the asylum seeker differ between EU Member States. Medical methods in use raise questions about accuracy, reliability and safety. The medical, legal and ethical acceptability of invasive methods (notably X-rays) in particular is controversial. Human rights are at stake. The lack of common practices results in different levels of protection (discrimination). The absence ofstandardisation is an obstacle for the functioning of the Common European Asylum System. EU Best Practice Guidelines should remedy the situation; such guidelines should reflect the best interest of the child.

Music Videos: The Look of the Sound

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aufderheide, Pat

1986-01-01

Asserts that music videos, rooted in mass marketing culture, are reshaping the language of advertising, affecting the flow of information. Raises question about the society that creates and receives music videos. (MS)

Atmospheric waves and their utilization in soaring flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baldit, M Albert

1923-01-01

In soaring flight, ascending air currents are utilized and the interesting question is raised whether there are such currents which extend to any considerable distance and which can be utilized practically.

The Necessity of Debate: A Comment on Commentaries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deegan, Dorothy H.

1995-01-01

Raises issues related to the relationship between literacy practices and literacy philosophies and theories. Addresses the question of whether the "great debate" regarding literacy education can and should be resolved. (SR)

What do consumers want?

PubMed

Apple, W

1992-01-01

A consumers' advocate discusses the needs of the consumer in evaluating dental products. Although commending the roles of the FDA and ADA in evaluating products, numerous questions are raised and recommendations made concerning advertising claims.

Software solutions alone cannot guarantee useful radiology requests.

PubMed

Van Borsel, Mathias D; Devolder, Pieter Jd; Bosmans, Jan Ml

2016-11-01

Background The availability of clinical information and a pertinent clinical question can improve the diagnostic accuracy of the imaging process. Purpose To examine if an electronic request form forcing referring clinicians to provide separate input of both clinical information and a clinical question can improve the quality of the request. Material and Methods A total of 607 request forms in the clinical worklists for a computed tomography (CT) scan of the thorax, the abdomen or their combination, were examined. Using software of our own making, we examined the presence of clinical information and a clinical question before and after the introduction of a new, more compelling order method. We scored and compared the quality of the clinical information and the clinical question between the two systems and we examined the effect on productivity. Results Both clinical information and a clinical question were present in 76.7% of cases under the old system and in 95.3% under the new system ( P < 0.001). Individual characteristics of the clinical information and the clinical question however, with the exception of incompleteness, showed little improvement under the new system. There was also no significant difference between the two systems in the number of requests requiring further search. Conclusion The introduction of electronic radiology request forms compelling referring clinicians to provide separate input of clinical information and a clinical question provides only limited benefit to the quality of the request. Raising awareness among clinicians of the importance of a well-written request remains essential.

How Sharp is a Unicorn's Horn?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Peter H.; Allignton, Richard L.

1983-01-01

Criticizes a study of the reliability and validity of curriculum-based reading inventories by L. S. Fuchs, D. Fuchs, and S. L. Deno and raises questions regarding the study's internal and external validity. (AEA)

Freud, Psychodynamics, and Incest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenfeld, Alvin

1987-01-01

Distills the essence of Freud's thinking about incest, placing it within the context of childhood sexuality. Discusses clinical and research implications concerning the relationship between sexual trauma and emotional disturbances. Raises questions requiring further investigation. (NH)

Limit Interchange and L'Hopital's Rule

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ecker, Michael W.

2011-01-01

Conventional application of these two calculus staples is stretched here, somewhat recreationally, but also to raise solid questions about the role of limit interchange in analysis--without, however, delving any deeper than first-year Calculus.

Making Babies: The State of the Art.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blank, Robert H.

1985-01-01

Advances in technology are not only changing human reproduction but raising perplexing questions of law and ethics. The reproduction-aiding technologies are discussed and possible scenarios for the future are described. (Author/RM)

Attacks on the Courts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starr, Isidore

1984-01-01

Legal education should be included in any U.S. history course. Constitutional questions raised by wars--Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam--are examined. Through all these crises the Constitution survived. (RM)

The Private Language Argument.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Gordon

1998-01-01

Discusses the private language argument (PLA)--the argument against the possibility of a private language. Raises questions about the PLA, suggesting there are a number of problems that PLA interpretation generates and fails to resolve. (Author/JL)

Solar system: Pluto is again a harbinger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stern, S. Alan

2010-12-01

New astronomical and laboratory data show that the abundances of the two dominant ices, nitrogen and methane, on the surfaces of the Solar System's two largest dwarf planets are surprisingly similar - raising fresh questions.

Quantum computing: In the 'death zone'?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Dam, Wim

2007-04-01

An event advertised as the first demonstration of a commercial quantum computer raises the question of how far one can go with a 'do not care' attitude towards imperfections, without losing the quantum advantage.

The Test of Reference.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Childers, Thomas

1980-01-01

Reports the results of an unobtrusive study, from a user's viewpoint, of reference services available in the Suffolk Cooperative Library System. The study raises questions of policy centering around user expectations of library reference services. (RAA)

Life and Death Decision Making, by Baruch A. Brody.

PubMed

Veatch, Robert M

1989-04-01

Veatch considers the pluralistic casuistry theory advocated by Baruch Brody in his 1988 book, Life and Death Decision Making, to be an important contribution to the secular medical ethics literature. The casuistic and pluralistic elements of Brody's new model are described as intriguing but controversial because Brody both excludes several ethical appeals (i.e., classical Hippocratic ethics, virtue theory) and/or limits other questionable appeals (i.e., consequences for families and others in society, the virtue of integrity) without accounting for these decisions. Veatch also questions Brody's use of intuitional judgment to determine what ought to be done after examination of various appeals and their significance because Brody's approach raises serious problems about how various appeals are counted. Veatch does affirm the rich assessment of medical ethical problems made possible by Brody's pluralistic approach but notes the difficulties it raises.

Medical tourism in the Caribbean region: a call to consider environmental health equity.

PubMed

Johnston, R; Crooks, V A

2013-03-01

Medical tourism, which is the intentional travel by private-paying patients across international borders for medical treatment, is a sector that has been targeted for growth in many Caribbean countries. The international development of this industry has raised a core set of proposed health equity benefits and drawbacks for host countries. These benefits centre on the potential investment in health infrastructure and opportunities for health labour force development while drawbacks focus on the potential for reduced access to healthcare for locals and inefficient use of limited public resources to support the growth of the medical tourism industry. The development of the medical tourism sector in Caribbean countries raises additional health equity questions that have received little attention in existing international debates, specifically in regard to environmental health equity. In this viewpoint, we introduce questions of environmental health equity that clearly emerge in relation to the developing Caribbean medical tourism sector These questions acknowledge that the growth of this sector will have impacts on the social and physical environments, resources, and waste management infrastructure in countries. We contend that in addition to addressing the wider health equity concerns that have been consistently raised in existing debates surrounding the growth of medical tourism, planning for growth in this sector in the Caribbean must take environmental health equity into account in order to ensure that local populations, environments, and ecosystems are not harmed by facilities catering to international patients.

Ethical Legal and Social Issues of Biobanking: Past, Present, and Future.

PubMed

Bledsoe, Marianna J

2017-04-01

The past 15 years has seen considerable changes in the research environment. These changes include the development of new sophisticated genetic and genomic technologies, a proliferation of databases containing large amount of genotypic and phenotypic data, and wide-spread data sharing among many institutions, nationally and internationally. These changes have raised new questions regarding how best to protect the participants of biobanking research. In response to these questions, best practices for addressing the legal, ethical, and social issues of biobanking have been developed. In addition, new ethical guidelines related to biobanking have been established, as well as new regulations regarding privacy and human subject protections. Finally, changes in the science and the research environment have raised complex ethical issues related to biobanking, such as questions about the most appropriate consent models to use for biobanking research, commercial use and ownership issues, and whether and how to return individual research results to biobank participants. This article reviews some of the developments over the past 15 years related to the ELSI of biobanking with a look toward the future.

[Ethical problems in organ transplantation].

PubMed

Bosshard, Georg

2009-08-01

Since the early 1960s transplantation surgery has rapidly developed into a flagship technique of modern high-tech medicine with convincing therapeutic success. However, transplantation surgery also raises a number of serious ethical issues. The majority of solid organ transplants are procured from so-called brain-dead donors, i.e., from individuals with irreversible loss of all brain functions. This imposes the question whether and how the well-defined irreversible brain death can be equated with the death of an individual. The distribution of organs from brain-dead donors raises additional ethical questions and concerns. In the face of an increasing shortage of donor organs, what are the best criteria for setting priorities among the recipients? Is it urgency, need, or cost-effectiveness of the transplantation? And how can these parameters be appropriately defined? Moreover, as living organ donation (kidney, liver) becomes rife we are faced with the question of what voluntariness means in such exceptional conditions and how voluntariness can be adequately assessed. Finally, serious ethical concerns evolve from the so-called 'transplant tourism' and 'organ trafficking', accounting for approximately 5 to 10 % of all kidney transplantations world-wide.

Ethical issues in astrobiology: a Christian perspective (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Randolph, R. O.

2009-12-01

With its focus on the origin, extent, and future of life, Astrobiology raises exciting, multidisciplinary questions for science. At the same time, Astrobiology raises important questions for the humanities. For instance, the prospect of discovering extraterrestrial life - either intelligent or unintelligent - raises questions about humans’ place in the universe and our relationship with nature on planet Earth. Fundamentally, such questions are rooted in our understanding of what it means to be human. From a Christian perspective, the foundational claim about human nature is that all persons bear the "imago dei", the image of God. This concept forms the basis for how humans relate to one another (dignity) and how humans relate to nature (stewardship). For many Christians the "imago dei" also suggests that humans are at the center of the universe. The discovery of extraterrestrial life would be another scientific development - similar to evolution - that essentially de-centers humanity. For some Christian perspectives this de-centering may be problematic, but I will argue that the discovery of extraterrestrial life would actually offer a much needed theological corrective for contemporary Christians’ understanding of the "imago dei". I will make this argument by examining two clusters of ethical issues confronting Astrobiology: 1. What ethical obligations would human explorers owe to extraterrestrial life? Are there ethical obligations to protect extraterrestrial ecosystems from harm or exploitation by human explorers? Do our ethical considerations change, if the extraterrestrial life is a “second genesis;” in other words a form of life completely different and independent from the carbon-based life that we know on Earth? 2. Do we have an ethical obligation to promote life as much as we can? If human explorers discover extraterrestrial life and through examination determine that it is struggling to survive, do we have an ethical obligation to assist that ecological community to become stronger? If after a thorough investigation we determine that no life exists and that a planet is nothing more than a lifeless body of rocks and dust, do we have an ethical obligation to attempt the creation of life through a process called planetary ecosynthesis? Or, do we have the opposite obligation to respect the rocks and dust for what they are, and refrain from any attempts to engineer life on a lifeless planet? While these two clusters of issues pose new ethical questions, I will argue that from a Christian perspective the framework for responding to these challenges would remain the Genesis Creation stories and the concept of the "imago dei". However, the new ethical challenges posed by Astrobiology require a re-framing of the "imago dei" that is closer to the intent of the original scriptures and that predicts simultaneously the presence of extraterrestrial life and the de-centering of humanity.

Scientific Research and Oncoming Vehicles: Can Radical Constructivists Embrace One and Dodge the Other?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staver, John R.

The author's purpose in this article was to respond to two questions raised by Roth and Lawson in the September, 1993, issue of the Journal of Research in Science Teaching. Question 1: Would a radical constructivist step out of the path of an approaching vehicle? Question 2: In the conduct of inquiry, would a radical constructivist employ a controlled experiment, test a hypothesis, and quantitatively analyze the data? The author answers each question affirmatively, using selected work of Heinz von Foerster, Ernst von Glasersfeld, and others in developing the answers. Issues central to the development include the nature of truth and knowledge, the concept of fit versus match, and the notion that inquiry is driven by questions, with methods as subordinate to questions.

Comparison of integrated testlet and constructed-response question formats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slepkov, Aaron D.; Shiell, Ralph C.

2014-12-01

Constructed-response (CR) questions are a mainstay of introductory physics textbooks and exams. However, because of the time, cost, and scoring reliability constraints associated with this format, CR questions are being increasingly replaced by multiple-choice (MC) questions in formal exams. The integrated testlet (IT) is a recently developed question structure designed to provide a proxy of the pedagogical advantages of CR questions while procedurally functioning as set of MC questions. ITs utilize an answer-until-correct response format that provides immediate confirmatory or corrective feedback, and they thus allow not only for the granting of partial credit in cases of initially incorrect reasoning, but, furthermore, the ability to build cumulative question structures. Here, we report on a study that directly compares the functionality of ITs and CR questions in introductory physics exams. To do this, CR questions were converted to concept-equivalent ITs, and both sets of questions were deployed in midterm and final exams. We find that both question types provide adequate discrimination between stronger and weaker students, with CR questions discriminating slightly better than the ITs. There is some indication that any difference in discriminatory power may result from the baseline score for guessing that is inherent in MC testing. Meanwhile, an analysis of interrater scoring of the CR questions raises serious concerns about the reliability of the granting of partial credit when this traditional assessment technique is used in a realistic (but nonoptimized) setting. Furthermore, we show evidence that partial credit is granted in a valid manner in the ITs. Thus, together with consideration of the vastly reduced costs of administering IT-based examinations compared to CR-based examinations, our findings indicate that ITs are viable replacements for CR questions in formal examinations where it is desirable both to assess concept integration and to reward partial knowledge, while efficiently scoring examinations.

Narcissism as a predictor of motivations behind Facebook profile picture selection.

PubMed

Kapidzic, Sanja

2013-01-01

The rising popularity of social networking sites raises the question of whether and how personality differences are manifested on them. The present study explores this topic through an analysis of the relationship between narcissism and motivations behind Facebook profile picture selection. A survey that assesses motivations emphasizing physical attractiveness, personality, and social ties was conducted with 288 undergraduate students. The study found narcissism to be a significant predictor of the motivation for selecting profile pictures that emphasize attractiveness and personality for both men and women. The findings are discussed in terms of the dynamic self-regulatory processing model of narcissism.

Kinds, mechanisms, contents and origins of musical empathizing. Reply to comments on "Music, empathy, and cultural understanding"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clarke, Eric; DeNora, Tia; Vuoskoski, Jonna

2015-12-01

We would like to thank all six commentators for their generous-spirited and thought-provoking commentaries. Coming as they do from different disciplinary approaches, the commentators have enriched the discussion by offering a variety of perspectives on the topic of music and empathy. The commentaries have also identified and highlighted some of the important larger questions in this highly interdisciplinary field. In what follows we respond to some of the issues and observations raised by Greenberg [1], Krueger [2], Launay [3], Dibben [4], Overy [5] and Rabinowitch [6].

Societal and ethical aspects of the Fukushima accident.

PubMed

Oughton, Deborah

2016-10-01

The Fukushima Nuclear Power Station accident in Japan in 2011 was a poignant reminder that radioactive contamination of the environment has consequences that encompass far more than health risks from exposure to radiation. Both the accident and remediation measures have resulted in serious societal impacts and raise questions about the ethical aspects of risk management. This article presents a brief review of some of these issues and compares similarities and differences with the lessons learned from the 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident in Ukraine. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2016;12:651-653. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Blood type analyses of creole-like cattle: a comparison with Longhorns and mixed controls.

PubMed

Murphey, R M; Torres Penedo, M C; Stormont, C; Bahre, C J

1979-01-01

Creole-like cattle blood types were compared with a mixed control group and Longhorn data using hemolytic and electrophoretic techniques. Among the hemolytic tests, the crucial B system analyses indicated that 1) the Creole-like animals were more similar to Longhorns than were the controls; 2) the three groups were different from each other; 3) the three groups were not mutually exclusive. Eleven new phenogroups were postulated. The remaining blood group systems and the electrophoretic tests raised interesting biohistorical questions but were generally less useful in discriminating among the three groups of cattle.

State of Indiana v. Jamie L. Curtis: "The Case of the Questionable Book Bag Search."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leming, Robert S.; And Others

These materials include the script for a mock trial in which students are asked to role play the participants in a case based on the facts of New Jersey v. T.L.O., 469 U.S. 325 (1985). The case raised questions involving a students' rights to protection against unreasonable searches and seizures under the Fourth Amendment and schools' needs to…

Resisting the Seduction of the Global Education Measurement Industry: Notes on the Social Psychology of PISA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biesta, Gert

2015-01-01

The question I raise in this paper is why measurement systems such as PISA have gained so much power in contemporary education policy and practice. I explore this question from the bottom up by asking what might contribute to the ways in which people invest in systems such as PISA, that is, what are the beliefs, assumptions and desires that lead…

Revolution and Intervention: U.S.-Cuban Relations in the 20th Century. SSEC American History Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tegnell, Geoffrey; Ladenburg, Thomas

This unit for U.S. history courses examines a number of questions raised by U.S.-Cuban relations beginning with the Spanish-American War of 1898 and ending with the missile crisis 64 years later. These questions are on such topics as the appropriate U.S. stance toward a nationalistic reform movement, a social revolution, and a military build up in…

The Pedagogy of Heideggerian (Un)Truth: How Can We See Stars by Day in a Deep Dark Well?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Jie

2014-01-01

The question of truth as it relates to the teacher's role in the classroom raises not only issues of what and how we should teach, but challenges the very purpose of teaching. Since truth itself is a major question of phenomenology, the author chose to use the works of German philosopher Martin Heidegger for his phenomenological treatment of truth…

[Choosing the name in international adoption].

PubMed

van Effenterre, Aude; Harf, Aurélie; Skandrani, Sandra; Taïeb, Olivier; Moro, Marie Rose

2014-01-01

In the context of international adoption, the question is raised of the links which the adoptive parents may or may not maintain with the culture of the child's birth country. The name which the adoptive parents choose reflects this questioning. A study was carried out into this subject with parents and children in order to gain a better understanding of the feelings of belonging, filiation and affiliation in these situations.

Conservative Diffusions: a Constructive Approach to Nelson's Stochastic Mechanics.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlen, Eric Anders

In Nelson's stochastic mechanics, quantum phenomena are described in terms of diffusions instead of wave functions; this thesis is a study of that description. We emphasize that we are concerned here with the possibility of describing, as opposed to explaining, quantum phenomena in terms of diffusions. In this direction, the following questions arise: "Do the diffusions of stochastic mechanics--which are formally given by stochastic differential equations with extremely singular coefficients--really exist?" Given that they exist, one can ask, "Do these diffusions have physically reasonable sample path behavior, and can we use information about sample paths to study the behavior of physical systems?" These are the questions we treat in this thesis. In Chapter I we review stochastic mechanics and diffusion theory, using the Guerra-Morato variational principle to establish the connection with the Schroedinger equation. This chapter is largely expository; however, there are some novel features and proofs. In Chapter II we settle the first of the questions raised above. Using PDE methods, we construct the diffusions of stochastic mechanics. Our result is sufficiently general to be of independent mathematical interest. In Chapter III we treat potential scattering in stochastic mechanics and discuss direct probabilistic methods of studying quantum scattering problems. Our results provide a solid "Yes" in answer to the second question raised above.

Visual ergonomics and computer work--is it all about computer glasses?

PubMed

Jonsson, Christina

2012-01-01

The Swedish Provisions on Work with Display Screen Equipment and the EU Directive on the minimum safety and health requirements for work with display screen equipment cover several important visual ergonomics aspects. But a review of cases and questions to the Swedish Work Environment Authority clearly shows that most attention is given to the demands for eyesight tests and special computer glasses. Other important visual ergonomics factors are at risk of being neglected. Today computers are used everywhere, both at work and at home. Computers can be laptops, PDA's, tablet computers, smart phones, etc. The demands on eyesight tests and computer glasses still apply but the visual demands and the visual ergonomics conditions are quite different compared to the use of a stationary computer. Based on this review, we raise the question if the demand on the employer to provide the employees with computer glasses is outdated.

Uncertainty in quantum mechanics: faith or fantasy?

PubMed

Penrose, Roger

2011-12-13

The word 'uncertainty', in the context of quantum mechanics, usually evokes an impression of an essential unknowability of what might actually be going on at the quantum level of activity, as is made explicit in Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, and in the fact that the theory normally provides only probabilities for the results of quantum measurement. These issues limit our ultimate understanding of the behaviour of things, if we take quantum mechanics to represent an absolute truth. But they do not cause us to put that very 'truth' into question. This article addresses the issue of quantum 'uncertainty' from a different perspective, raising the question of whether this term might be applied to the theory itself, despite its unrefuted huge success over an enormously diverse range of observed phenomena. There are, indeed, seeming internal contradictions in the theory that lead us to infer that a total faith in it at all levels of scale leads us to almost fantastical implications.

Aspects regarding the hope for successful reintegration of female detainees.

PubMed

Enache, Alexandra; Pasca, Viorel; Luta, Veronica; Ciopec, Flavius; Ursachi, Georgeta; Radu, Daniel; Stratul, Stefan; Zarie, Gabriela; Mutiu, Florentina

2009-04-01

We investigated in the female inmate population whether they had and which were the foundations of hope for a better future after liberation. We created and applied a questionnaire structured on four general information chapters regarding health, attitude and spiritual life. In total, 67 questions with 293 items. For this study, we selected 62 items. Hope for better reintegration was layed on family support and (re)imployment. The majority considered that the length of the detention influences the chances for social reintegration. The family perception was clarified and the relationship with the parents and spouse was tightened. The spiritual questions reflected a moderate return to religion. The study proved that the female detainees have a positive perception on the role of education and that the efforts of different educational factors during detention was strongly positive. The development of moral, family, social and spiritual values was beneficial and raised the hopes of social reintegration.

Community Schools As An Educational Alternative In Africa: A Critique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoppers, Wim

2005-05-01

With a view to basic formal education, this study explores actual experiences and potential values of current community-school initiatives in Africa. Using data from different programmes around the continent, it examines their dynamics in terms of various conceptions about alternative provisions for basic education. The wider policy question posed is whether community schools can respond in a meaningful and viable manner to the interests of learners and their communities, meet social-policy goals of equity and social justice, and foster reform. While its conclusions remain tentative, the study explores effective but problematic approaches supported by communities, non-governmental organizations and governments. It gives particular attention to those elements promoting empowerment and transforming educational provision and local socio-economic conditions. It also raises fundamental questions about sustainability and equity as well as the responsiveness of schools to community needs and their ability to assist learners in overcoming disadvantage and marginality.

Evaluating and Evolving Metadata in Multiple Dialects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozimor, J.; Habermann, T.; Powers, L. A.; Gordon, S.

2016-12-01

Despite many long-term homogenization efforts, communities continue to develop focused metadata standards along with related recommendations and (typically) XML representations (aka dialects) for sharing metadata content. Different representations easily become obstacles to sharing information because each representation generally requires a set of tools and skills that are designed, built, and maintained specifically for that representation. In contrast, community recommendations are generally described, at least initially, at a more conceptual level and are more easily shared. For example, most communities agree that dataset titles should be included in metadata records although they write the titles in different ways. This situation has led to the development of metadata repositories that can ingest and output metadata in multiple dialects. As an operational example, the NASA Common Metadata Repository (CMR) includes three different metadata dialects (DIF, ECHO, and ISO 19115-2). These systems raise a new question for metadata providers: if I have a choice of metadata dialects, which should I use and how do I make that decision? We have developed a collection of metadata evaluation tools that can be used to evaluate metadata records in many dialects for completeness with respect to recommendations from many organizations and communities. We have applied these tools to over 8000 collection and granule metadata records in four different dialects. This large collection of identical content in multiple dialects enables us to address questions about metadata and dialect evolution and to answer those questions quantitatively. We will describe those tools and results from evaluating the NASA CMR metadata collection.

Science and society: protecting crop genetic diversity for food security: political, ethical and technical challenges.

PubMed

Esquinas-Alcázar, José

2005-12-01

Crop genetic diversity - which is crucial for feeding humanity, for the environment and for sustainable development - is being lost at an alarming rate. Given the enormous interdependence of countries and generations on this genetic diversity, this loss raises critical socio-economic, ethical and political questions. The recent ratification of a binding international treaty, and the development of powerful new technologies to conserve and use resources more effectively, have raised expectations that must now be fulfilled.

Potential Cost Savings and Cost Avoidances Associated With Security Cooperation Training Programs

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

has long been a staple of U.S. diplomatic policy. Recent events in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria have raised questions about both the efficiency and...computed as part of a pricing strategy for an ID/ IQ contract. The pricing was made to ensure that the contractor would make an adequate profit on all...diem rates, the contractors are authorized by contract to raise their prices 3.44% each year. This rate elevation far surpasses the annual military

Restitution of the research data in ethnographic health research: issues for debate based on field research conducted in Brazil and France.

PubMed

Ferreira, Jaqueline

2015-09-01

This study examines relevant aspects about the way anthropological research data restitution has been applied in the area of health, based on data obtained from ethnographic field research conducted in Brazil and France. These experiences show that data restitution has been part of the area of research, in different forms and time frames, making it possible to extend periods spent in the field and to interact with individual respondents. This also made it possible to interact with research interlocutors and compare different points of view, adding new information and thereby enriching the research. These aspects raise important questions that require reflection, from an ethical and epistemological standpoint. One is related to the demands made on health anthropologists when they begin their field research and how they deal with these questions: how will researchers use the data they collect without worrying that this may be wrongly interpreted or used in some way to reinforce normative patterns? So, how should an anthropological debate be "translated"? Conscientious researchers will seek to validate their analysis, to discover new points of view and provoke new lines of questioning. Thus, such data should provoke reflexivity about new avenues of research and interpretations.

Identity, Stress, and Resilience in Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals of Color

PubMed Central

Meyer, Ilan H.

2013-01-01

The author addresses two issues raised in Moradi, DeBlaere, and Huang’s Major Contribution to this issue: the intersection of racial/ethnic and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) identities and the question of stress and resilience. The author expands on Moradi et al.’s work, hoping to encourage further research. On the intersection of identities, the author notes that LGB identities among people of color have been construed as different from the identities of White LGB persons, purportedly because of an inherent conflict between racial/ethnic and gay identities. The author suggests that contrary to this, LGB people of color can have positive racial/ethnic and LGB identities. On the question of stress and resilience, hypotheses have suggested that compared with White LGB individuals, LGB people of color have both more stress and more resilience. The author addresses the competing hypotheses within the larger perspective of minority stress theory, noting that the study of stress and resilience among LGB people of color is relevant to core questions about social stress as a cause of mental disorders. PMID:24347674

Identity, Stress, and Resilience in Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals of Color.

PubMed

Meyer, Ilan H

2010-04-01

The author addresses two issues raised in Moradi, DeBlaere, and Huang's Major Contribution to this issue: the intersection of racial/ethnic and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) identities and the question of stress and resilience. The author expands on Moradi et al.'s work, hoping to encourage further research. On the intersection of identities, the author notes that LGB identities among people of color have been construed as different from the identities of White LGB persons, purportedly because of an inherent conflict between racial/ethnic and gay identities. The author suggests that contrary to this, LGB people of color can have positive racial/ethnic and LGB identities. On the question of stress and resilience, hypotheses have suggested that compared with White LGB individuals, LGB people of color have both more stress and more resilience. The author addresses the competing hypotheses within the larger perspective of minority stress theory, noting that the study of stress and resilience among LGB people of color is relevant to core questions about social stress as a cause of mental disorders.

The Influence of Higher Education on the Assessment of Students of Physiotherapy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brook, Norma; Parry, Anne

1985-01-01

The trend toward internal institutional assessment of physiotherapy students is discussed along with questions raised about the appropriateness of internal rather than standardized tests in determining professional competence for certification. (MSE)

Aviation Acquisition: A Comprehensive Strategy Is Needed for Cultural Change at FAA

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-08-22

The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) timely acquisition of new air : traffic control equipment has become increasingly critical for aviation safety : and efficiency. However, persistent acquisition problems raise questions about : the agency's...

Office of Safety and Mission Assurance Review Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

This document summarizes questions and concerns raised during the 1999 IV&V Facility's Annual Review Presentation to the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA). Recommendations are provided for issues and action items identified.

OXYFUELS INFORMATION NEEDS

EPA Science Inventory

Questions have been raised about the benefits and risks of oxygenated gasoline and reformulated gasoline ("oxyfuels"). This document highlights areas of information that would improve scientific understanding of the impacts of these fuels on the
environment and public health. ...

76 FR 77890 - Union Pacific Railroad Company-Petition for Declaratory Order

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-14

... Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20004-2401, [email protected] (representing UP); (2) David L. Coleman, Law... negligence or fault of UP. UP's petition raises questions about what constitutes a reasonable request for...

Improving basic life support training for medical students.

PubMed

Lami, Mariam; Nair, Pooja; Gadhvi, Karishma

2016-01-01

Questions have been raised about basic life support (BLS) training in medical education. This article addresses the research evidence behind why BLS training is inadequate and suggests recommendations for improving BLS training for medical students.

Earth Orbit Raise Design for the Artemis Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiffen, Gregory J.; Sweetser, Theodore H.

2011-01-01

The Artemis mission is an extension of the Themis mission. The Themis mission1 consisted of five identical spacecraft in varying sized Earth orbits designed to make simultaneous measurements of the Earth's electric and magnetic environment. Themis was designed to observe geomagnetic storms resulting from solar wind's interaction with the Earth's magnetosphere. Themis was meant to answer the age old question of why the Earth's aurora can change rapidly on a global scale. The Themis spacecraft are spin stabilized with 20 meter long electric field booms as well as several shorter magnetometer booms. The goal of the Artemis2 mission extension is to deliver the field and particle measuring capabilities of two of the Themis spacecraft to the vicinity of the Moon. The Artemis mission required transferring two Earth orbiting Themis spacecraft on to two different low energy trans-lunar trajectories ultimately ending in lunar orbit. This paper describes the processes that resulted in successful orbit raise designs for both spacecraft.

Litigation-Generated Science: Why Should We Care?

PubMed Central

Boden, Leslie I.; Ozonoff, David

2008-01-01

Background In a 1994 Ninth Circuit decision on the remand of Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Judge Alex Kosinski wrote that science done for the purpose of litigation should be subject to more stringent standards of admissibility than other science. Objectives We analyze this proposition by considering litigation-generated science as a subset of science involving conflict of interest. Discussion Judge Kosinski's formulation suggests there may be reasons to treat science involving conflict of interest differently but raises questions about whether litigation-generated science should be singled out. In particular we discuss the similar problems raised by strategically motivated science done in anticipation of possible future litigation or otherwise designed to benefit the sponsor and ask what special treatment, if any, should be given to science undertaken to support existing or potential future litigation. Conclusion The problems with litigation-generated science are not special. On the contrary, they are very general and apply to much or most science that is relevant and reliable in the courtroom setting. PMID:18197310

Tropical coral reef habitat in a geoengineered, high-CO2 world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Couce, E.; Irvine, P. J.; Gregorie, L. J.; Ridgwell, A.; Hendy, E. J.

2013-05-01

Continued anthropogenic CO2 emissions are expected to impact tropical coral reefs by further raising sea surface temperatures (SST) and intensifying ocean acidification (OA). Although geoengineering by means of solar radiation management (SRM) may mitigate temperature increases, OA will persist, raising important questions regarding the impact of different stressor combinations. We apply statistical Bioclimatic Envelope Models to project changes in shallow water tropical coral reef habitat as a single niche (without resolving biodiversity or community composition) under various representative concentration pathway and SRM scenarios, until 2070. We predict substantial reductions in habitat suitability centered on the Indo-Pacific Warm Pool under net anthropogenic radiative forcing of ≥3.0 W/m2. The near-term dominant risk to coral reefs is increasing SSTs; below 3 W/m2 reasonably favorable conditions are maintained, even when achieved by SRM with persisting OA. "Optimal" mitigation occurs at 1.5 W/m2 because tropical SSTs overcool in a fully geoengineered (i.e., preindustrial global mean temperature) world.

Litigation-generated science: why should we care?

PubMed

Boden, Leslie I; Ozonoff, David

2008-01-01

In a 1994 Ninth Circuit decision on the remand of Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Judge Alex Kosinski wrote that science done for the purpose of litigation should be subject to more stringent standards of admissibility than other science. We analyze this proposition by considering litigation-generated science as a subset of science involving conflict of interest. Judge Kosinski's formulation suggests there may be reasons to treat science involving conflict of interest differently but raises questions about whether litigation-generated science should be singled out. In particular we discuss the similar problems raised by strategically motivated science done in anticipation of possible future litigation or otherwise designed to benefit the sponsor and ask what special treatment, if any, should be given to science undertaken to support existing or potential future litigation. The problems with litigation-generated science are not special. On the contrary, they are very general and apply to much or most science that is relevant and reliable in the courtroom setting.

Volunteers in a hospital - opportunity or threat? Exploratory study from Finland.

PubMed

Koivula, Ulla-Maija; Karttunen, Sirkka-Liisa

2014-01-01

Finland represents one of the Nordic welfare states where the role of the public sector as the organiser and provider of health and social care is strong. However, the amount of voluntary work in social and health care services is surprisingly big. The strongest advocates for keeping the volunteers outside are hospitals and health centres while at the same time they are suffering from shortages of staff and staff is reporting lack of time to provide needed care for their patients. The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a study of the attitudes of professionals towards voluntary work in hospitals. The paper is based on an exploratory study done in three hospitals, two from an urban area and one in a rural area. The interviewees represent nursing and care staff (n=21). The main questions were how staff members see options, constraints and drawbacks of volunteering regarding professional roles, work division, coordination and management. Attitudes of staff varied from positive to conditional. The approaches towards voluntary work varied from holistic to task-centred or patient-centred and were linked with organisational approach, professional approach or considerations of patients' well-being. Critical views were expressed related to managerial issues, patients' safety and quality of care. Increasing the amount of voluntary work done in hospitals would require a considered strategy and a specifically designed process for coordination, management and rules on the division of labour. The research raised themes for further quantitative studies to elaborate the findings on the similarities and differences of the opinions of different staff categories and to be able to develop further the heuristic model of volunteer management triangle suggested in the paper. The study raises questions of the need and promotion of volunteers in general and especially in health care services. It also raises critical views related to voluntary work in hospitals. The study is a new initiative to discuss voluntary work and how to manage volunteers in hospitals. It provides valuable knowledge for practitioners in health care involved in volunteer management and coordination.

Cultural differences in moral judgment and behavior, across and within societies.

PubMed

Graham, Jesse; Meindl, Peter; Beall, Erica; Johnson, Kate M; Zhang, Li

2016-04-01

We review contemporary work on cultural factors affecting moral judgments and values, and those affecting moral behaviors. In both cases, we highlight examples of within-societal cultural differences in morality, to show that these can be as substantial and important as cross-societal differences. Whether between or within nations and societies, cultures vary substantially in their promotion and transmission of a multitude of moral judgments and behaviors. Cultural factors contributing to this variation include religion, social ecology (weather, crop conditions, population density, pathogen prevalence, residential mobility), and regulatory social institutions such as kinship structures and economic markets. This variability raises questions for normative theories of morality, but also holds promise for future descriptive work on moral thought and behavior. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bulky Trichomonad Genomes: Encoding a Swiss Army Knife.

PubMed

Barratt, Joel; Gough, Rory; Stark, Damien; Ellis, John

2016-10-01

The trichomonads are a remarkably successful lineage of ancient, predominantly parasitic protozoa. Recent molecular analyses have revealed extensive duplication of certain genetic loci in trichomonads. Consequently, their genomes are exceptionally large compared to other parasitic protozoa. Retention of these large gene expansions across different trichomonad families raises the question: do these duplications afford an advantage? Many duplicated genes are linked to the parasitic lifestyle and some are regulated differently to their paralogues, suggesting they have acquired new functions. It is proposed that these large genomes encode a Swiss army knife of sorts, packed with a multitude of tools for use in many different circumstances. This may have bestowed trichomonads with the extraordinary versatility that has undoubtedly contributed to their success. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

STEM learning research through a funds of knowledge lens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Civil, Marta

2016-03-01

This article examines STEM learning as a cultural process with a focus on non-dominant communities. Building on my work in funds of knowledge and mathematics education, I present three vignettes to raise some questions around connections between in-school and out-of-school mathematics. How do we define competence? How do task and environment affect engagement? What is the role of affect, language, and cognition in different settings? These vignettes serve to highlight the complexity of moving across different domains of STEM practice—everyday life, school, and STEM disciplines. Based on findings from occupational interviews I discuss characteristics of learning and engaging in everyday practices and propose several areas for further research, including the nature of everyday STEM practices, valorization of knowledge, language choice, and different forms of engagement.

Inequality in child mortality across different states of India: a comparative study.

PubMed

De, Partha; Dhar, Arpita

2013-12-01

The burden of social inequality falls disproportionately on child health and survival. This inequality raises the question of how wide this gap is, or what its relation is with the level of child mortality. Whether these disparities are increasing or declining with the development and how they differ from region to region or from state to state within the country needs to be looked into. As a measure of inequality and to compare the disparities between different states of India, concentration curves and indices are constructed from infant and under five mortality data classified under different quintiles of wealth index from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) data of India. Inequality measures indicate that inequality in child mortality is more concentrated in the comparatively developed states than the poorer states in India.

Childhood Adversity, Daily Stress, and Marital Strain in Same-Sex and Different-Sex Marriages

PubMed Central

Donnelly, Rachel; Umberson, Debra; Kroeger, Rhiannon A.

2017-01-01

Childhood adversity has enduring consequences for individuals throughout life, including increased reactivity to stress that may contribute to marital strain in adulthood. Past research on gendered experiences of heterosexual spouses raises questions about how the influence of childhood adversity might differ for men and women in same-sex marriages. We analyze dyadic diary data from 756 individuals in 106 male same-sex, 157 female same-sex, and 115 different-sex marriages to consider how childhood adversity moderates the association between daily stress and marital strain. Results suggest that the negative consequences of daily stress for marital strain are amplified by past childhood adversity with variation for men and women in same- and different-sex unions, such that women and those in same-sex marriages may experience some protection from the adverse consequences of childhood adversity.

Are Cantonese-speakers really descriptivists? Revisiting cross-cultural semantics.

PubMed

Lam, Barry

2010-05-01

In an article in Cognition [Machery, E., Mallon, R., Nichols, S., & Stich, S. (2004). Semantics cross-cultural style. Cognition, 92, B1-B12] present data which purports to show that East Asian Cantonese-speakers tend to have descriptivist intuitions about the referents of proper names, while Western English-speakers tend to have causal-historical intuitions about proper names. Machery et al. take this finding to support the view that some intuitions, the universality of which they claim is central to philosophical theories, vary according to cultural background. Machery et al. conclude from their findings that the philosophical methodology of consulting intuitions about hypothetical cases is flawed vis a vis the goal of determining truths about some philosophical domains like philosophical semantics. In the following study, three new vignettes in English were given to Western native English-speakers, and Cantonese translations were given to native Cantonese-speaking immigrants from a Cantonese community in Southern California. For all three vignettes, questions were given to elicit intuitions about the referent of a proper name and the truth-value of an uttered sentence containing a proper name. The results from this study reveal that East Asian Cantonese-speakers do not differ from Western English-speakers in ways that support Machery et al.'s conclusions. This new data concerning the intuitions of Cantonese-speakers raises questions about whether cross-cultural variation in answers to questions on certain vignettes reveal genuine differences in intuitions, or whether such differences stem from non-intuitional differences, such as differences in linguistic competence. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Partial protein domains: evolutionary insights and bioinformatics challenges.

PubMed

Kelley, Lawrence A; Sternberg, Michael J E

2015-05-19

Protein domains are generally thought to correspond to units of evolution. New research raises questions about how such domains are defined with bioinformatics tools and sheds light on how evolution has enabled partial domains to be viable.

NASA Reactor Facility Hazards Summary. Volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1959-01-01

Supplements to volume 1 are presented herein. Included in these papers are information unavailable when volume 1 was written, an evaluation of the proposed nuclear facility, and answers to questions raised by the AEC concerning volume 1.

75 FR 64173 - Energy Conservation Program: Certification, Compliance, and Enforcement for Consumer Products and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-19

... comments through October 18, 2010. The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI... refrigeration industry. Based on AHRI's request and the number of questions and issues raised during the public...

EPA Region 8 Policy for Environmental Protection in Indian Country

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This guidance is intended to respond to and clarify questions that are most frequently raised by our internal and external customers and constituents, relating to: Agency protocol in working with federally recognized tribes and more

Lesbians and tech: Analyzing digital media technologies and lesbian experience.

PubMed

Harris, Angelique; Daniels, Jessie

2017-11-28

The rise of the popular Internet has coincided with the increasing acceptance, even assimilation, of lesbians into mainstream society. The visible presence of lesbians in the tech industry and in digitally mediated spaces raises a set of questions about the relationship between queer identities and Internet technologies. This introduction to a special issue of Journal of Lesbian Studies explores some of these questions and provides an overview of the articles that follow.

The investigation of life-threatening child abuse and Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

PubMed Central

Evans, D

1995-01-01

The use of covert video surveillance in the investigation of suspected life-threatening child abuse and Munchausen syndrome by proxy raises important ethical questions. That the recently reported provision of this facility in North Staffordshire was not presented to a Local Research Ethics Committee (LREC) for approval as a research exercise raises important questions about the ethical review of research and practice. The case made for avoiding such review is first set out and then examined. The three main premisses which form the basis of the view that LREC approval is not required are identified and tested in turn. The conclusion is that there is an undeniable element of research involved in the procedure and that the welfare of all those subjected to the surveillance would be best protected by the submission of the protocol to an independent committee for ethical assessment. PMID:7776355

A cost-effectiveness analysis of a residential radon remediation programme in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Kennedy, C A; Gray, A M; Denman, A R; Phillips, P S

1999-12-01

As residential radon programmes of identification and remediation have proceeded, so questions have been raised about their costs and benefits. This study presents a generalizable model for estimating the cost-effectiveness of a radon mitigation programme using the methodological framework now considered appropriate in the economic evaluation of health interventions. Its use will help to inform future discussion of radon remediation and lung cancer prevention programmes. Data from Northamptonshire were analysed, resulting in a societal cost-effectiveness ratio of Pounds Sterling 13250 per life-year gained in 1997. The percentage of houses found to be over the action level, and the percentage of householders who decide to remediate are shown to be important parameters for the cost-effectiveness analysis. Questions are raised about the particular importance of perspective in this type of analysis and suggestions are made for future research directions.

Superconductivity Induced by Oxygen Doping in Y2 O2 Bi.

PubMed

Cheng, Xiyue; Gordon, Elijah E; Whangbo, Myung-Hwan; Deng, Shuiquan

2017-08-14

When doped with oxygen, the layered Y 2 O 2 Bi phase becomes a superconductor. This finding raises questions about the sites for doped oxygen, the mechanism of superconductivity, and practical guidelines for discovering new superconductors. We probed these questions in terms of first-principles calculations for undoped and O-doped Y 2 O 2 Bi. The preferred sites for doped O atoms are the centers of Bi 4 squares in the Bi square net. Several Bi 6p x/y bands of Y 2 O 2 Bi are raised in energy by oxygen doping because the 2p x/y orbitals of the doped oxygen make antibonding possible with the 6p x/y orbitals of surrounding Bi atoms. Consequently, the condition necessary for the "flat/steep" band model for superconductivity is satisfied in O-doped Y 2 O 2 Bi. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Coercion and pressure in psychiatry: lessons from Ulysses.

PubMed

Widdershoven, Guy; Berghmans, Ron

2007-10-01

Coercion and pressure in mental healthcare raise moral questions. This article focuses on moral questions raised by the everyday practice of pressure and coercion in the care for the mentally ill. In view of an example from literature-the story of Ulysses and the Sirens-several ethical issues surrounding this practice of care are discussed. Care giver and patient should be able to express feelings such as frustration, fear and powerlessness, and attention must be paid to those feelings. In order to be able to evaluate the intervention, one has to be aware of the variety of goals the intervention can aim at. One also has to be aware of the variety of methods of intervention, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Finally, an intervention requires a context of care and responsibility, along with good communication and fair treatment before, during and after the use of coercion and pressure.

Advancing educational diversity: antifragility, standardization, democracy, and a multitude of education options

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fortunato, Michael W. P.

2017-03-01

This essay is a response to a paper by Avery and Hains that raises questions about the often unintended effects of knowledge standardization in an educational setting. While many K-12 schools are implementing common core standards, and many institutions of higher education are implementing their own standardized educational practices, the question is raised about what is lost in this effort to ensure regularity and consistency in educational outcomes. One such casualty may be local knowledge, which in a rural context includes ancestral knowledge about land, society, and cultural meaning. This essay explores whether or not efforts to standardize crowd out such knowledge, and decrease the diversity of knowledge within our society's complex ecosystem—thus making the ecosystem weaker. Using antifragility as a useful idea for examining system complexity, the essay considers the impact of standardization on innovation, democracy, and the valuation of some forms of knowledge (and its bearers) above others.

The Royal Society, natural history and the peoples of the 'New World(s)', 1660-1800.

PubMed

Gascoigne, John

2009-12-01

This paper focuses on the response of the Royal Society to the increasing contact with parts of the globe beyond Europe. Such contact was in accord with the programme of Baconian natural history that the early Royal Society espoused, but it also raised basic questions about the extent and nature of the pursuit of natural history. In particular, the paper is concerned with the attention paid to one particular branch of natural history, the study of other peoples and their customs. Such scrutiny of other peoples in distant lands raised basic questions about what methods natural history should employ and the extent to which it could serve as a foundation for more general and theoretical claims. By taking a wide sweep from the beginnings of the Royal Society until the end of the eighteenth century it is hoped light will be shed on the changing understanding of natural history over this period.

Ethical issues in using data from quality management programs.

PubMed

Nerenz, David R

2009-08-01

Since the advent of formal, data-driven quality improvement programs in health care in the late 1980s and early 1990s, there are have been questions raised about requirements for ethical committee review of quality improvement activities. A form of consensus emerged through a series of articles published between 1996 and 2007, but there is still significant variation among ethics review committees and individual project leaders in applying broad policies on requirements for committee review and/or written informed consent by participants. Recent developments in quality management, particularly the creation and use of multi-site disease registries, have raised new questions about requirements for review and consent, since the activities often have simultaneous research and quality improvement goals. This article discusses ways in which policies designed for local quality improvement projects and data bases may be adapted to apply to multi-site registries and research projects related to them.

Ian Hinchliffe Answers Your Higgs Boson Questions

ScienceCinema

Hinchliffe, Ian

2017-12-09

contingent with the ATLAS experiment at CERN, answers many of your questions about the Higgs boson. Ian invited viewers to send in questions about the Higgs via email, Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube in an "Ask a Scientist" video posted July 3: http://youtu.be/xhuA3wCg06s CERN's July 4 announcement that the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the Large Hadron Collider have discovered a particle "consistent with the Higgs boson" has raised questions about what scientists have found and what still remains to be found -- and what it all means. If you have suggestions for future "Ask a Scientist" videos, post them below or send ideas to askascientist@lbl.gov

Effectiveness of an e-learning curriculum on occupational health for music performers.

PubMed

Su, Yu-Huei; Lin, Yaw-Jen; Tang, Hsin-Yi Jean; Su, Mei-Ju; Chen, Heng-Shuen

2012-09-01

The purpose of this study was (1) to evaluate the effectiveness of the e-learning curriculum and (2) to explore the type of questions raised by students through the "Health Promotion for Music Performers" (HPMP) e-learning curriculum. This study was primarily a pedagogical research composed of a pre- and postintervention design coupled with a 1-month longitudinal knowledge retention measurement. The intervention, the HPMP e-learning curriculum, was implemented over 14 weeks, once a week, for a total of 14 classes. Each class consisted of a 60-min prerecorded lecture followed by a 40-min real-time interactive discussion. The interdisciplinary faculty panel consisted of experts from the field of music and medicine. The Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) was used to evaluate knowledge changes concerning (1) Practice and Performance issues and (2) Health and Life Style issues. Fifteen graduate-level music students participated in the study. The SAQ scores on the 1-month follow-up test for Practice and Performance issues were significantly higher than the pretest (t=2.731, p<0.05). On the other hand, no significant differences were found between the posttest and pretest or between the follow-up test and posttest. Regarding Health and Life Style issues, comparison at all three measurement points did not reveal any significant difference. Questions raised by students fell into four major categories: performance injury (45%), performance anxiety (22%), general physiology (22%), and general psychology (11%). The findings suggest that the HPMP e-learning course enhanced student awareness of Practice and Performance issues but did not have as significant an impact on student awareness of Health and Lifestyle issues.

Transaction costs, externalities and information technology in health care.

PubMed

Ferguson, B; Keen, J

1996-01-01

This paper discusses some of the economic issues which underpin the rationale for investment in information and communications technologies (ICTs). Information imperfections lead to significant transaction costs (search, negotiating and monitoring) which in turn confer a negative externality on parties involved in exchange. This divergence in private and social costs leads to a degree of resource misallocation (efficiency loss) which, uncorrected, results in a sub-optimal outcome. Traditional solutions to this problem are to rely upon direct government action to reduce the costs of transacting between market agents, or to employ tax/subsidy measures and other legislative action to achieve the desired market outcome. Three key policy questions are raised in the context of the NHS purchaser/provider relationship. Firstly, what is the optimum level of transaction costs; secondly, can ICTs assist in lowering the level of transaction costs to the optimum level; thirdly, who should bear the investment cost in reducing the level of transaction costs? The issue of property rights in different information systems is discussed and raises interesting policy questions about how much investment should be undertaken centrally rather than devolved to a more local level. In some ways this economic framework offers a post hoc justification of why different ICT systems have been introduced at various levels of the NHS. Essentially this reduces to the problem of externalities: providing good information confers a positive externality: not providing relevant, timely and accurate information confers a negative externality, by increasing further the level of transaction costs. The crucial role which ICT systems can play lies in attempting to reduce the level of transaction costs and driving the market towards what Dahlman has described as the transaction-cost-constrained equilibrium.

Excellent Patient Care Processes in Poor Hospitals? Why Hospital-Level and Patient-Level Care Quality-Outcome Relationships Can Differ.

PubMed

Finney, John W; Humphreys, Keith; Kivlahan, Daniel R; Harris, Alex H S

2016-04-01

Studies finding weak or nonexistent relationships between hospital performance on providing recommended care and hospital-level clinical outcomes raise questions about the value and validity of process of care performance measures. Such findings may cause clinicians to question the effectiveness of the care process presumably captured by the performance measure. However, one cannot infer from hospital-level results whether patients who received the specified care had comparable, worse or superior outcomes relative to patients not receiving that care. To make such an inference has been labeled the "ecological fallacy," an error that is well known among epidemiologists and sociologists, but less so among health care researchers and policy makers. We discuss such inappropriate inferences in the health care performance measurement field and illustrate how and why process measure-outcome relationships can differ at the patient and hospital levels. We also offer recommendations for appropriate multilevel analyses to evaluate process measure-outcome relationships at the patient and hospital levels and for a more effective role for performance measure bodies and research funding organizations in encouraging such multilevel analyses.

A comparative analysis of the value of pure and hybrid electricity storage

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

Sioshansi, Ramteen; Denholm, Paul; Jenkin, Thomas

2010-06-13

Significant natural gas and electricity price variation and volatility, especially during the past few years, raise questions about understanding the value drivers behind electricity storage. The impact of these drivers for pure storage (such as pumped hydroelectric storage) and compressed air energy storage (CAES) are different and in this paper we explore these differences in operation and net revenue over a variety of timescales. We also consider the arbitrage value that is attainable in practice and explain why simple forecasting techniques based on historical data will generally be less successful for CAES. Furthermore, the breakeven cost of storage and howmore » this can depend on regulatory treatment of storage and market structure is also considered.« less

Peak Locations and Relative Phase of Different Decay Modes of the a 1 Axial Vector Resonance in Diffractive Production

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

Basdevant, Jean-Louis; Berger, Edmond L.

2015-05-01

We show that a single I = 1 spin-parity J(PC) = 1(++) a(1) resonance can manifest itself as two separated mass peaks, one decaying into an S-wave rho pi system and the second decaying into a P-wave f(0)(980)pi system, with a rapid increase of the phase difference between their amplitudes arising mainly from the structure of the diffractive production process. This study clarifies questions related to the mass, width, and decay rates of the a(1) resonance raised by the recent high statistics data of the COMPASS Collaboration on a 1 production in pi N -> pi pi pi N atmore » high energies.« less

Long-Term Visual Training Increases Visual Acuity and Long-Term Monocular Deprivation Promotes Ocular Dominance Plasticity in Adult Standard Cage-Raised Mice

PubMed Central

Yusifov, Rashad

2018-01-01

Abstract For routine behavioral tasks, mice predominantly rely on olfactory cues and tactile information. In contrast, their visual capabilities appear rather restricted, raising the question whether they can improve if vision gets more behaviorally relevant. We therefore performed long-term training using the visual water task (VWT): adult standard cage (SC)-raised mice were trained to swim toward a rewarded grating stimulus so that using visual information avoided excessive swimming toward nonrewarded stimuli. Indeed, and in contrast to old mice raised in a generally enriched environment (Greifzu et al., 2016), long-term VWT training increased visual acuity (VA) on average by more than 30% to 0.82 cycles per degree (cyc/deg). In an individual animal, VA even increased to 1.49 cyc/deg, i.e., beyond the rat range of VAs. Since visual experience enhances the spatial frequency threshold of the optomotor (OPT) reflex of the open eye after monocular deprivation (MD), we also quantified monocular vision after VWT training. Monocular VA did not increase reliably, and eye reopening did not initiate a decline to pre-MD values as observed by optomotry; VA values rather increased by continued VWT training. Thus, optomotry and VWT measure different parameters of mouse spatial vision. Finally, we tested whether long-term MD induced ocular dominance (OD) plasticity in the visual cortex of adult [postnatal day (P)162–P182] SC-raised mice. This was indeed the case: 40–50 days of MD induced OD shifts toward the open eye in both VWT-trained and, surprisingly, also in age-matched mice without VWT training. These data indicate that (1) long-term VWT training increases adult mouse VA, and (2) long-term MD induces OD shifts also in adult SC-raised mice. PMID:29379877

An innovative approach to using both cellphones and the radio to identify young people’s sexual concerns in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background As teenagers have easy access to both radio programs and cell phones, the current study used these tools so that young people could anonymously identify questions about sex and other related concerns in the urban environment of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The purpose of this healthcare intervention was to identify and address concerns raised by young people, which are related to sexual health, and which promote youth health. Methods This healthcare intervention was conducted over a six month period and consisted of a survey carried out in Kinshasa. This focused on 14 to 24 old young people using phone calls on a radio program raising concerns related to sexuality. The radio program was jointly run by a journalist and a health professional who were required to reply immediately to questions from young people. All sexual health concerns were recorded and analyzed. Results Forty programs were broadcast in six months and 1,250 messages and calls were recorded: 880 (70%) from girls and 370 (30%) from boys, which represents an average of 32 interventions (of which 10 calls and 22 messages) per broadcast. Most questions came from 15-19- and 20-24-year-old girls and boys. Focus of girls’ questions: menstrual cycle calculation and related concerns accounted for the majority (24%); sexual practices (16%), love relationships (15%) and virginity (14%). Boys’ concerns are masturbation (and its consequences) (22%), sexual practices (19%), love relationships (18%) and worries about penis size (10%). Infections (genital and STI) and topics regarding HIV represent 9% and 4% of the questions asked by girls against 7% and 10% by boys. Concerns were mainly related to knowledge, attitudes and competences to be developed. Conclusions Concerns and sexual practices raised by teens about their sexual and emotional life have inspired the design of a practical guide for youth self-training and have steered the second phase of this interactive program towards supporting their responsible sexuality. PMID:25089197

The impact of podcasting on the learning and satisfaction of undergraduate nursing students.

PubMed

Vogt, Marjorie; Schaffner, Barbara; Ribar, Alicia; Chavez, Ruth

2010-01-01

Nursing education has evolved from traditional pedagogical models to current methods using technology for knowledge acquisition. Podcasting is one example of teaching methodology used in higher education. Studies demonstrate positive student satisfaction with podcasting, but there is limited data related to knowledge acquisition. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of podcasting on nursing student learning and satisfaction. Two classes of junior baccalaureate nursing students had scores on selected exam questions compared. The 2007 class (n=63) had select content presented in traditional lecture format where the 2008 class (n=57) had the same content presented via podcast. Both methods used the same faculty and exam questions. The 2008 class completed a satisfaction survey. Results indicated no significant difference in correct responses on exam questions. Exam scores were better with the first podcast, equal for the second, and worse with the third podcast. Students were overall satisfied with the podcasting experience and commented positively on its portability and flexibility. This study contributes to the knowledge base of podcasting effectiveness and raises the question of evaluation of new teaching methodologies. Must an increase in learning occur for new methods to be considered effective, or is positive student satisfaction adequate to encourage the adoption of new technology methods?

How mentors affect workers' interests and involvement at work

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fero, H. C.; Nakamura, J.

2002-01-01

Survey data about experience with mentors were collected from 95 workers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The findings raise questions about reliance on formal mentorships unconnected to proteges' daily work experience and discouragement of supervisor-mentor relationships.

Impacts of climate change and variability on transportation systems and infrastructure : Gulf Coast study, phase I

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-03-01

Climate affects the design, construction, safety, operations, and maintenance of transportation : infrastructure and systems. The prospect of a changing climate raises critical questions : regarding how alterations in temperature, precipitation, stor...

The Potential of Socially Assistive Robotics in Care for Elderly, a Systematic Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bemelmans, Roger; Gelderblom, Gert Jan; Jonker, Pieter; de Witte, Luc

The ongoing development of robotics against the background of a decreasing number of care personnel raises the question which contribution robotics could have to rationalize and maintain, or even improve the quality of care.

Perspectives on science and art.

PubMed

Conway, Bevil R; Livingstone, Margaret S

2007-08-01

Artists try to understand how we see, sometimes explicitly exploring rules of perspective or color, visual illusions, or iconography, and conversely, scientists who study vision sometimes address the perceptual questions and discoveries raised by the works of art, as we do here.

When subatomic physics research meets clinical oncology.

PubMed

Gary, Humphreys

2012-07-01

New but costly forms of hadron therapy to treat certain cancers raise important questions about how much health systems can afford to pay, but for some cancers, including many child cancers, they are among the most promising treatments we have.

Raising a question of the privileges of the House.

THOMAS, 111th Congress

Rep. Cantor, Eric [R-VA-7

2010-03-18

House - 03/18/2010 On motion to table the measure Agreed to by recorded vote: 232 - 181 (Roll no. 132). (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

What Time Is It on the Clock of the Universe?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramdeholl, Dianne

2013-01-01

In the concluding chapter of this volume, the author critically reflects on the important implications outlined by other authors, and through raising questions, invites us to envision and work toward a more compassionate and humane world.

The New Evangelization and Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McBride, Alfred

1974-01-01

Article reviewed the general meaning of evangelization, especially the evolution of its significance since Vatican 11 and the rise of new forms of social consciousness as well as a response to questions raised by a Bishops' study document on evangelization. (Author/RK)

Discourses of Disability in the "Digest."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barton, Ellen

2001-01-01

Presents an account of the discourse of disability in the "Reader's Digest" during its first 30 years (1922-1952). Concludes that the construction of disability in the "Digest" raises important questions that should enter the field of disability studies. (PM)

Raising a question of the privileges of the House.

THOMAS, 111th Congress

Rep. Boehner, John A. [R-OH-8

2010-04-14

House - 04/14/2010 On motion to refer Agreed to by recorded vote: 235 - 157, 17 Present (Roll no. 202). (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Raising a question of the privileges of the House.

THOMAS, 111th Congress

Rep. Carter, John R. [R-TX-31

2009-10-07

House - 10/07/2009 On motion to refer Agreed to by recorded vote: 246 - 153, 19 Present (Roll No. 759). (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation: