Is cognitive science usefully cast as complexity science?

PubMed

Van Orden, Guy; Stephen, Damian G

2012-01-01

Readers of TopiCS are invited to join a debate about the utility of ideas and methods of complexity science. The topics of debate include empirical instances of qualitative change in cognitive activity and whether this empirical work demonstrates sufficiently the empirical flags of complexity. In addition, new phenomena discovered by complexity scientists, and motivated by complexity theory, call into question some basic assumptions of conventional cognitive science such as stable equilibria and homogeneous variance. The articles and commentaries that appear in this issue also illustrate a new debate style format for topiCS. Copyright © 2011 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Active Learning through a Debate Series in a First-Year Pharmacy Self-Care Course

PubMed Central

Collins, Christine; Danison, Ryan; Lewis, Michelle

2015-01-01

Objective. To evaluate the usefulness of formal debates in the pharmacy classroom as a way to learn course material and as a tool for developing competency in essential skills including critical thinking, communication, public speaking, research methods, and teamwork. Design. Debates were incorporated into a self-care course, where students were assigned different debate topics focused on controversial issues. Quantitative analysis was completed to assess debate style learning, knowledge about the subjects presented, and the impact on necessary skills. Assessment. Quizzes given before and after debates showed up to a 36% improvement in grades and up to a 31% change in opinions on the topic. Students assessed themselves as more competent in the skill sets at the completion of the debate series. Conclusion. Incorporation of debates into didactic style courses offers students an opportunity to improve upon skills that will help them succeed as pharmacists. PMID:25861106

Active learning through a debate series in a first-year pharmacy self-care course.

PubMed

Lampkin, Stacie J; Collins, Christine; Danison, Ryan; Lewis, Michelle

2015-03-25

To evaluate the usefulness of formal debates in the pharmacy classroom as a way to learn course material and as a tool for developing competency in essential skills including critical thinking, communication, public speaking, research methods, and teamwork. Debates were incorporated into a self-care course, where students were assigned different debate topics focused on controversial issues. Quantitative analysis was completed to assess debate style learning, knowledge about the subjects presented, and the impact on necessary skills. Quizzes given before and after debates showed up to a 36% improvement in grades and up to a 31% change in opinions on the topic. Students assessed themselves as more competent in the skill sets at the completion of the debate series. Incorporation of debates into didactic style courses offers students an opportunity to improve upon skills that will help them succeed as pharmacists.

Delivery Issues in the Day Care Debate. Occasional Papers in Education: Paper No. 2 - Policy Studies of the Early Childhood Planning Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGee, Maureen

The question of who should provide day care services is an unresolved issue in the current day care debate and a topic now on the national agenda because it is the common concern of a constellation of diverse, highly motivated interest groups. Motivation for extending day care in the United States stems from several factors: among these are the…

Recreational 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine or 'ecstasy': Current perspective and future research prospects.

PubMed

Parrott, Andrew C; Downey, Luke A; Roberts, Carl A; Montgomery, Cathy; Bruno, Raimondo; Fox, Helen C

2017-08-01

The purpose of this article is to debate current understandings about the psychobiological effects of recreational 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or 'ecstasy'), and recommend theoretically-driven topics for future research. Recent empirical findings, especially those from novel topic areas were reviewed. Potential causes for the high variance often found in group findings were also examined. The first empirical reports into psychobiological and psychiatric aspects from the early 1990s concluded that regular users demonstrated some selective psychobiological deficits, for instance worse declarative memory, or heightened depression. More recent research has covered a far wider range of psychobiological functions, and deficits have emerged in aspects of vision, higher cognitive skill, neurohormonal functioning, and foetal developmental outcomes. However, variance levels are often high, indicating that while some recreational users develop problems, others are less affected. Potential reasons for this high variance are debated. An explanatory model based on multi-factorial causation is then proposed. A number of theoretically driven research topics are suggested, in order to empirically investigate the potential causes for these diverse psychobiological deficits. Future neuroimaging studies should study the practical implications of any serotonergic and/or neurohormonal changes, using a wide range of functional measures.

Intimate Debate Technique: Medicinal Use of Marijuana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herreid, Clyde Freeman; DeRei, Kristie

2007-01-01

Classroom debates used to be familiar exercises to students schooled in past generations. In this article, the authors describe the technique called "intimate debate". To cooperative learning specialists, the technique is known as "structured debate" or "constructive debate". It is a powerful method for dealing with case topics that involve…

High School Law Awareness Curriculum Guide, 1980.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seminole County Board of Public Instruction, Sanford, FL.

Instructional materials, activities, and lesson plans used to teach high school students about the law, the legal process, and the legal system are presented. The materials are intended to be incorporated into the U.S. history curriculum. The following topics are covered: procedure for trial simulation; the Boston Massacre; the debate over…

Novel Debate-Style Cardiothoracic Surgery Journal Club: Results of a Pilot Curriculum.

PubMed

Luc, Jessica G Y; Nguyen, Tom C; Fowler, Clara S; Eisenberg, Steven B; Wolf, Randall K; Estrera, Anthony L; Vaporciyan, Ara A; Antonoff, Mara B

2017-10-01

Traditional journal clubs addressing single articles are limited by the lack of a standardized process for conduct and evaluation. We developed a novel, debate-style journal club for trainees to use best available evidence to address controversial topics in cardiothoracic surgery through discussion of realistic patient scenarios. After implementation of our new curriculum, trainee knowledge acquisition and retention were assessed by a summative test of published literature and standardized debate scoring. Feedback was additionally obtained by trainee and faculty surveys. Cardiothoracic surgery trainees (n = 4) participated in five debates each over 10 monthly sessions. Written examination results after debate revealed a nonsignificant improvement in scores on topics that were debated compared with topics that were not (+9.8% versus -4.2%, p = 0.105). Trainee ability to sway the debate position supported by the attendee strongly correlated with trainee use of supporting literature (r = 0.853), moderately correlated with persuasiveness (r = 0.465), and overall effect of the debate (r = 0.625). Surveys completed by trainees and faculty unanimously favored the debate-style journal club as compared to the traditional journal club in gaining familiarity and applying published literature to questions encountered clinically. Our novel debate-style cardiothoracic surgery journal club is an effective educational intervention for cardiothoracic surgery trainees to acquire, retain, and gain practice in applying specialty-specific literature-based evidence to controversial case-based issues. Evaluation by multi-institutional expansion is needed to validate our preliminary findings in this initial trainee cohort. Copyright © 2017 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Migration und Flucht als Forschungsthemen der Geographie. Eine Standortbestimmung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pott, Andreas; Schmiz, Antonie

2018-04-01

The contribution at hand argues that migration, especially of refugees, has received growing recognition in public and academic debates in the past few years. It traces the reciprocal references to a highly dynamic research subject within migration scholarship, public discourse, and politics. It thereby highlights the value and risks of a space-related perspective. In addition to an outline of established and newly emerging research fields within geographic migration research, the contribution opens the debate on practical implications of the addressed topical challenges within the field.

Migration und Flucht als Forschungsthemen der Geographie - Eine Standortbestimmung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pott, Andreas; Schmiz, Antonie

2018-03-01

The contribution at hand argues that migration, especially of refugees, has received growing recognition in public and academic debates in the past few years. It traces the reciprocal references to a highly dynamic research subject within migration scholarship, public discourse, and politics. It thereby highlights the value and risks of a space-related perspective. In addition to an outline of established and newly emerging research fields within geographic migration research, the contribution opens the debate on practical implications of the addressed topical challenges within the field.

USSOCOM Research Topics 2010

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

the ongoing irregular form of war. Irregular war engen - ders much debate, and its concepts are strongly linked to the interagency process. The third...effectively accomplish its mission in a high end asym- metric threat environment and at what cost? Chemical , biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN

Debates in Citizenship Education. The Debates in Subject Teaching Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arthur, James, Ed.; Cremin, Hilary, Ed.

2011-01-01

What are the key issues in Citizenship Education today? "Debates in Citizenship Education" encourages student and practising teachers to engage with and reflect on some of the key topics, concepts and debates that they will have to address throughout their career. It places the specialist field of Citizenship Education in a wider context…

New perspectives on solar prominences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmieder, B.; Aulanier, G.

2012-06-01

Recent observations of prominences obtained with high spatial and temporal resolution instruments, on board satellites (Hinode, SDO) as well as on the ground (SST) have provided very intriguing movies and open a new area for understanding the nature of prominences. The main topics are still debate: formation, dynamics, and characteristics of the plasma in the core and in the transition zone between the prominence and corona. We will review briefly the recent advances made in these topics, observationally as well as theoretically.

Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Vitamin D requirements have become one of the most highly debated and controversial topics in nutrition. Recommendations for vitamin D intake during pregnancy are a central part of this discussion. The publication of a controlled trial of vitamin D supplementation in pregnant women by Hollis and cow...

Paleoecology: An Untapped Resource for Teaching Environmental Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raper, Diana J.; Zander, Holli

2009-01-01

Global warming and climate change have become hot topics that incite debate, inspire scientific research, and influence international policy. However, the scientific research that provides the past climate and environmental information upon which contemporary environmental change is measured, receives little attention in high school curriculum.…

Implementation and Evaluation of the Debate-Style Tutorial Study in a Third-Year Dental Curriculum in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shingaki, Ryuji; Kamioka, Hiroshi; Irie, Masao; Nishimura, Fusanori

2006-01-01

We introduced a debate-style tutorial exercise into the third-year tutorial classes with the purpose of developing the students' logic, broadening their vision and encouraging them to express their opinions in public, before an audience. The issues for debate included medical (dental) and non-medical topics. Two separate debate exercises were…

A Comparative Analysis of Social Media Usage and Academic Performance in Public and Private Senior High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mingle, Jeffrey; Adams, Musah; Adjei, E. A.

2016-01-01

The study comparatively analyzed social media usage and academic performance in public and private senior high schools. The issue of social media and academic performance has been a very debatable topic with regard to its effect. This study further explores the relation between private and public schools in relation to social media use and…

Curriculum Debate and Policy Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elgstrom, Ole; Hellstenius, Mats

2011-01-01

This article investigates the underlying themes and principles that inform curriculum debate and how they are articulated in current school policy discussions. This topic is approached with the help of a case study covering the debate on which subjects should be mandatory for students at the upper secondary school curriculum in Sweden. The focus…

The Topology of a Discussion: The #Occupy Case.

PubMed

Gargiulo, Floriana; Bindi, Jacopo; Apolloni, Andrea

2015-01-01

We analyse a large sample of the Twitter activity that developed around the social movement 'Occupy Wall Street', to study the complex interactions between the human communication activity and the semantic content of a debate. We use a network approach based on the analysis of the bipartite graph @Users-#Hashtags and of its projections: the 'semantic network', whose nodes are hashtags, and the 'users interest network', whose nodes are users. In the first instance, we find out that discussion topics (#hashtags) present a high structural heterogeneity, with a relevant role played by the semantic hubs that are responsible to guarantee the continuity of the debate. In the users' case, the self-organisation process of users' activity, leads to the emergence of two classes of communicators: the 'professionals' and the 'amateurs'. Both the networks present a strong community structure, based on the differentiation of the semantic topics, and a high level of structural robustness when certain sets of topics are censored and/or accounts are removed. By analysing the characteristics of the dynamical networks we can distinguish three phases of the discussion about the movement. Each phase corresponds to a specific moment of the movement: from declaration of intent, organisation and development and the final phase of political reactions. Each phase is characterised by the presence of prototypical #hashtags in the discussion.

Thirty Years of Media Coverage on High Drug Prices in the United States--A Never-Ending Story or a Time for Change?

PubMed

Leopold, Christine; Chambers, James D; Wagner, Anita K

2016-01-01

In recent years drug prices have increasingly become a topic of debate for patients, providers, payers and policy makers. To place the current drug price debate into historical context, we searched the New York Times and Wall Street Journal from 1985 - 2015 and found that concerns about drug prices have commonly featured in the press over the study period with recently stronger calls for change. Price levels, types of innovations, stakeholder responses, and strategies to address high prices discussed in the media suggest that concerted efforts are required to enable affordable and high-value innovations. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Great Nuclear Power Debate (1)--A Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglas, John H.

1976-01-01

Five issues concerning nuclear power--economics, danger from accidents, environmental effects, terrorism, and alternatives are debated, with one paragraph statements from opponents and advocates on each of the topics. (CP)

Debate as Encapsulated Conflict: Ruled Controversy as an Approach to Learning Conflict Management Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, David G.; Hensley, Carl Wayne

Debate can provide a format for the development of communication skills to aid students in managing conflicts, because an understanding of rule-governed communication in conflict situations is invaluable in constructive conflict management. Since in debate procedural rules restrict discussion primarily to substantive and procedural topics, debate…

The great debate series: surgical treatment of aortic valve abnormalities in children.

PubMed

d'Udekem, Yves; Tweddell, James S; Karl, Tom R

2018-05-01

This article is the latest in an EJCTS series entitled 'The Great Debates'. We have chosen the topic of aortic valve (AoV) surgery in children, with a focus on infants and neonates. The topic was selected due to the significant challenges that AoV problems in the young may present to the surgical team. There are many areas of active controversy, despite the vast accumulated world experience. We have tried to incorporate many of these issues in the questions posed, not claiming to be all-inclusive. The individuals invited to this debate are experts in paediatric valve surgery, with broad and successful clinical experiences on multiple continents. We hope that the facts and opinions presented in this debate will generate interest and discussion and perhaps prove useful in decision-making for future complex valve cases.

Why Teaching Civic Engagement Is Essential

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reiss, Dawn

2012-01-01

In the weeks leading up to a presidential election, it is hard to dismiss the importance of civic education, with campaign speeches, debates and advertisements blaring everywhere. Yet the National Assessment of Education Progress reports that only one-fourth of high school graduates are proficient in topics such as the American political system,…

Online Education in the USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lancaster, S.; Yen, D. C.; Wang, J-C.

2003-01-01

Online education has become a highly debated topic. While some educators see it as a commercialized and prepackaged form of education, one that limits the verbal skills of students, others see it as breaking down the geographical and financial barriers that many students face. Online delivery has changed education in a number of ways, increasing…

The Debate on Maturational Constraints in Bilingual Development: A Perspective from First-Language Attrition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmid, Monika S.

2014-01-01

A controversial topic in research on second-language acquisition is whether residual variability and optionality in high-proficiency late second-language (L2) learners is merely the outcome of cross-linguistic transfer, competition, and processing limitations, or whether late learners have an underlying representational deficit due to maturational…

A Study of North Carolina Technology Teacher Evaluation Practices and Job Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olah, Dean Anthony

2013-01-01

Defining and measuring teacher effectiveness is one of the most hotly debated topics in public education today. The "No Child Left Behind" Act placed considerable emphasis on high quality teaching standards, making it a focal point of study among educators, administrators, and curriculum developers. Recruitment and retention of high…

Update on pediatric resuscitation drugs: high dose, low dose, or no dose at all.

PubMed

Sorrentino, Annalise

2005-04-01

Pediatric resuscitation has been a topic of discussion for years. It is difficult to keep abreast of changing recommendations, especially for busy pediatricians who do not regularly use these skills. This review will focus on the most recent guidelines for resuscitation drugs. Three specific questions will be discussed: standard dose versus high-dose epinephrine, amiodarone use, and the future of vasopressin in pediatric resuscitation. The issue of using high-dose epinephrine for cardiopulmonary resuscitation refractory to standard dose epinephrine has been a topic of debate for many years. Recently, a prospective, double-blinded study was performed to help settle the debate. These results will be reviewed and compared with previous studies. Amiodarone is a medication that was added to the pediatric resuscitation algorithms with the most recent recommendations from the American Heart Association in 2000. Its use and safety will also be discussed. Another topic that is resurfacing in resuscitation is the use of vasopressin. Its mechanism and comparisons to other agents will be highlighted, although its use in the pediatric patient has not been thoroughly studied. Pediatric resuscitation is a constantly evolving subject that is on the mind of anyone taking care of sick children. Clinicians are continually searching for the most effective methods to resuscitate children in terms of short- and long-term outcomes. It is important to be familiar with not only the agents being used but also the optimal way to use them.

The Bullying Dynamic: Prevalence of Involvement among a Large-Scale Sample of Middle and High School Youth with and without Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Chad A.; Simpson, Cynthia G.; Moss, Aaron

2015-01-01

Bullying has been the topic of much debate and empirical investigations over the past decade. Contemporary literature contends that students with disabilities may be overrepresented within the bullying dynamic as both perpetrators and victims. Unfortunately, prevalence rates associated with the representation of students with disabilities is…

Dual Language Use in Sign-Speech Bimodal Bilinguals: fNIRS Brain-Imaging Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kovelman, Ioulia; Shalinsky, Mark H.; White, Katherine S.; Schmitt, Shawn N.; Berens, Melody S.; Paymer, Nora; Petitto, Laura-Ann

2009-01-01

The brain basis of bilinguals' ability to use two languages at the same time has been a hotly debated topic. On the one hand, behavioral research has suggested that bilingual dual language use involves complex and highly principled linguistic processes. On the other hand, brain-imaging research has revealed that bilingual language switching…

Bringing Climate Change into the Life Science Classroom: Essentials, Impacts on Life, and Addressing Misconceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkins, Amy J.; Stark, Louisa A.

2016-01-01

Climate change is at the forefront of our cultural conversation about science, influencing everything from presidential debates to Leonardo DiCaprio's 2016 Oscar acceptance speech. The topic is becoming increasingly socially and scientifically relevant but is no closer to being resolved. Most high school students take a life science course but…

76 FR 10627 - Assumption Buster Workshop: Trust Anchors Are Invulnerable

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-25

.... The goal is to engage in robust debate of topics generally believed to be true to determine to what extent that claim is warranted. The adversarial nature of these debates is meant to ensure the threat...

Using Learning Modules for Instructor Neutrality in Ethical Quagmires: A Cross-Curricular Study in Academic Debate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Robert Lester

2014-01-01

The purpose of this disquisition is to add to the body of educational research through practitioner, quantitative, and qualitative inquiry on the topic of academic debate. In a three-tiered study, the author conducted research for this dissertation with the intent to examine argumentation and debate in higher education. The settings for this…

Losing Ground? Part 1: The Dimensions of Urban Sprawl. Know Your Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA.

This bulletin provides information on the issues surrounding urban sprawl. It is designed to offer information on the dimensions of sprawl and related policy debates. Some of the major debates include whether or not sprawl is a problem that even needs to be addressed. A summary of the major points of debated topics is included. (Contains 20…

Debating the Effectiveness and Necessity of Tenure in Pharmacy Education.

PubMed

Asbill, Scott; Moultry, Aisha Morris; Policastri, Anne; Sincak, Carrie A; Smith, Lisa S; Ulbrich, Timothy R

2016-08-25

Academic tenure is a controversial and highly debated topic. Is tenure truly outdated or does it simply need to be reformed? On one hand, the tenure system has shortcomings including deincentivizing productive faculty members, inconsistent application of tenure policies and procedures, and the potential for discrimination during tenure decisions. On the other hand, the tenure system is a long held tradition in the academy, essential in higher education to ensure academic standards and values are upheld in the best interest of students. It provides faculty members with the academic freedom to try innovative teaching strategies and conduct research and assists with faculty retention and recruitment. Regardless of one's opinion, the tenure debate is not going away and warrants further discussion. This paper represents the work of a group of academic leaders participating in the 2014-2015 AACP Academic Leadership Fellowship Program. This work was presented as a debate at the 2015 AACP Interim Meeting in Austin, TX in February 2015.

Debating the Effectiveness and Necessity of Tenure in Pharmacy Education

PubMed Central

Asbill, Scott; Moultry, Aisha Morris; Policastri, Anne; Sincak, Carrie A.; Smith, Lisa S.

2016-01-01

Academic tenure is a controversial and highly debated topic. Is tenure truly outdated or does it simply need to be reformed? On one hand, the tenure system has shortcomings including deincentivizing productive faculty members, inconsistent application of tenure policies and procedures, and the potential for discrimination during tenure decisions. On the other hand, the tenure system is a long held tradition in the academy, essential in higher education to ensure academic standards and values are upheld in the best interest of students. It provides faculty members with the academic freedom to try innovative teaching strategies and conduct research and assists with faculty retention and recruitment. Regardless of one’s opinion, the tenure debate is not going away and warrants further discussion. This paper represents the work of a group of academic leaders participating in the 2014-2015 AACP Academic Leadership Fellowship Program. This work was presented as a debate at the 2015 AACP Interim Meeting in Austin, TX in February 2015. PMID:27667831

MO-FG-BRB-02: Debater [medical physics education

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

Hazle, J.

Building on the energy and excitement of Washington DC in a presidential election year, AAPM will host its own Presidential Debate to better understand the views of the AAPM membership! Past presidents of the AAPM, Drs. Bayouth, Hazle, Herman, and Seibert, will debate hot topics in medical physics including issues facing education, professional practice, and the advancement of science. The moderators, Drs. Brock and Stern, will also draw in topics from Point-Counterpoint articles from the Medical Physics Journals. Wrapping up the debate, the audience will have the opportunity to question the candidates in a town hall format. At the conclusionmore » of this lively debate, the winner will be decided by the audience, so bring your Audience Response Units! Be part of Medical Physics - Decision 2016! Learning Objectives: Understand AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing medical physics education Learn AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing professional practice Identify AAPM members’ view and opinions on issues facing the advancement of science in medical physics J. Bayouth, Funding support from NCI;Scientific Advisory Board member - ViewRay.« less

MO-FG-BRB-00: AAPM Presidential Debate [medical physics education

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

NONE

Building on the energy and excitement of Washington DC in a presidential election year, AAPM will host its own Presidential Debate to better understand the views of the AAPM membership! Past presidents of the AAPM, Drs. Bayouth, Hazle, Herman, and Seibert, will debate hot topics in medical physics including issues facing education, professional practice, and the advancement of science. The moderators, Drs. Brock and Stern, will also draw in topics from Point-Counterpoint articles from the Medical Physics Journals. Wrapping up the debate, the audience will have the opportunity to question the candidates in a town hall format. At the conclusionmore » of this lively debate, the winner will be decided by the audience, so bring your Audience Response Units! Be part of Medical Physics - Decision 2016! Learning Objectives: Understand AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing medical physics education Learn AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing professional practice Identify AAPM members’ view and opinions on issues facing the advancement of science in medical physics J. Bayouth, Funding support from NCI;Scientific Advisory Board member - ViewRay.« less

MO-FG-BRB-04: Debater [Medical physics education

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

Seibert, J.

Building on the energy and excitement of Washington DC in a presidential election year, AAPM will host its own Presidential Debate to better understand the views of the AAPM membership! Past presidents of the AAPM, Drs. Bayouth, Hazle, Herman, and Seibert, will debate hot topics in medical physics including issues facing education, professional practice, and the advancement of science. The moderators, Drs. Brock and Stern, will also draw in topics from Point-Counterpoint articles from the Medical Physics Journals. Wrapping up the debate, the audience will have the opportunity to question the candidates in a town hall format. At the conclusionmore » of this lively debate, the winner will be decided by the audience, so bring your Audience Response Units! Be part of Medical Physics - Decision 2016! Learning Objectives: Understand AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing medical physics education Learn AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing professional practice Identify AAPM members’ view and opinions on issues facing the advancement of science in medical physics J. Bayouth, Funding support from NCI;Scientific Advisory Board member - ViewRay.« less

MO-FG-BRB-01: Debater [medical physics education

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

Bayouth, J.

Building on the energy and excitement of Washington DC in a presidential election year, AAPM will host its own Presidential Debate to better understand the views of the AAPM membership! Past presidents of the AAPM, Drs. Bayouth, Hazle, Herman, and Seibert, will debate hot topics in medical physics including issues facing education, professional practice, and the advancement of science. The moderators, Drs. Brock and Stern, will also draw in topics from Point-Counterpoint articles from the Medical Physics Journals. Wrapping up the debate, the audience will have the opportunity to question the candidates in a town hall format. At the conclusionmore » of this lively debate, the winner will be decided by the audience, so bring your Audience Response Units! Be part of Medical Physics - Decision 2016! Learning Objectives: Understand AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing medical physics education Learn AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing professional practice Identify AAPM members’ view and opinions on issues facing the advancement of science in medical physics J. Bayouth, Funding support from NCI;Scientific Advisory Board member - ViewRay.« less

MO-FG-BRB-03: Debater [medical physics education

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

Herman, M.

Building on the energy and excitement of Washington DC in a presidential election year, AAPM will host its own Presidential Debate to better understand the views of the AAPM membership! Past presidents of the AAPM, Drs. Bayouth, Hazle, Herman, and Seibert, will debate hot topics in medical physics including issues facing education, professional practice, and the advancement of science. The moderators, Drs. Brock and Stern, will also draw in topics from Point-Counterpoint articles from the Medical Physics Journals. Wrapping up the debate, the audience will have the opportunity to question the candidates in a town hall format. At the conclusionmore » of this lively debate, the winner will be decided by the audience, so bring your Audience Response Units! Be part of Medical Physics - Decision 2016! Learning Objectives: Understand AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing medical physics education Learn AAPM members’ views and opinions on issues facing professional practice Identify AAPM members’ view and opinions on issues facing the advancement of science in medical physics J. Bayouth, Funding support from NCI;Scientific Advisory Board member - ViewRay.« less

IMPORTANCE OF MOVEMENT VARIES IN STATIC AND DYNAMIC LANDSCAPES

EPA Science Inventory

The relative sensitivity of spatially explicit population models (SEPMs) to movement parameters is a topic of ongoing debate among theoretical ecologists. In this study, we add additional realism to this debate by examining a SEPM's sensitivity to dispersal ability in static vs....

76 FR 2151 - Assumption Buster Workshop: Defense-in-Depth is a Smart Investment for Cyber Security

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-12

... debate of topics generally believed to be true to determine to what extent that claim is warranted. The adversarial nature of these debates is meant to ensure the threat environment is reflected in the discussion...

Patterns and Trends in Achievement Gaps in Malaysian Secondary Schools (1999-2011): Gender, Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saw, Guan Kung

2016-01-01

Educational inequality is a highly debated yet empirically understudied topic in Malaysia. This paper examines the patterns and trends of academic achievement gaps by student social groups in Malaysia, drawing upon nationally representative data for the most recent four cohorts (1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011) of eighth-grade Malaysian students from…

An Instrument to Assess Beliefs about Standardized Testing: Measuring the Influence of Epistemology on the Endorsement of Standardized Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magee, Robert G.; Jones, Brett D.

2012-01-01

This article describes the development of an instrument to assess beliefs about standardized testing in schools, a topic of much heated debate. The Beliefs About Standardized Testing scale was developed to measure the extent to which individuals support high-stakes standardized testing. The 9-item scale comprises three subscales which measure…

Punishing Latina/o Youth: School Justice, Fairness, Order, Dropping Out, and Gender Disparities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peguero, Anthony A.; Bondy, Jennifer M.; Shekarkhar, Zahra

2017-01-01

Although Latina/o youth are one the fastest growing segments of the U.S. population, they face a number of educational hurdles, such as disproportionate school punishment and increased risk of dropping out of high school. This topic is particularly relevant today in the midst of the current social, political, and economic debate over the…

Regenerative Medicine Will Make Orthopaedic Implants Obsolete In Our Time Orthopaedic Research Society First Annual Meeting Debate, San Diego, March 21st , 2017.

PubMed

Johnstone, Brian; Jacobs, Joshua J; Sandell, Linda J; Wilkinson, J Mark

2018-05-10

The mission of the Orthopaedic Research Society is to promote and advance musculoskeletal research worldwide. With this in mind, the Annual Meeting Program Committee sought to establish a debate as a key component of the meeting. Our purpose was to provoke discussion on topics that are core to our mission and to engage all constituencies within the society by examining questions of broad relevance. To this end, the topic "Regenerative medicine will make orthopaedic implants obsolete in our time" was selected as the title of the inaugural debate. The arguments for and against the motion are presented in this perspectives article. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Utilizing Team Debate to Increase Student Abilities for Mentoring and Critical Appraisal of Global Health Care in Doctor of Nursing Practice Programs.

PubMed

Elliott, Naomi; Farnum, Karen; Beauchesne, Michelle

2016-01-01

Although graduates of doctor of nursing practice (DNP) programs are expected to demonstrate competence in advanced clinical scholarship, mentoring, and leadership, little is published about how team debate on a global health care topic supports DNP student learning and skill development. This article reports on an illuminative evaluation of DNP student learning experiences of team debate in the context of a 2-week international school program in Ireland. A focused illuminative evaluation approach involving a cohort of seven DNP students, who had participated in an international school team debate, was used. Data were collected using a Web-based qualitative questionnaire designed to elicit in-depth reflective accounts of DNP students' learning experiences. Content analysis revealed that team debate on a global health care topic enhanced learning in relation to fostering critical thinking and critical appraisal skills; encouraging teamwork; providing opportunities for mentoring, relationship building, and socialization into profession; and, from the DNP student perspective, increasing knowledge and global understanding of health care. This evaluation provides insights for nurse educators into the benefits of introducing team debate as a group activity to enhancing scholarly inquiry and mentoring skills of DNP students. Further research to evaluate team debate in other nurse education programs is needed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Market Rhetoric and the Ebonics Debate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Longaker, Mark Garrett

2005-01-01

Using a method of topical rhetorical analysis, inspired by K. Burke, to discuss the Ebonics debate, this article demonstrates that conversations about education, particularly writing instruction, have adopted a market rhetoric that limits teachers' agency. However, reappropriation of this market rhetoric can help writing teachers to imagine and…

Gun Control: The Debate and Public Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, Christine

1997-01-01

Provides an overview and background information on the debate over gun control, as well as several teaching ideas. Handouts include a list of related topics drawn from various disciplines (economics, U.S. history), seven arguments for and against gun control, and a set of policy evaluation guidelines. (MJP)

Discovery Learning: Zombie, Phoenix, or Elephant?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakker, Arthur

2018-01-01

Discovery learning continues to be a topic of heated debate. It has been called a zombie, and this special issue raises the question whether it may be a phoenix arising from the ashes to which the topic was burnt. However, in this commentary I propose it is more like an elephant--a huge topic approached by many people who address different…

A Purposeful Understanding of Homework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phares, Tim

2017-01-01

There has been a long standing debate over the purpose of homework; it has been a topic for educational reform, discussed in educational debates, and looked at as a means to improve student achievement (Foyle & Bailey, 1986; Gill & Schlossman, 2003; Xu, 2005; Fisher & Frey, 2008). Homework can cause frustration for students and…

Genetic Engineering--A Lesson on Bioethics for the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstrong, Kerri; Weber, Kurt

1991-01-01

A unit designed to cover the topic of genetic engineering and its ethical considerations is presented. Students are expected to learn the material while using a debate format. A list of objectives for the unit, the debate format, and the results from an opinion questionnaire are described. (KR)

Effective Uses of CSP Grant Funds in Tennessee Charter Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Andrew; Webb, Leigh

2013-01-01

The topic of educational spending and its connection to student achievement was long-debated before charter schools entered the conversation. With the rise in government spending on education, particularly charter school funding, the financial debate has strengthened and evoked much controversy. Though the Tennessee Department of Education (TNDOE)…

Oxford-Style Debates in a Microbiology Course for Majors: A Method for Delivering Content and Engaging Critical Thinking Skills †

PubMed Central

Boucaud, Dwayne W.; Nabel, Michael; Eggers, Christian H.

2013-01-01

Developing scientific expertise in the classroom involves promoting higher-order cognitive skills as well as content mastery. Effective use of constructivism can facilitate these outcomes. However this is often difficult to accomplish when delivery of content is paramount. Utilizing many of the tenets of constructivist pedagogy, we have designed an Oxford-style debate assignment to be used in an introductory microbiology course. Two teams of students were assigned a debatable topic within microbiology. Over a five-week period students completed an informative web page consisting of three parts: background on the topic, data-based positions for each side of the argument, and a data-based persuasive argument to support their assigned position. This was followed by an in-class presentation and debate. Analysis of student performance on knowledge-based questions shows that students retain debate-derived content acquired primarily outside of lectures significantly better than content delivered during a normal lecture. Importantly, students who performed poorly on the lecture-derived questions did as well on debate-derived questions as other students. Students also performed well on questions requiring higher-order cognitive skills and in synthesizing data-driven arguments in support of a position during the debate. Student perceptions of their knowledge-base in areas covered by the debate and their skills in using scientific databases and analyzing primary literature showed a significant increase in pre- and postassignment comparisons. Our data demonstrate that an Oxford-style debate can be used effectively to deliver relevant content, increase higher-order cognitive skills, and increase self-efficacy in science-specific skills, all contributing to developing expertise in the field. PMID:23858349

Topics for Debate: What's Really New about MOOCs?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romiszowski, Alexander J.

2013-01-01

For some time, this author had been planning to write a column about Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs). He hesitated, however, mainly because there had of late been so much written and published on this topic that is was difficult to see what could usefully be added. He does have strong feelings about the topic, which he would like to share…

Learning and Teaching Climate Science: The Perils of Consensus Knowledge Using Agnotology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Legates, David R.; Soon, Willie; Briggs, William M.

2013-08-01

Agnotology has been defined in a variety of ways including "the study of ignorance and its cultural production" and "the study of how and why ignorance or misunderstanding exists." More recently, however, it has been posited that agnotology should be used in the teaching of climate change science. But rather than use agnotology to enhance an understanding of the complicated nature of the complex Earth's climate, the particular aim is to dispel alternative viewpoints to the so-called consensus science. One-sided presentations of controversial topics have little place in the classroom as they serve only to stifle debate and do not further knowledge and enhance critical thinking. Students must understand not just what is known and why it is known to be true but also what remains unknown and where the limitations on scientific understanding lie. Fact recitation coupled with demonizing any position or person who disagrees with a singularly-derived conclusion has no place in education. Instead, all sides must be covered in highly debatable and important topics such as climate change, because authoritarian science never will have all the answers to such complex problems.

Challenges for an Interdisciplinary Consideration of Cognitive Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birney, Damian Patrick

2015-01-01

Whether fluid cognitive functions are malleable has been a topic of ongoing debate for at least the past 100 years. Ever-evolving technology has led to new and diverse fields of investigation entering this debate. There are significant advantages to be gained by integrating different scientific paradigms, but there are also significant challenges.…

Education in the Twenty-First Century.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazear, Edward P., Ed.

In this book, several Hoover Institution scholars search for the answers to failures in U.S. schools and examine the debate over what works and what does not work. Such widely debated topics as national examinations, accountability, performance, and school funding are discussed. The importance of education to both the individual and society as a…

Getting to First Base: Prima Facie Arguments for Propositions of Value.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuman, Joseph S.

1987-01-01

Argues that few clear standards exist for value debate. Defines values as instrumental or terminal, and identifies four prima facie burdens necessary for affirming a value resolution: value identification; value criteria; value hierarchy; and topicality through relevance. Examines the role of presumption and burden of proof in value debate. (MM)

Surface fuel treatments in young, regenerating stands affect wildfire severity in a mixed conifer forest, eastside Cascade Range, Washington, USA

Treesearch

Christina Lyons-Tinsley; David L. Peterson

2012-01-01

Previous studies have debated the flammability of young regenerating stands, especially those in a matrix of mature forest, and no consensus has emerged as to whether young stands are inherently prone to high-severity wildfire. This topic has recently been addressed using spatial imagery, and weak inferences were made given the scale mismatch between the coarse...

The Parental Perspective over the Use of iPads in Primary and Middle Years of Schooling: Issues for Pedagogical and Policy Debates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ismail, Abdullah; Cashin, Anthony

2017-01-01

Apple's iPad and other forms of tablet are reportedly gaining increasing popularity within the academic premises. Most of the published research on this topic has highly admired the positive role and impact of iPads on teaching and learning practices, as if an exogenous technological induction in any local context would essentially revolutionize…

User Participation and Participatory Design: Topics in Computing Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kautz, Karlheinz

1996-01-01

Discusses user participation and participatory design in the context of formal education for computing professionals. Topics include the current curriculum debate; mathematical- and engineering-based education; traditional system-development training; and an example of a course program that includes computers and society, and prototyping. (53…

At the Crossroads: Attention, Contingency Awareness, and Evaluative Conditioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blask, Katarina; Walther, Eva; Halbeisen, Georg; Weil, Rebecca

2012-01-01

Evaluative conditioning (EC) refers to changes in the evaluation of a conditioned stimulus (CS) due to its repeated pairing with an unconditioned stimulus (US). One of the most debated topics in EC research is whether or not EC is dependent on contingency awareness. In this study, we go beyond this debate by examining whether contingency awareness…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClish, Glen

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

The Moore Method and the Constructivist Theory of Learning: Was R. L. Moore a Constructivist?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Lida K.; Long, B. Vena

2012-01-01

Constructivism is currently a hotly debated topic, with proponents and opponents equally adamant and emotional with respect to their viewpoints. Many misconceptions exist on both sides of the debate, and misuses of terminology and attribution are rampant. Constructivism is a theory of learning, not a particular approach to instruction and not a…

The Future of the National Association of Scholars

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Peter

2012-01-01

The National Association of Scholars (NAS) today is focused more than ever on public controversies and on public tools of communication. Where once NAS members were primarily concerned with debates within the academy, now they are equally concerned with debates about the academy. If the topics they address have changed, so too have the means by…

For MADD, the Legal Drinking Age Is Not up for Debate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoover, Eric

2008-01-01

For the group Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the drinking age recently questioned by college presidents, is not a topic for debate. In August the organization publicly berated the Amethyst Initiative, a group of 100 presidents and chancellors who signed a statement urging legislators to revisit the law and to examine its effectiveness. The…

Popular misconceptions: agricultural biotechnology.

PubMed

McHughen, Alan; Wager, Robert

2010-12-31

Agricultural biotechnology, especially genetic engineering or genetic modification (GM), is a topic of considerable controversy worldwide. The public debate is fraught with polarized views and opinions, some are held with religious zeal. Unfortunately, it is also marked with much ignorance and misinformation. Here we explore some popular misconceptions encountered in the public debate. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exploring the Williams Syndrome Face-Processing Debate: The Importance of Building Developmental Trajectories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karmiloff-Smith, Annette; Thomas, Michael; Annaz, Dagmara; Humphreys, Kate; Ewing, Sandra; Brace, Nicola; Van Duuren, Mike; Pike, Graham; Grice, Sarah; Campbell, Ruth

2004-01-01

Background: Face processing in Williams syndrome (WS) has been a topic of heated debate over the past decade. Initial claims about a normally developing ("intact") face-processing module were challenged by data suggesting that individuals with WS used a different balance of cognitive processes from controls, even when their behavioural scores fell…

The 2009 Claremont Debates: The Promise and Pitfalls of Utilization-Focused and Empowerment Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donaldson, Stewart I.; Patton, Michael Q.; Fetterman, David M.; Scriven, Michael

2010-01-01

Background: Hundreds of evaluators visit the Claremont Colleges in southern California each year to discuss a wide range of topics related to improving the quality of evaluation practice. Debates between thought leaders in the field have been one of the most popular and informative ways to advance understanding about how best to practice…

Using Debate to Teach Pharmacy Students About Ethical Issues

PubMed Central

Hanna, Lezley-Anne; Barry, Johanne; Donnelly, Ryan; Hughes, Fiona; Jones, David; Laverty, Garry; Parsons, Carole; Ryan, Cristin

2014-01-01

Objective. To create, implement, and evaluate debate as a method of teaching pharmacy undergraduate students about ethical issues. Design. Debate workshops with 5 hours of contact with student peers and facilitators and 5 hours of self-study were developed for second-year pharmacy students. Student development of various skills and understanding of the topic were assessed by staff members and student peers. Assessment. One hundred fifty students completed the workshops. The mean score for debating was 25.9 out of 30, with scores ranging from 23.2 to 28.7. Seventy percent of students agreed that the debates were a useful teaching method in the degree program. Conclusion. A series of workshops using debates effectively delivered course content on ethical issues and resulted in pharmacy students developing skills such as teamwork, peer assessment, communication, and critical evaluation. These findings suggest that pharmacy students respond favorably to a program using debates as a teaching tool. PMID:24761018

Using debate to teach pharmacy students about ethical issues.

PubMed

Hanna, Lezley-Anne; Barry, Johanne; Donnelly, Ryan; Hughes, Fiona; Jones, David; Laverty, Garry; Parsons, Carole; Ryan, Cristin

2014-04-17

To create, implement, and evaluate debate as a method of teaching pharmacy undergraduate students about ethical issues. Debate workshops with 5 hours of contact with student peers and facilitators and 5 hours of self-study were developed for second-year pharmacy students. Student development of various skills and understanding of the topic were assessed by staff members and student peers. One hundred fifty students completed the workshops. The mean score for debating was 25.9 out of 30, with scores ranging from 23.2 to 28.7. Seventy percent of students agreed that the debates were a useful teaching method in the degree program. A series of workshops using debates effectively delivered course content on ethical issues and resulted in pharmacy students developing skills such as teamwork, peer assessment, communication, and critical evaluation. These findings suggest that pharmacy students respond favorably to a program using debates as a teaching tool.

Debate: The concept of culture has outlived its usefulness for psychiatry.

PubMed

Rashed, Mohammed A; Bingham, Rachel; Poole, Norman A; Sanati, Abdi; van Staden, Werdie

2018-04-01

This paper presents a debate in which the authors participated at the World Psychiatric Association conference in Cape Town, South Africa in November 2016. Professor van Staden acted as chair and here, as at the debate, provides a rationale for debating a topic that many of those involved in mental health believe to be decided. The discussion that ensued demonstrated, however, that while the arguments have moved on they have not ceased. Who won? Well that depends how you look at it. A few in the audience shifted position towards the motion but the majority remained opposed. What do you think? Declaration of interest None.

Debate: Open radical prostatectomy vs. laparoscopic vs. robotic.

PubMed

Nelson, Joel B

2007-01-01

Surgical removal of clinically localized prostate cancer remains the most definitive treatment for the disease. The emergence of laparoscopic and robotic radical prostatectomy (RP) as alternatives to open RP has generated considerable discussion about the real and relative merits of each approach. Such was the topic of a debate that took place during the 2006 Society of Urologic Oncology meeting. The participants were Dr. William Catalona, Northwestern University, advocating for open RP, Dr. Betrand Guillonneau, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center advocating for laparoscopic RP, and Dr. Mani Menon, Henry Ford Hospital, advocating for robotic RP. The debate was moderated by Dr. Joel Nelson, University of Pittsburgh. This paper summarizes that debate.

Academic Debate: Publications Which Promote Political Agendas Have no Place in Scientific and Medical Journals, and Academics Should Refrain from Publishing in Such Journals.

PubMed

Glick, Shimon; Clarfield, A Mark; Strous, Rael D; Horton, Richard

2015-01-01

This paper presents the full debate held on October 1, 2014, which focused on the following resolution: "Publications which promote political agendas have no place in scientific and medical journals, and academics should refrain from publishing in such journals." The debate moderator was Professor Shimon Glick. Taking the pro stance was Professor A. Mark Clarfield; the con stance was held by Professor Rael D. Strous. Following the first part of the debate, Dr Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet, gave his thoughts on the topic. This was followed by the opportunity for rebuttal by Professors Clarfield and Strous. The debate was summarized and closed by Professor Glick. This paper provides a slightly edited text of the debate, for ease of reading.

Academic Debate: Publications Which Promote Political Agendas Have no Place in Scientific and Medical Journals, and Academics Should Refrain from Publishing in Such Journals

PubMed Central

Glick, Shimon; Clarfield, A. Mark; Strous, Rael D.; Horton, Richard

2015-01-01

This paper presents the full debate held on October 1, 2014, which focused on the following resolution: “Publications which promote political agendas have no place in scientific and medical journals, and academics should refrain from publishing in such journals.” The debate moderator was Professor Shimon Glick. Taking the pro stance was Professor A. Mark Clarfield; the con stance was held by Professor Rael D. Strous. Following the first part of the debate, Dr Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet, gave his thoughts on the topic. This was followed by the opportunity for rebuttal by Professors Clarfield and Strous. The debate was summarized and closed by Professor Glick. This paper provides a slightly edited text of the debate, for ease of reading. PMID:25717385

Who has Australia's most-followed Twitter accounts in health and medicine?

PubMed

Chapman, Simon; Freeman, Becky

2015-07-09

Twitter is a social media platform that can be used by people working in health and medicine to distribute information, advocate, debate and network with large numbers of other users. We set out to determine the top 10 Australian Twitter accounts in four categories, ranked by number of Twitter followers. We extracted names with high follower volumes from 'lists' of health and medical Twitter accounts, and then 'crowdsourced' on Twitter for names that were not included on those lists. Individuals tweeting on single-issue topics (especially sugar, nutrition and fitness), health institutions, and people working in the media had higher Twitter followings and lower tweet-to-follower ratios than those tweeting on mixed health topics. Tweeting pictures was nominated by several as a way of attracting retweets. Highly followed Twitter users expressed a variety of benefits of using Twitter.

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Healey, Ruth L.

2012-01-01

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

Is the Information about a Test Important? Applying the Methods of Evidence-Based Medicine to the Clinical Examination of Swallowing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenbek, John C.; McCullough, Gary H.; Wertz, Robert T.

2004-01-01

A hotly debated topic in oropharyngeal dysphagia is the Clinical Swallowing Examination's (CSE) importance in clinical practice. That debate can profit from the application of evidence-based medicine's (EBM) principles and procedures. These can guide both appropriate data collection and interpretation as will be demonstrated in the present report.…

In Two Minds?--Parental Attitudes toward Physical Punishment in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bunting, Lisa; Webb, Mary Anne; Healy, Julie

2010-01-01

Since the Millennium, the use of physical punishment in the home has been a widely debated topic across the UK. Reliance on public opinion has been an important feature of this debate with a variety of UK surveys showing that many find physical punishment acceptable and do not support a complete ban on smacking. Drawing on the results from a…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2012-01-01

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

An Exploration of the Micropolitics of Instructional Supervision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kreinbucher, Charles E.

2016-01-01

Instructional supervision has been one of the most researched, and debated topics in education in the last several decades. It continues to be a topic of relevance, especially in Pennsylvania, where the 2013-2014 school year began with the introduction of the teacher supervision and evaluation framework, Act 82 of 2012 (PSBA, 2013). Instructional…

Academic Freedom Should Be Redefined: Point and Counterpoint.

PubMed

Woods, Tonja M; Acosta, W Renee'; Chung, Eunice P; Cox, Arthur G; Garcia, George A; Klucken, Jamie Ridley; Chisholm-Burns, Marie

2016-11-25

As part of the 2014-15 Academic Leadership Fellows Program, the cohort teams presented debates on topics relevant to academic pharmacy at a public forum during the 2015 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Interim Meeting. The topic of one of the debates was "Academic Freedom Should Be Redefined." The "point" of the debate focused on important issues such as the fundamental definition of academic freedom as it was written in the 1940 American Association of University Professors' Statement and the need for redefinition as a consequence of many misunderstandings and misinterpretations that have arisen over time. The "counterpoint" received the greatest support, and it asserted that redefinition is not necessary, but rather the need is to clearly articulate the intended meaning of academic freedom through education, discussion, and by not supporting inappropriate behaviors in the name of "academic freedom." Reinforced clarity and operational guidance from the academy and academic institutions may add further clarification and may be the best approach to address the concerns related to academic freedom.

Towards a richer debate on tissue engineering: a consideration on the basis of NEST-ethics.

PubMed

Oerlemans, A J M; van Hoek, M E C; van Leeuwen, E; van der Burg, S; Dekkers, W J M

2013-09-01

In their 2007 paper, Swierstra and Rip identify characteristic tropes and patterns of moral argumentation in the debate about the ethics of new and emerging science and technologies (or "NEST-ethics"). Taking their NEST-ethics structure as a starting point, we considered the debate about tissue engineering (TE), and argue what aspects we think ought to be a part of a rich and high-quality debate of TE. The debate surrounding TE seems to be predominantly a debate among experts. When considering the NEST-ethics arguments that deal directly with technology, we can generally conclude that consequentialist arguments are by far the most prominently featured in discussions of TE. In addition, many papers discuss principles, rights and duties relevant to aspects of TE, both in a positive and in a critical sense. Justice arguments are only sporadically made, some "good life" arguments are used, others less so (such as the explicit articulation of perceived limits, or the technology as a technological fix for a social problem). Missing topics in the discussion, at least from the perspective of NEST-ethics, are second "level" arguments-those referring to techno-moral change connected to tissue engineering. Currently, the discussion about tissue engineering mostly focuses on its so-called "hard impacts"-quantifiable risks and benefits of the technology. Its "soft impacts"-effects that cannot easily be quantified, such as changes to experience, habits and perceptions, should receive more attention.

Voices from a Small Discipline: How the Australian Vocational Education and Training Discipline Made Sense of Journal Rankings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Erica

2014-01-01

The topic of quality rankings of academic journals generated a great deal of debate and opinion in Australia during their time at the forefront of interest in the mid-to-late 2000s. However, there has been little empirical research to inform the debate. This paper reports on and analyses the journal ranking experiences of one small…

Experiences of Teaching the Heat Energy Topic in English as a Second Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halim, Lilia; Dahlan, Fathiyah; Treagust, David F.; Chandrasegaran, A. L.

2012-01-01

In view of the current debate in Malaysia about the teaching of science and mathematics in English, a qualitative study was undertaken involving a purposeful sampling of three non-physics teachers to ascertain how well equipped they were with the necessary pedagogical content knowledge relating to the teaching of the topic of "heat…

Forest restoration is forward thinking

Treesearch

R. Kasten Dumroese; Brian J. Palik; John A. Stanturf

2015-01-01

It is not surprising to us that the topic of forest restoration is being discussed in the Journal of Forestry. It is a topic frequently bantered about in the literature; a quick search in Google Scholar for "forest restoration" generates more than 1 million hits. A significant portion of the debate centers on the search for succinct, holistic, universally...

Big-Brained People are Smarter: A Meta-Analysis of the Relationship between In Vivo Brain Volume and Intelligence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDaniel, Michael A.

2005-01-01

The relationship between brain volume and intelligence has been a topic of a scientific debate since at least the 1830s. To address the debate, a meta-analysis of the relationship between in vivo brain volume and intelligence was conducted. Based on 37 samples across 1530 people, the population correlation was estimated at 0.33. The correlation is…

Identifying Topics in Microblogs Using Wikipedia.

PubMed

Yıldırım, Ahmet; Üsküdarlı, Suzan; Özgür, Arzucan

2016-01-01

Twitter is an extremely high volume platform for user generated contributions regarding any topic. The wealth of content created at real-time in massive quantities calls for automated approaches to identify the topics of the contributions. Such topics can be utilized in numerous ways, such as public opinion mining, marketing, entertainment, and disaster management. Towards this end, approaches to relate single or partial posts to knowledge base items have been proposed. However, in microblogging systems like Twitter, topics emerge from the culmination of a large number of contributions. Therefore, identifying topics based on collections of posts, where individual posts contribute to some aspect of the greater topic is necessary. Models, such as Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), propose algorithms for relating collections of posts to sets of keywords that represent underlying topics. In these approaches, figuring out what the specific topic(s) the keyword sets represent remains as a separate task. Another issue in topic detection is the scope, which is often limited to specific domain, such as health. This work proposes an approach for identifying domain-independent specific topics related to sets of posts. In this approach, individual posts are processed and then aggregated to identify key tokens, which are then mapped to specific topics. Wikipedia article titles are selected to represent topics, since they are up to date, user-generated, sophisticated articles that span topics of human interest. This paper describes the proposed approach, a prototype implementation, and a case study based on data gathered during the heavily contributed periods corresponding to the four US election debates in 2012. The manually evaluated results (0.96 precision) and other observations from the study are discussed in detail.

Identifying Topics in Microblogs Using Wikipedia

PubMed Central

Yıldırım, Ahmet; Üsküdarlı, Suzan; Özgür, Arzucan

2016-01-01

Twitter is an extremely high volume platform for user generated contributions regarding any topic. The wealth of content created at real-time in massive quantities calls for automated approaches to identify the topics of the contributions. Such topics can be utilized in numerous ways, such as public opinion mining, marketing, entertainment, and disaster management. Towards this end, approaches to relate single or partial posts to knowledge base items have been proposed. However, in microblogging systems like Twitter, topics emerge from the culmination of a large number of contributions. Therefore, identifying topics based on collections of posts, where individual posts contribute to some aspect of the greater topic is necessary. Models, such as Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), propose algorithms for relating collections of posts to sets of keywords that represent underlying topics. In these approaches, figuring out what the specific topic(s) the keyword sets represent remains as a separate task. Another issue in topic detection is the scope, which is often limited to specific domain, such as health. This work proposes an approach for identifying domain-independent specific topics related to sets of posts. In this approach, individual posts are processed and then aggregated to identify key tokens, which are then mapped to specific topics. Wikipedia article titles are selected to represent topics, since they are up to date, user-generated, sophisticated articles that span topics of human interest. This paper describes the proposed approach, a prototype implementation, and a case study based on data gathered during the heavily contributed periods corresponding to the four US election debates in 2012. The manually evaluated results (0.96 precision) and other observations from the study are discussed in detail. PMID:26991442

Perceived emotion suppression and culture: Effects on psychological well-being.

PubMed

Kwon, Heewon; Kim, Young-Hoon

2018-04-03

Whether the negative effects of emotion suppression on psychological well-being are applicable cross-culturally is a long-debated topic. The present study attempted to shed light on this debate, focusing on the effects of perceived emotion suppression and examining the psychological processes leading from perceived emotion suppression to lower psychological well-being. We used a scale manipulation to lead 196 American and 213 Chinese participants to perceive themselves as having suppressed their emotions to a greater or lesser extent and then measured their life satisfaction. As expected, both the American and Chinese participants reported lower life satisfaction in the high-suppression condition than in the low-suppression condition; this negative effect was mediated by positive affect and moderated by self-esteem. Specifically, perceived high emotion suppression decreased positive affect, which in turn led to lower well-being. This effect was observed only for those with low self-esteem, but the patterns and mechanisms were consistent cross-culturally. © 2018 International Union of Psychological Science.

A blessing and a curse: is high NK cell activity good for health and bad for reproduction?

PubMed

Templer, Sophie; Sacks, Gavin

2016-09-01

Few topics in recent reproductive medicine have been the subject of as much controversy, media attention and passionate debate as natural killer (NK) cells and their role in reproductive failure. The question of whether elevated NK cell levels are a cause of infertility and pregnancy loss, and whether they provide a potential target for therapy to improve reproductive outcomes, lacks a definitive answer. It is clear, however, that a significant number of women with reproductive failure have abnormal NK cell parameters reflecting high immunological activity. Amongst all the debate, the wider implications of NK cell overactivity - and attempts to suppress it - have not yet been considered. The literature suggests that although elevated NK cell activity may not be conducive to reproduction, it could in fact be beneficial in other areas of health and disease such as cancer and infection. Further research is needed to determine whether this hypothesis holds true in women with NK cell-related reproductive failure.

Context and Capabilities: Tensions between Managers' and Teachers' Views of Advanced Skills in VET

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Teressa

2017-01-01

The concept of "advanced skills" for vocational education and training (VET) teachers is a little-debated topic in the discourse about quality in Australian VET, yet arguably what makes for a "good" VET teacher ought to be a prominent issue. There has however, been some sporadic interest in the topic with Mitchell, in…

Tonsillitis: MedlinePlus Health Topic

MedlinePlus

... Library of Medicine) Article: The debate continues: a prospective, randomised, single-blind study comparing Coblation... Article: Overnight in-hospital observation following tonsillectomy: retrospective study of post-operative intervention. Article: Immune thrombocytopenia ...

"Banned from the streets I have paid to use": an analysis of Australian print media coverage of proposals for passenger and night driving restrictions for young drivers.

PubMed

Blows, S; Ivers, R Q; Chapman, S

2005-10-01

To catalogue arguments that can be anticipated in public debate when passenger and night driving restrictions are being advocated. Frame analysis of all relevant coverage of these topics in Australian print media during the three month period between June and September 2004 when intensive debate on the topic occurred. Debating frames used in reports and commentary on passenger and night driving restrictions. There were 52 relevant articles published containing seven distinct frames supporting the restrictions and six opposing them. Overall, more instances of frames supporting the restrictions were published; these mostly focused on the potential for saving lives. Opposition to the restrictions focused largely on their inappropriateness as a road safety measure as well as on the importance of young people's autonomy and freedom. Advocates of passenger and night driving restrictions have a number of arguments available to advance their case; however, it is important to anticipate and address possible counter arguments. Future research should address the saliency of different arguments to the public and key decision makers in government.

Academic Freedom Should Be Redefined: Point and Counterpoint

PubMed Central

Acosta, W. Renee’; Chung, Eunice P.; Cox, Arthur G.; Garcia, George A.; Klucken, Jamie Ridley; Chisholm-Burns, Marie

2016-01-01

As part of the 2014-15 Academic Leadership Fellows Program, the cohort teams presented debates on topics relevant to academic pharmacy at a public forum during the 2015 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Interim Meeting. The topic of one of the debates was “Academic Freedom Should Be Redefined.” The “point” of the debate focused on important issues such as the fundamental definition of academic freedom as it was written in the 1940 American Association of University Professors’ Statement and the need for redefinition as a consequence of many misunderstandings and misinterpretations that have arisen over time. The “counterpoint” received the greatest support, and it asserted that redefinition is not necessary, but rather the need is to clearly articulate the intended meaning of academic freedom through education, discussion, and by not supporting inappropriate behaviors in the name of “academic freedom.” Reinforced clarity and operational guidance from the academy and academic institutions may add further clarification and may be the best approach to address the concerns related to academic freedom. PMID:28090095

Varsity Medical Ethics Debate 2015: should nootropic drugs be available under prescription on the NHS?

PubMed

Thorley, Emma; Kang, Isaac; D'Costa, Stephanie; Vlazaki, Myrto; Ayeko, Olaoluwa; Arbe-Barnes, Edward H; Swerner, Casey B

2016-09-13

The 2015 Varsity Medical Ethics debate convened upon the motion: "This house believes nootropic drugs should be available under prescription". This annual debate between students from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, now in its seventh year, provided the starting point for arguments on the subject. The present article brings together and extends many of the arguments put forward during the debate. We explore the current usage of nootropic drugs, their safety and whether it would be beneficial to individuals and society as a whole for them to be available under prescription. The Varsity Medical Debate was first held in 2008 with the aim of allowing students to engage in discussion about ethics and policy within healthcare. The event is held annually and it is hoped that this will allow future leaders to voice a perspective on the arguments behind topics that will feature heavily in future healthcare and science policy. This year the Oxford University Medical Society at the Oxford Union hosted the debate.

Poor commissioning discussed in depth.

PubMed

Towse, Bob; Whitby, Robin; Wignall, Stephen; Barrass, Chris; Newman, Alan; Shaw, Christopher; Johnston-Stuart, Chris; James, Chris

2014-05-01

Last October's Healthcare Estates 2013 conference saw one of the first day's 'Engineering' sessions debate the topic, 'Why do so many buildings disappoint their owners and occupants?' Much of the discussion centered on the problems caused by 'inadequate management of the commissioning process'. A roundtable debate jointly staged recently in London by IHEEM and the B&ES, the leading U.K. trade association for building services engineering contractors, took the debate forward. As HEJ editor, Jonathan Baillie reports, the discussions confirmed that one of the key contributors to poor commissioning is a failure to involve specialist building services contractors sufficiently early. It was also agreed that finding a really effective 'client-side' project manager, with the panoply of skills and experience the role requires, can be 'a tough ask'. In this issue of HEJ we report on the debate's first 'half'; in June's edition, we will cover 'part two' of a lively, forthright, and positive debate.

Money, Sociability and Happiness: Are Developed Countries Doomed to Social Erosion and Unhappiness? Time-Series Analysis of Social Capital and Subjective Well-Being in Western Europe, Australia, Canada and Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarracino, Francesco

2012-01-01

Discovering whether social capital endowments in modern societies have been subjected or not to a process of gradual erosion is one of the most debated topics in recent economic literature. Inaugurated by Putnam's pioneering studies, the debate on social capital trends has been recently revived by Stevenson and Wolfers (2008) contending…

Introduction to the Special Section on Racial and Ethnic Identity in Counseling Psychology: Conceptual and Methodological Challenges and Proposed Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ponterotto, Joseph G.; Mallinckrodt, Brent

2007-01-01

Racial and ethnic identity development have been important topics in counseling psychology research for the last four decades. At present, however, there appears to be some confusion and debate regarding the quality of theory and measurement in the topical area. The present article serves as an introduction to this Journal of Counseling Psychology…

Partnering at the National Laboratories: Catalysis as a Case Study

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

JACKSON,NANCY B.

1999-09-14

The role of the national laboratories, particularly the defense program laboratories, since the end of the cold war, has been a topic of continuing debate. The relationship of national laboratories to industry spurred debate which ranged from designating the labs as instrumental to maintaining U.S. economic competitiveness to concern over the perception of corporate welfare to questions regarding the industrial globalization and the possibility of U.S. taxpayer dollars supporting foreign entities. Less debated, but equally important, has been the national laboratories' potential competition with academia for federal research dollars and discussions detailing the role of each in the national researchmore » enterprise.« less

Circumcision policy: A psychosocial perspective.

PubMed

Goldman, Ronald

2004-11-01

The debate about the advisability of circumcision in English-speaking countries has typically focused on the potential health factors. The position statements of committees from national medical organizations are expected to be evidence-based; however, the contentiousness of the ongoing debate suggests that other factors are involved. Various potential factors related to psychology, sociology, religion and culture may also underlie policy decisions. These factors could affect the values and attitudes of medical committee members, the process of evaluating the medical literature and the medical literature itself. Although medical professionals highly value rationality, it can be difficult to conduct a rational and objective evaluation of an emotional and controversial topic such as circumcision. A negotiated compromise between polarized committee factions could introduce additional psychosocial factors. These possibilities are speculative, not conclusive. It is recommended that an open discussion of psychosocial factors take place and that the potential biases of committee members be recognized.

Political Minimalism and Social Debates: The Case of Human-Enhancement Technologies.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Alcázar, Javier

2017-09-01

A faulty understanding of the relationship between morality and politics encumbers many contemporary debates on human enhancement. As a result, some ethical reflections on enhancement undervalue its social dimensions, while some social approaches to the topic lack normative import. In this essay, I use my own conception of the relationship between ethics and politics, which I call "political minimalism," in order to support and strengthen the existing social perspectives on human-enhancement technologies.

Should the Federal Government Implement a Program Which Guarantees Employment Opportunities for All U.S. Citizens in the Labor Force? Inter-Collegiate Debate Topic, 1978-1979, Pursuant to Public Law 88-246.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roth, Dennis M.

This is a compilation of selected articles and a bibliography on the 1978-79 intercollegiate debate proposition: Resolved, that the Federal Government should implement a program which guarantees employment opportunities for all U.S. citizens in the labor force. The introduction briefly reviews the United States post-World War II history of…

Use of a Policy Debate to Teach Residents About Health Care Reform

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Vu Q. C; Hirsch, Mark A

2011-01-01

Background Resident education involves didactics and pedagogic strategies using a variety of tools and technologies in order to improve critical thinking skills. Debating is used in educational settings to improve critical thinking skills, but there have been no reports of its use in residency education. The present paper describes the use of debate to teach resident physicians about health care reform. Objective We aimed to describe the method of using a debate in graduate medical education. Methods Second-year through fourth-year physical medicine and rehabilitation residents participated in a moderated policy debate in which they deliberated whether the United States has one of the “best health care system(s) in the world.” Following the debate, the participants completed an unvalidated open-ended questionnaire about health care reform. Results Although residents expressed initial concerns about participating in a public debate on health care reform, all faculty and residents expressed that the debate was robust, animated, and enjoyed by all. Components of holding a successful debate on health care reform were noted to be: (1) getting “buy-in” from the resident physicians; (2) preparing the debate; and (3) follow-up. Conclusion The debate facilitated the study of a large, complex topic like health care reform. It created an active learning process. It encouraged learners to keenly attend to an opposing perspective while enthusiastically defending their position. We conclude that the use of debates as a teaching tool in resident education is valuable and should be explored further. PMID:22942966

Use of a policy debate to teach residents about health care reform.

PubMed

Nguyen, Vu Q C; Hirsch, Mark A

2011-09-01

Resident education involves didactics and pedagogic strategies using a variety of tools and technologies in order to improve critical thinking skills. Debating is used in educational settings to improve critical thinking skills, but there have been no reports of its use in residency education. The present paper describes the use of debate to teach resident physicians about health care reform. We aimed to describe the method of using a debate in graduate medical education. Second-year through fourth-year physical medicine and rehabilitation residents participated in a moderated policy debate in which they deliberated whether the United States has one of the "best health care system(s) in the world." Following the debate, the participants completed an unvalidated open-ended questionnaire about health care reform. Although residents expressed initial concerns about participating in a public debate on health care reform, all faculty and residents expressed that the debate was robust, animated, and enjoyed by all. Components of holding a successful debate on health care reform were noted to be: (1) getting "buy-in" from the resident physicians; (2) preparing the debate; and (3) follow-up. The debate facilitated the study of a large, complex topic like health care reform. It created an active learning process. It encouraged learners to keenly attend to an opposing perspective while enthusiastically defending their position. We conclude that the use of debates as a teaching tool in resident education is valuable and should be explored further.

The Influence of Nutrition Labeling and Point-of-Purchase Information on Food Behaviours.

PubMed

Volkova, Ekaterina; Ni Mhurchu, Cliona

2015-03-01

Point-of-purchase information on packaged food has been a highly debated topic. Various types of nutrition labels and point-of-purchase information have been studied to determine their ability to attract consumers' attention, be well understood and promote healthy food choices. Country-specific regulatory and monitoring frameworks have been implemented to ensure reliability and accuracy of such information. However, the impact of such information on consumers' behaviour remains contentious. This review summarizes recent evidence on the real-world effectiveness of nutrition labels and point-of-purchase information.

Barriers to providing the sexuality education that teachers believe students need.

PubMed

Eisenberg, Marla E; Madsen, Nikki; Oliphant, Jennifer A; Sieving, Renee E

2013-05-01

Sexuality education teachers' perspectives are important to gain a full understanding of the issues surrounding teaching this subject. This study uses a statewide sample of public school teachers to examine what sexuality education content is taught, what barriers teachers face, and which barriers are associated with teaching specific topics. Participants included 368 middle and high school teachers with sexuality education assignments in Minnesota. Survey data included topics they teach, what they think they should teach, and barriers they face. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between barriers and teaching each of 9 sexual health topics, among those who believed the topic should be taught. Almost two thirds of participants faced structural barriers; 45% were concerned about parent, student, or administrator response; and one quarter reported restrictive policies. Structural barriers were inversely associated with teaching about communication (OR = 0.20), teen parenting (OR = 0.34), and abortion (OR = 0.32); concerns about responses were associated only with teaching about sexual violence (OR = 0.42); and restrictive policies were inversely associated with teaching about abortion (OR = 0.23) and sexual orientation (OR = 0.47). Addressing teachers' barriers requires a multipronged approach, including curriculum development and evaluation, training, and reframing the policy debate to support a wider range of sexuality education topics. © 2013, American School Health Association.

Best Practice for Developmental Stuttering: Balancing Evidence and Expertise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrd, Courtney T.; Donaher, Joseph

2018-01-01

Purpose: Best practice for developmental stuttering remains a topic of debate. In the clinical forum following the introduction, four fluency experts balance the evidence and expertise to describe their approach to assessment and treatment.

How to Reduce Solid Waste.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martins, George; Clapp, Leallyn B.

1974-01-01

Discusses the problem of solid waste disposal in the United States, suggests ways in which solid wastes might be reduced, and proposes a number of related topics for student debate in classes or in science clubs. (JR)

Best Practice for Developmental Stuttering: Balancing Evidence and Expertise.

PubMed

Byrd, Courtney T; Donaher, Joseph

2018-01-09

Best practice for developmental stuttering remains a topic of debate. In the clinical forum following this introduction, four fluency experts balance the evidence and expertise to describe their approach to assessment and treatment.

Adult Education and the Elderly. Case Studies from Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe. Background Materials. The Literacy Debate. General Discussion. Literacy and Women. Literacy and Health-Programmes. Adult Education and Development. Number 24.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adult Education and Development, 1985

1985-01-01

This journal issue contains 18 solicited articles on two major topics: adult education and the elderly, and the literacy debate. The articles on adult education and the elderly include "A Ripe Old Age," republished from a newsletter of the British aid organization OXFAM; "Special Programme for Retirees: A Model Project in Cali, Colombia," by…

The 2014 Varsity Medical Ethics Debate: should we allow genetic information to be patented?

PubMed

Metcalfe, Kiloran H M; Worsley, Calum A; Swerner, Casey B; Sinha, Devan; Solanki, Ravi; Ravi, Krithi; Dattani, Raj S

2015-05-20

The 2014 Varsity Medical Ethics debate convened upon the motion: "This house believes that genetic information should not be commoditised". This annual debate between students from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, now in its sixth year, provided the starting point for arguments on the subject. The present article brings together and extends many of the arguments put forward during the debate. We explore the circumstances under which genetic material should be considered patentable, the possible effects of this on the research and development of novel therapeutics, and the need for clear guidelines within this rapidly developing field.The Varsity Medical Debate was first held in 2008 with the aim of allowing students to engage in discussion about ethics and policy within healthcare. Two Oxford medical students, Mahiben Maruthappu and Sanjay Budheo founded the event. The event is held annually and it is hoped that this will allow future leaders to voice a perspective on the arguments behind topics that will feature heavily in future healthcare and science policy. This year the Oxford University Medical Society at the Oxford Union hosted the debate.

"Banned from the streets I have paid to use": an analysis of Australian print media coverage of proposals for passenger and night driving restrictions for young drivers

PubMed Central

Blows, S; Ivers, R; Chapman, S

2005-01-01

Objective: To catalogue arguments that can be anticipated in public debate when passenger and night driving restrictions are being advocated. Design and setting: Frame analysis of all relevant coverage of these topics in Australian print media during the three month period between June and September 2004 when intensive debate on the topic occurred. Main outcome measures: Debating frames used in reports and commentary on passenger and night driving restrictions. Results: There were 52 relevant articles published containing seven distinct frames supporting the restrictions and six opposing them. Overall, more instances of frames supporting the restrictions were published; these mostly focused on the potential for saving lives. Opposition to the restrictions focused largely on their inappropriateness as a road safety measure as well as on the importance of young people's autonomy and freedom. Conclusions: Advocates of passenger and night driving restrictions have a number of arguments available to advance their case; however, it is important to anticipate and address possible counter arguments. Future research should address the saliency of different arguments to the public and key decision makers in government. PMID:16203840

Quality versus Quantity Debate in Swimming: Perceptions and Training Practices of Expert Swimming Coaches.

PubMed

Nugent, Frank J; Comyns, Thomas M; Warrington, Giles D

2017-06-01

The debate over low-volume, high-intensity training versus high-volume, low-intensity training, commonly known as Quality versus Quantity, respectively, is a frequent topic of discussion among swimming coaches and academics. The aim of this study was to explore expert coaches' perceptions of quality and quantity coaching philosophies in competitive swimming and to investigate their current training practices. A purposeful sample of 11 expert swimming coaches was recruited for this study. The study was a mixed methods design and involved each coach participating in 1 semi-structured interview and completing 1 closed-ended questionnaire. The main findings of this study were that coaches felt quality training programmes would lead to short term results for youth swimmers, but were in many cases more appropriate for senior swimmers. The coaches suggested that quantity training programmes built an aerobic base for youth swimmers, promoted technical development through a focus on slower swimming and helped to enhance recovery from training or competition. However, the coaches continuously suggested that quantity training programmes must be performed with good technique and they felt this was a misunderstood element. This study was a critical step towards gaining a richer and broader understanding on the debate over Quality versus Quantity training from an expert swimming coaches' perspective which was not currently available in the research literature.

Quality versus Quantity Debate in Swimming: Perceptions and Training Practices of Expert Swimming Coaches

PubMed Central

Nugent, Frank J; Comyns, Thomas M; Warrington, Giles D

2017-01-01

Abstract The debate over low-volume, high-intensity training versus high-volume, low-intensity training, commonly known as Quality versus Quantity, respectively, is a frequent topic of discussion among swimming coaches and academics. The aim of this study was to explore expert coaches’ perceptions of quality and quantity coaching philosophies in competitive swimming and to investigate their current training practices. A purposeful sample of 11 expert swimming coaches was recruited for this study. The study was a mixed methods design and involved each coach participating in 1 semi-structured interview and completing 1 closed-ended questionnaire. The main findings of this study were that coaches felt quality training programmes would lead to short term results for youth swimmers, but were in many cases more appropriate for senior swimmers. The coaches suggested that quantity training programmes built an aerobic base for youth swimmers, promoted technical development through a focus on slower swimming and helped to enhance recovery from training or competition. However, the coaches continuously suggested that quantity training programmes must be performed with good technique and they felt this was a misunderstood element. This study was a critical step towards gaining a richer and broader understanding on the debate over Quality versus Quantity training from an expert swimming coaches’ perspective which was not currently available in the research literature. PMID:28713467

Highlights from the Inaugural International Cancer Microbiome Consortium Meeting (ICMC), 5-6 September 2017, London, UK.

PubMed

Scott, Alasdair J; Merrifield, Claire A; Alexander, James L; Marchesi, Julian R; Kinross, James M

2017-01-01

The International Cancer Microbiome Consortium (ICMC) is a recently launched collaborative between academics and academic-clinicians that aims to promote microbiome research within the field of oncology, establish expert consensus and deliver education for academics and clinicians. The inaugural two-day meeting was held at the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM), London, UK, 5-6 September 2017. Microbiome and cancer experts from around the world first delivered a series of talks during an educational day and then sat for a day of roundtable discussion to debate key topics in microbiome-cancer research. Talks delivered during the educational day covered a broad range of microbiome-related topics. The potential role of the microbiome in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer was discussed and debated in detail with experts highlighting the latest data in animal models and humans and addressing the question of causation versus association. The impact of the microbiota on other cancers-such as lung and urogenital tract-was also discussed. The microbiome represents a novel target for therapeutic manipulation in cancer and a number of talks explored how this might be realised through diet, faecal microbiota transplant and chemotherapeutics. On the second day, experts debated pre-agreed topics with the aim of producing a consensus statement with a focus on the current state of our knowledge and key gaps for further development. The panel debated the notion of a 'healthy' microbiome and, in turn, the concept of dysbiosis in cancer. The mechanisms of microbiota-induced carcinogenesis were discussed in detail and our current conceptual models were assessed. Experts also considered co-factors in microbiome-induced carcinogenesis to conclude that the tripartite 'interactome' between genetically vulnerable host, environment and the microbiome is central to our current understanding. To conclude, the roundtable discussed how the microbiome may be exploited for therapeutic benefit in cancer and the safety implications of performing such research in oncology patients.

Highlights from the Inaugural International Cancer Microbiome Consortium Meeting (ICMC), 5–6 September 2017, London, UK

PubMed Central

Scott, Alasdair J; Merrifield, Claire A; Alexander, James L; Marchesi, Julian R; Kinross, James M

2017-01-01

The International Cancer Microbiome Consortium (ICMC) is a recently launched collaborative between academics and academic-clinicians that aims to promote microbiome research within the field of oncology, establish expert consensus and deliver education for academics and clinicians. The inaugural two-day meeting was held at the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM), London, UK, 5–6 September 2017. Microbiome and cancer experts from around the world first delivered a series of talks during an educational day and then sat for a day of roundtable discussion to debate key topics in microbiome-cancer research. Talks delivered during the educational day covered a broad range of microbiome-related topics. The potential role of the microbiome in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer was discussed and debated in detail with experts highlighting the latest data in animal models and humans and addressing the question of causation versus association. The impact of the microbiota on other cancers—such as lung and urogenital tract—was also discussed. The microbiome represents a novel target for therapeutic manipulation in cancer and a number of talks explored how this might be realised through diet, faecal microbiota transplant and chemotherapeutics. On the second day, experts debated pre-agreed topics with the aim of producing a consensus statement with a focus on the current state of our knowledge and key gaps for further development. The panel debated the notion of a ‘healthy’ microbiome and, in turn, the concept of dysbiosis in cancer. The mechanisms of microbiota-induced carcinogenesis were discussed in detail and our current conceptual models were assessed. Experts also considered co-factors in microbiome-induced carcinogenesis to conclude that the tripartite ‘interactome’ between genetically vulnerable host, environment and the microbiome is central to our current understanding. To conclude, the roundtable discussed how the microbiome may be exploited for therapeutic benefit in cancer and the safety implications of performing such research in oncology patients. PMID:29290760

Cheilitis, perioral dermatitis and contact allergy.

PubMed

Collet, Evelyne; Jeudy, Géraldine; Dalac, Sophie

2013-01-01

Cheilitis is a superficial inflammatory condition of the lip. It can occur either alone or be associated with stomatitis or perioral eczema. Contact hypersensitivity reactions are a frequent cause of cheilitis. Cosmetic and hygiene products are the most usual causes. Less frequently, allergic cheilitis is caused by contact with musical instruments, topical medicines or food allergens. Cases of cheilitis induced by dental material are rare and debated. The diagnosis relies on patch tests, which start with the European baseline series and the patient's personal cosmetic and topical products. This investigation will then be completed by the ingredients in the topical products and specific test series.

Experimental neuropharmacology of Gelsemium sempervirens: Recent advances and debated issues.

PubMed

Bellavite, Paolo; Bonafini, Clara; Marzotto, Marta

Gelsemium sempervirens L. (Gelsemium) is traditionally used for its anxiolytic-like properties and its action mechanism in laboratory models are under scrutiny. Evidence from rodent models was reported suggesting the existence of a high sensitivity of central nervous system to anxiolytic power of Gelsemium extracts and Homeopathic dilutions. In vitro investigation of extremely low doses of this plant extract showed a modulation of gene expression of human neurocytes. These studies were criticized in a few commentaries, generated a debate in literature and were followed by further experimental studies from various laboratories. Toxic doses of Gelsemium cause neurological signs characterized by marked weakness and convulsions, while ultra-low doses or high Homeopathic dilutions counteract seizures induced by lithium and pilocarpine, decrease anxiety after stress and increases the anti-stress allopregnanolone hormone, through glycine receptors. Low (non-Homeopathic) doses of this plant or its alkaloids decrease neuropathic pain and c-Fos expression in mice brain and oxidative stress. Due to the complexity of the matter, several aspects deserve interpretation and the main controversial topics, with a focus on the issues of high dilution pharmacology, are discussed and clarified. Copyright © 2017 Transdisciplinary University, Bangalore and World Ayurveda Foundation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of a debate on pharmacy students' views of online pharmacy practice.

PubMed

Bussières, Jean-François; Delicourt, Anais; Belaid, Nedjma; Quirion, Marie-Pierre; Desroches, Julien; Bégin, Josiane; Fragasso-Marquis, Anne-Marie; Lamarre, Diane

2012-12-01

To evaluate the impact of a debate on pharmacy students' perceptions, using online pharmacy practice as the debate topic. This is a quasi-experimental interrupted time-series study. A 60 min debate was organized as a lunchtime meeting. A four-category Likert scale questionnaire (fully agree, partially agree, partially disagree, fully disagree) measured the debate participants' level of agreement with 25 statements (main issues associated with online pharmacy) in the pre-phase (before the debate), post-phase 1 (after the debate) and post-phase 2 (6 months after the debate). One hundred and seventy-seven students were recruited (response rate of 100% in the pre-phase and post-phase 1, 31% in post-phase 2). Four questions measured the perceptions of the students on this pedagogical technique. The overall proportion of respondents in favour of online pharmacy practice showed little variation among the three phases. However, on average (mean ± SD) 43 ± 8% of the respondents changed their opinion, 21 ± 7% reversed their opinion, 22 ± 4% nuanced their opinion and 1 ± 1% radically changed their opinion. Respectively 98% (post-phase 1) and 96% (post-phase 2) of the respondents were of the opinion that debate was a very useful teaching formula in their pharmacist training and 79 and 66% thought debate significantly changed their opinion of the issue. Few data have been collected on the use of debates as part of healthcare professional training. The impact of a debate on how pharmacy students feel about online pharmacy practice is described. © 2012 The Authors. IJPP © 2012 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Does prior domain-specific content knowledge influence students' recall of arguments surrounding interdisciplinary topics?

PubMed

Schmidt, Hiemke K; Rothgangel, Martin; Grube, Dietmar

2017-12-01

Awareness of various arguments can help interactants present opinions, stress points, and build counterarguments during discussions. At school, some topics are taught in a way that students learn to accumulate knowledge and gather arguments, and later employ them during debates. Prior knowledge may facilitate recalling information on well structured, fact-based topics, but does it facilitate recalling arguments during discussions on complex, interdisciplinary topics? We assessed the prior knowledge in domains related to a bioethical topic of 277 students from Germany (approximately 15 years old), their interest in the topic, and their general knowledge. The students read a text with arguments for and against prenatal diagnostics and tried to recall the arguments one week later and again six weeks later. Prior knowledge in various domains related to the topic individually and separately helped students recall the arguments. These relationships were independent of students' interest in the topic and their general knowledge. Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Greenhouse Effect: Science and Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Stephen H.

1989-01-01

Discusses many of the scientific questions surrounding the greenhouse effect debate and the issue of plausible responses. Discussion includes topics concerning projecting emissions and greenhouse gas concentrations, estimating global climatic response, economic, social, and political impacts, and policy responses. (RT)

[Forgoing treatments: a kind of euthanasia? A scientific approach to the debate about end of life decisions].

PubMed

Riccioni, Luigi; Busca, Maria Teresa; Busatta, Lucia; Orsi, Luciano; Gristina, Giuseppe R

2016-03-01

In the last decade an extensive debate on the topic of end of life decisions has developed in western countries, obtaining a worldwide media relevance. Philosophers, theologians, legal experts and doctors, focus their attention on the three thorny issues of the topic: forgoing treatments, euthanasia and assisted suicide. A thorough and respectful discussion on these issues should include all stakeholders - above all palliative care physicians - and should be encouraged in order to understand the views in favor or against the three practices, checking the different moral positions, and analyzing the cultural, social and legal aspects in the background on one hand, and, on the other, their impact on the health care systems. At present, in the fields of communications and politics, the debate related to the topic of these end of life practices is characterized by a confusion of terms and meanings. As an outcome, the term "euthanasia" is misused as a "container" including forgoing treatments, euthanasia and assisted suicide, while palliative sedation is wrongly considered as a procedure to cause death. This confusing approach does not permit to understand the real issues at the stake, keeping the debate at the tabloid level. Conversely, sharing the precise meaning of the words is the only way to provide tools to make rational, autonomous and responsible decisions, allowing individual informed choices in compliance with the principle of autonomy. This article is not aimed to take a moral stand in favor or against forgoing treatments, euthanasia and assisted suicide. Through an analysis based on scientific criteria, the authors firstly review the definitions of these three practices, examining the concepts enclosed in each term; secondly, they offer a glance on the legal approach to end of life issues in western countries; lastly, they investigate the relationship between these practices and palliative care culture in light of the medical societies official statements. The authors chosen to examine the topic of forgoing treatments, euthanasia and assisted suicide from a scientific point of view, because the clinical approach, taking into account the biological context of disease related to the human and social domains, seems to be able to better gather all the aspects of end of life practices, providing useful information to deal with them also in a philosophical or juridical perspective.

[Medical humanism at the Faculté de médecine de Paris: one hundred years of history (1795-1898)].

PubMed

Lellouch, A

1999-06-01

During the nineteenth century, tumultuous relationships existed between the public authorities, the Paris Medical Faculty, its students and teachers, the medical and the popular press. These agitated debates concerned the value of teaching history in medical studies. This paper aims to follow the main steps of these debates through various texts: the new plan for the structure of Medicine in France (1790); the creation (1795), suppression (1822) and restoration (1870) of the Paris chair of the History of Medicine; Guerin's report (1830) concerning the a new reorganization of the Paris Medical Faculty; Dr. Dezeimeris's petitions (1837) addressed to the French Minister of State for Education. These debates remain topical and instructive.

Termination of pregnancy: a case for a change in the law.

PubMed

Griffith, Richard; Tengnah, Cassam

2007-07-01

In recent months there has been renewed public and parliamentary debate on whether the abortion law in the United Kingdom should be reformed. Parliament has debated the issue on three occasions and now the House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology are calling for evidence in support of their inquiry into reform of the Abortion Act 1967. The inquiry gives district nurses the opportunity to inform the debate and ensure that their voices are heard given that topics for reform include nurse-led abortions and home abortions. In this article Richard Griffith and Cassam Tengnah review the development of the law relating to abortion and highlight the areas of reform to be considered by the select committee.

Nudges and coercion: conceptual, empirical, and normative considerations.

PubMed

Cratsley, Kelso

2015-01-01

Given that the concept of coercion remains a central concern for bioethics, Quigley's (Monash Bioethics Rev 32:141-158, 2014) recent article provides a helpful analysis of its frequent misapplication in debates over the use of 'nudges'. In this commentary I present a generally sympathetic response to Quigley's argument while also raising several issues that are important for the larger debates about nudges and coercion. I focus on several closely related topics, including the definition of coercion, the role of empirical research, and the normative concerns at the core of these disputes. I suggest that while a degree of precision is certainly required when deploying the relevant concepts, perhaps informed by empirical data, we need to continue to push these debates towards more pressing normative considerations.

Educational Effects of Practical Education Using a Debate Exercise on Engineering Ethics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takanokura, Masato; Hayashi, Shigeo

The educational effects of practical education using a debate exercise are investigated using questionnaires. For the group-work composed of discussion and debate, students understand thoroughly various engineering ethical topics, such as factors preventing ethical decision-making. Students enhance their abilities to make a rational and logical decision by themselves such as a judgment based on correct information. Mutual evaluation by students through group interaction elevates positive educational effects. However, students answer fewer questions related to the understanding of professional duties and cooperate social responsibility because of the group-work using failure cases. Students also show less progress in their abilities to communicate with others and to express their opinions to audiences. A more suitable number of group members solves the latter problem.

Politicization and institutional unclarity: the case of the Portuguese food agency.

PubMed

Domingues, Mafalda

2006-09-01

Recent changes in the institutional framework of food safety in Portugal have been initiated by BSE scandals and by EU legislative impact. Portuguese consumers have only recently moved from a poverty-related fear of food scarcity to modern fears of safety-related problems with food. Food safety is now highly politicized in Portugal, and the organization of food safety policies has been the topic of several parliamentary debates and of governmental reform. The chapter describes the political conflicts generated by the planned establishment of a new Food Agency-controversies which have so far hindered institutional change.

Book Reviews.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powicke, J. C.; And Others

1986-01-01

Reviews of 10 recent books and one new journal ("Catalyst: A Journal of Policy Debate") are provided. Topics of the books reviewed include: economics in modern Britain, world economics, the mixed economy, Milton Friedman's thought, British industry, economic issues, and London as a financial center. (JDH)

Consumer-mediated health information exchanges: the 2012 ACMI debate.

PubMed

Cimino, James J; Frisse, Mark E; Halamka, John; Sweeney, Latanya; Yasnoff, William

2014-04-01

The American College of Medical Informatics (ACMI) sponsors periodic debates during the American Medical Informatics Fall Symposium to highlight important informatics issues of broad interest. In 2012, a panel debated the following topic: "Resolved: Health Information Exchange Organizations Should Shift Their Principal Focus to Consumer-Mediated Exchange in Order to Facilitate the Rapid Development of Effective, Scalable, and Sustainable Health Information Infrastructure." Those supporting the proposition emphasized the need for consumer-controlled community repositories of electronic health records (health record banks) to address privacy, stakeholder cooperation, scalability, and sustainability. Those opposing the proposition emphasized that the current healthcare environment is so complex that development of consumer control will take time and that even then, consumers may not be able to mediate their information effectively. While privately each discussant recognizes that there are many sides to this complex issue, each followed the debater's tradition of taking an extreme position in order emphasize some of the polarizing aspects in the short time allotted them. In preparing this summary, we sought to convey the substance and spirit of the debate in printed form. Transcripts of the actual debate were edited for clarity, and appropriate supporting citations were added for the further edification of the reader. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Debate as an alternative method for medical literature evaluation.

PubMed

Toor, Rebecca; Samai, Kathryn; Wargo, Ryan

2017-05-01

To determine the student impression of utilizing a debate style journal club as an alternative approach for preceptors to teach medical literature evaluation skills to pharmacy students undergoing Advance Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE) in both acute care and ambulatory care. Students were asked to debate on a controversial topic or two drugs with similar indications. Each side had to research supporting evidence based medicine and use literature appraisal skills to incorporate the information logically into an oral debate style format. Approximately fifteen minutes were allotted for each debate, allowing five minutes for each opening argument, three minutes for each rebuttal, and two minutes for each closing argument. Students were then asked to complete a post-debate survey using a Likert Scale to evaluate their perception of the debate style journal club. Following implementation of the debate style journal club, students reported being more confident with their ability to find, compare, and retain information from primary literature with a mean of 4.1, 4.2, and 4.4 respectively on a Likert Scale. Students also reported overall enjoyment and satisfaction with a mean of 4.0. Debate style journal clubs have the capability to teach pharmacy students vital literature appraisal skills, and are a well-liked alternative to the traditional style journal club. Incorporating this method improved student interest as well as increased their ability to find, compare, and retain the information gathered from primary literature. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Introducing Kuhn et al.'s paper "Informatics and medicine: from molecules to populations" and invited papers on this special topic.

PubMed

Kulikowski, C A

2008-01-01

To introduce the paper by Kuhn et al. "Informatics and Medicine: From Molecules to Populations" and the papers that follow on this special topic in this issue of Methods of Information in Medicine, which opens a debate on the Kuhn et al. paper's assertions by an international panel of invited researchers in biomedical informatics. An introductory summary and comparative review of the Kuhn et al. paper and the debate papers, with some personal observations. The Kuhn et al. paper makes a strong case for interdisciplinary education in biomedical informatics across institutions at the graduate level, which could be strengthened by analysis of previous relevant interdisciplinary experiences elsewhere, and the challenges they have faced, which point to more pervasive and earlier-stage needs for both education and practice bridging the research and healthcare communities. The experts debating the Kuhn et al. paper strongly and broadly support the key recommendation of developing graduate education in biomedical informatics in a more comprehensive way, yet at the same time make some incisive comments about the limitations of the "positivistic" and excessively technological orientation of the paper, which could benefit from greater attention to the narrative and care-giving aspects of health practice, with more emphasis on its human and social aspects.

Stem Cell Banking: A Global View.

PubMed

Stacey, Glyn

2017-01-01

Stem cell banking has been a topic of discussion and debate for more than a decade since the first public services to supply human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) were established in the USA and the UK. This topic has received a recent revival with numerous ambitious programmes announced to deliver large collections of human induced pluripotency cell (hiPSC) lines. This chapter will provide a brief overview charting the development of stem cell banks, their value, and their likely role in the future.

Current debates on end-of-life sedation: an international expert elicitation study.

PubMed

Papavasiliou, Evangelia Evie; Payne, Sheila; Brearley, Sarah

2014-08-01

End-of-life sedation, though increasingly prevalent and widespread internationally, remains one of the most highly debated medical practices in the context of palliative medicine. This qualitative study aims to elicit and record the perspectives of leading international palliative care experts on current debates. Twenty-one professionals from diverse backgrounds, sharing field-specific knowledge/expertise defined by significant scholarly contribution on end-of-life sedation, were recruited. Open-ended, semi-structured interviews, following a topic-oriented structure reflecting on current debates, were conducted. Results were analysed using thematic content analysis. Three main aspects of sedation were identified and discussed as potentially problematic: (a) continuous deep sedation as an extreme facet of end-of-life sedation, (b) psycho-existential suffering as an ambivalent indication for sedation and (c) withdrawal or withholding of artificial nutrition and hydration as potentially life-shortening. On these grounds, concerns were reported over end-of-life sedation being morally equivalent to euthanasia. Considerable emphasis was placed on intentions as the distinguishing factor between end-of-life acts, and protective safeguards were introduced to distance sedation from euthanasia. This study shows that, despite the safeguards introduced, certain aspects of sedation, including the intentions associated with the practice, are still under question, parallels being drawn between end-of-life sedation and euthanasia. This reaffirms the existence of a grey area surrounding the two practices, already evidenced in countries where euthanasia is legalized. More clarity over the issues that generate this grey area, with their causes being uncovered and eliminated, is imperative to resolve current debates and effectively inform research, policy and practice of end-of-life sedation.

Public Dialogue on Science in Sweden.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyring, Annagreta

1988-01-01

Explains how Sweden has proceeded to popularize science. Addresses topics dealing with policy, the energy debate, booklets with large circulation, computers and society, contacts between schools and research, building up small science centers, mass media, literary quality, children's responsibility, and some of the challenges. (RT)

Performance of prestressed girders cast with LWSCC.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-08-01

Bond of prestressing steel has been a much debated topic since the 1950s. Limited data are available on the transfer and development length of strands cast in self : consolidating concrete (SCC) and even less for strands cast in light weight, self-co...

Evaluation: Review of the Past, Preview of the Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, M. F.

1994-01-01

This paper summarized contributors' ideas about evaluation as a field and where it is going. Topics discussed were qualitative versus quantitative debate; evaluation's purpose; professionalization; program failure; program development; evaluators as advocates; evaluation knowledge; evaluation expansion; and methodology and design. (SLD)

[Development, science, and politics: the debate surrounding creation of the Instituto Internacional da Hiléia Amazônica].

PubMed

Magalhães, Rodrigo Cesar da Silva; Maio, Marcos Chor

2007-12-01

The article uses the debate surrounding creation of the Instituto Internacional da Hiléia Amazônica (International Institute of the Hylean Amazon--IIHA) as a point of departure for analyzing the topic of development. We first address post-World War II relations between science and development. Next, we examine the Brazilian government's initiatives in the Amazon during the 1940s and how the IIHA project was received. Lastly, we analyze the controversies ignited in Brazil by Unesco's plan. The IIHA project was a catalyst of the development debate in post-World War II Brazil. The discussions then sparked in Brazil and the project's denouement solidified a development model for the Amazon that even today underpins initiatives taken in the region.

Feminist Therapy: A New Specialization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Regan, Carole Bennett

1975-01-01

A new area of concentration, if not of specialization, has recently developed, roughly termed "feminist" therapy or counseling. Whether or not it is a "legitimate" specialization, whether or not women should be counseled in a manner different from that of men, is a topic of current debate. (Author)

Students' Attitudes towards History: Does Self-Identity Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, Rhys; McGlynn, Catherine; Mycock, Andrew

2009-01-01

Background: In England, the promotion of "national values" within the history curriculum has become an increasingly topical issue in the wake of recent debates about "Britishness" and community cohesion. However, despite the swathe of policy statements and pronouncements, there is little empirical evidence linking young…

Science, Ideology, and "Reading, Writing and Riches."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nock, David A.; Nelson, Randle W.

1982-01-01

Responds to criticisms of "Reading, Writing and Riches." Treats the following topics: the interrelationship between knowledge, science, and ideology; the multiplicity of paradigms within sociology; the continuing debate between idealists and materialists; the dimensions of socioeconomic class and power; and the use of the comparative…

Schooling for Inequality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Dorothy E.

2000-01-01

Inequalities produced by the school system are an important topic for feminist thought and debate. Schools are an integral part of the institutional processes for the differential allocation of agency. They reproduce the social organization of inequality and exclusion at multiple levels. School systems are well-insulated from change initiatives…

Is April to July runoff really decreasing in the Western United States?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wahl, Kenneth L.

1991-01-01

Global warming has been the topic of a great deal of heated discussion and debate in recent years, both in the lay press and in scientific journals. The debate is about whether we are beginning to detect signs of a buildup of greenhouse gases on a global scale. A major part of the debate concerns the possible effects on climate and on the future availability of water resources. The ongoing drought in California has added impetus to the debate, serving notice of the serious consequences of any prolonged decrease in the availability of adequate water supplies. This paper has three primary objectives: (1) To evaluate the ramifications of using fractional runoff rather than total runoff to define trends in runoff; (2) to analyze additional streamflow data for the presence and extent of trends in annual and seasonal runoff volume for the conterminous Western United States; and (3) to examine the influence of the current California drought on indicators of trend.

Lactating Mother and Psychotropic Drugs

PubMed Central

Tripathi, B. M.; Majumder, Pradipta

2010-01-01

Usage of psychotropics during pregnancy and lactation has always been a topic of debate and controversy. The debate stems from the potential adverse effects on the growing fetus or infants due to the transfer of psychotropic drugs through placenta or breast milk of mothers receiving them; and the problem of discontinuing psychotropics in lactating mother considering chances of relapse. However, most of the psychotropics are found to be relatively safe when used cautiously during the lactation phase. This article describes available data on the use of psychotropics in lactating mothers, in particular, in relation to the safety profile of infants. PMID:21327172

The Case for "Living" Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Creelman, Valerie

2012-01-01

How best to teach and compose negative messages is a topic that continues to challenge and spark debate among business communication educators and researchers. Even where business communications textbooks emphasize the importance of context and audience analysis to determine whether to adopt a direct or indirect arrangement when expressing bad…

Australia's IT&T Future: A Strategic Analysis Report 1 July 1998.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Australian Library Journal, 1998

1998-01-01

Summarizes the GartnerGroup's views on issues in the information technology and telecommunications (IT&T) industry debate in Australia. Topics include attracting overseas investment to create a globally competitive industry; the government's role; perceived problems; the Internet and electronic commerce; and future issues, including…

Encyclopedia of Gun Control and Gun Rights.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utter, Glenn H.

This reference volume provides information on gun control and gun rights, including resources on the debate surrounding the Second Amendment and individuals and organizations focused on gun issues, along with statutes, court cases, events, and publications surrounding this current topic. Highlighted are the important organizations and their…

Critical Intellectual Inquiry at Catholic Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olszewski, Bernard

2006-01-01

In this article, the author, a professor and an academic administrator at a Catholic college, discusses the topics of academic freedom and intellectual debate within the context of Catholic schools operating under guidelines of the Vatican document "Ex Corde Ecclesiae." Under these guidelines, there are fundamental moral questions that…

Intelligence and Creativity: A Complex but Important Relationship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plucker, Jonathan A.; Esping, Amber

2015-01-01

The relationship between intelligence and creativity is often discussed and debated, and it has significant implications for education, student development, and the workplace. We use Sternberg's framework for understanding intelligence-creativity work to examine research on this important topic, with an emphasis on several recent studies that…

Comparative and Familial Analysis of Handedness in Great Apes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopkins, William D.

2006-01-01

Historically, population-level handedness has been considered a hallmark of human evolution. Whether nonhuman primates exhibit population-level handedness remains a topic of considerable debate. This paper summarizes published data on handedness in great apes. Comparative analysis indicated that chimpanzees and bonobos show population-level right…

The First Attempts to Unionize the Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cain, Timothy Reese

2010-01-01

Background/Context: Faculty unionization is an important topic in modern higher education, but the history of the phenomenon has not yet been fully considered. This article brings together issues of professionalization and unionization and provides needed historical background to ongoing unionization efforts and debates. Purpose/Objective/Research…

A three dimensional view of stereopsis in dentistry.

PubMed

Mon-Williams, M A; Mushtaq, F; Wilkie, R M; Khambay, B; Keeling, A; Manogue, M

2015-11-27

Stereopsis and its role in dental practice has been a topic of debate in recent editions of this Journal. These discussions are particularly timely as they come at a point when virtual reality simulators are becoming increasingly popular in the education of tomorrow's dentists. The aim of this article is to discuss the lack of robust empirical evidence to ascertain the relationship (if any) between stereopsis and dentistry and to build a case for the need for further research to build a strong evidence base on the topic.

Climate Change on Twitter: Topics, Communities and Conversations about the 2013 IPCC Working Group 1 Report

PubMed Central

Pearce, Warren; Holmberg, Kim; Hellsten, Iina; Nerlich, Brigitte

2014-01-01

In September 2013 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published its Working Group 1 report, the first comprehensive assessment of physical climate science in six years, constituting a critical event in the societal debate about climate change. This paper analyses the nature of this debate in one public forum: Twitter. Using statistical methods, tweets were analyzed to discover the hashtags used when people tweeted about the IPCC report, and how Twitter users formed communities around their conversational connections. In short, the paper presents the topics and tweeters at this particular moment in the climate debate. The most used hashtags related to themes of science, geographical location and social issues connected to climate change. Particularly noteworthy were tweets connected to Australian politics, US politics, geoengineering and fracking. Three communities of Twitter users were identified. Researcher coding of Twitter users showed how these varied according to geographical location and whether users were supportive, unsupportive or neutral in their tweets about the IPCC. Overall, users were most likely to converse with users holding similar views. However, qualitative analysis suggested the emergence of a community of Twitter users, predominantly based in the UK, where greater interaction between contrasting views took place. This analysis also illustrated the presence of a campaign by the non-governmental organization Avaaz, aimed at increasing media coverage of the IPCC report. PMID:24718388

Climate change on Twitter: topics, communities and conversations about the 2013 IPCC Working Group 1 report.

PubMed

Pearce, Warren; Holmberg, Kim; Hellsten, Iina; Nerlich, Brigitte

2014-01-01

In September 2013 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published its Working Group 1 report, the first comprehensive assessment of physical climate science in six years, constituting a critical event in the societal debate about climate change. This paper analyses the nature of this debate in one public forum: Twitter. Using statistical methods, tweets were analyzed to discover the hashtags used when people tweeted about the IPCC report, and how Twitter users formed communities around their conversational connections. In short, the paper presents the topics and tweeters at this particular moment in the climate debate. The most used hashtags related to themes of science, geographical location and social issues connected to climate change. Particularly noteworthy were tweets connected to Australian politics, US politics, geoengineering and fracking. Three communities of Twitter users were identified. Researcher coding of Twitter users showed how these varied according to geographical location and whether users were supportive, unsupportive or neutral in their tweets about the IPCC. Overall, users were most likely to converse with users holding similar views. However, qualitative analysis suggested the emergence of a community of Twitter users, predominantly based in the UK, where greater interaction between contrasting views took place. This analysis also illustrated the presence of a campaign by the non-governmental organization Avaaz, aimed at increasing media coverage of the IPCC report.

The Boussinesq Debate: Reversibility, Instability, and Free Will.

PubMed

Michael Mueller, Thomas

2015-12-01

In 1877, a young mathematician named Joseph Boussinesq presented a mémoire to the Académie des sciences which demonstrated that some differential equations may have more than one solution. Boussinesq linked this fact to indeterminism and to a possible solution to the free will versus determinism debate. Boussinesq's main interest was to reconcile his philosophical and religious views with science by showing that matter and motion do not suffice to explain all there is in the world. His argument received mixed criticism that addressed both his philosophical views and the scientific content of his work, pointing to the physical "realisticness" of multiple solutions. While Boussinesq proved to be able to face the philosophical criticism, the scientific objections became a serious problem, thus slowly moving the focus of the debate from the philosophical plane to the scientific one. This change of perspective implied a wide discussion on topics such as instability, the sensitivity to initial conditions, and the conservation of energy. The Boussinesq debate is an example of a philosophically motivated debate that transforms into a scientific one, an example of the influence of philosophy on the development of science.

Forensics: Enhancing Civic Literacy & Democracy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Briscoe, Shawn F.

2009-01-01

Forensics--interpretation, speech, and debate--can and should be a meaningful part of every school's curriculum. To put it simply, the course of study, alongside cocurricular competition, promotes civic education and enhances the standard curriculum by helping students explore myriad topics from multiple angles and find the truth in each,…

Interdisciplinarity in Education: Overcoming Fragmentation in the Teaching-Learning Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santos, Carla Madalena; Franco, Rubia Amanda; Leon, Diego; Ovigli, Daniel Bovolenta; Donizete Colombo, Pedro, Jr.

2017-01-01

The importance of interdisciplinarity in the teaching-learning process has been much debated. This topic has challenged schoolteachers, who do not always manage to integrate interdisciplinarity into the school routine. This paper emerged from the discipline Research Methodology taught at the postgraduate course in education of Universidade Federal…

10th EDRN Scientific Workshop | Division of Cancer Prevention

Cancer.gov

This year's event entitled, "Cancer Biomarkers in Precision Medicine" will include both lectures and panel debates. The topics of the workshop include discussions on standards and regulatory science, novel technologies for precision detection, imaging, clinical and validation science, alliances and consortia on biomarkers, non-profit foundations support for biomarkers. Agenda

Innovation Abstracts: Volume XI, Numbers 1-30.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roueche, Suanne D., Ed.

1989-01-01

This series of one- to two-page abstracts highlights a variety of innovative approaches to teaching and learning in the community college. Topics covered in the abstracts include: (1) cooperative planning for institutional excellence; (2) rewarding scholarship among community college faculty; (3) in-class debates as a learning strategy; (4)…

Converging Technology, Pedagogy, and Critical Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moeller, Aleidine J.; Van Alstine, Megan

2011-01-01

The theme of children and technology has been a prevailing topic of conversation among parents, teachers and researchers, stirring debate in all sectors of society. What is gained and what is lost by these "digital natives" born into an age of globalization, social connections, instant communication and gratification? How can technology be…

The Road Ahead for State Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Policy Analysis for California Education, PACE (NJ3), 2011

2011-01-01

This report includes three papers that address critical "next generation" issues in assessment policy that can help to guide the choices made about system design: computer adaptive assessments, assessment of English learners and assessing science. None of these topics has received the attention that it deserves in the current debate on assessment…

Examining the Validity of Autism Spectrum Disorder Subtypes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Witwer, Andrea N.; Lecavalier, Luc

2008-01-01

The classification of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is a topic of debate among clinicians and researchers with many questioning the validity of the distinction among subtypes. This manuscript examines the validity of three ASD subtypes (Autism, Asperger's, and PDDNOS) by reviewing 22 studies published between 1994 and 2006. We reviewed studies…

International Teachers' Attitudes towards Inclusion in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pursley, Lisa

2014-01-01

The inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education classroom has become a universally debated topic in education. More schools all over the world are seeking to use inclusion as their main service delivery model for students with disabilities. Much research has been conducted globally to gain insights into general education…

Receptivity to Learner-Driven Feedback in EAP

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maas, Clare

2017-01-01

There is still debate surrounding what constitutes the most effective feedback on EFL learners' writing, particularly in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) settings. Unanswered questions are found in the literature on topics such as the best formats for feedback, the role of technology, authors' authority over written texts, and ways of helping…

Depressive Personality Disorder: A Review of the Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sale, Beverley A.

The question of whether or not depressive personality disorder is a distinct disorder separate from mood disorders or other personality disorders has historically been debated by researchers and theorists and continues to be a topic of disagreement. Empirical studies reveal that only a modest relationship may exist between depressive personality…

Intelligent Design or Intelligible Design?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grinnell, Frederick

2009-01-01

Whether the topic is embryos or evolution, religious interests sometimes try to influence how science is taught and practiced. Frequently the perceived conflict between religion and science is understood as a debate about matters of factual observation. The author finds that the difference between the claims of religion and of science can be far…

Science in Educational Administration: A Comment on the Holmes-Greenfield Dialogue [and] Absolutism and Educational Administration: A Response to Ryan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, James J.; Holmes, Mark

1988-01-01

Two articles comment on the debate over the utility of science in educational administration. Critiques of various positions on the topic point out the possible effects of conservatism and positivism on inequality and inequity in educational administration. (CB)

Developing Collaborative Cyber Communities to Prepare Tomorrow's Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lord, Gillian; Lomicka, Lara L.

2004-01-01

Computer-mediated exchange and interaction have become topics of debate and discussion in the past several years due to the growing interest in synchronous and asynchronous communication and their role in language acquisition, learning, and teaching (Liu, Moore, Graham, & Lee, 2002). This article offers a model for a collaborative course on…

Practical Problem-Based Learning in Computing Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Grady, Michael J.

2012-01-01

Computer Science (CS) is a relatively new disciple and how best to introduce it to new students remains an open question. Likewise, the identification of appropriate instructional strategies for the diverse topics that constitute the average curriculum remains open to debate. One approach considered by a number of practitioners in CS education…

Predicting Academic Success Using Admission Profiles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidovitch, Nitza; Soen, Dan

2015-01-01

This study, conducted at a tertiary education institution in Israel, following two previous studies, was designed to deal again with a question that is a topic of debate in Israel and worldwide: Is there justification for the approach that considers restrictive university admission policies an efficient tool for predicting students' success at the…

Errors in logic and statistics plague a meta-analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The non-target effects of transgenic insecticidal crops has been a topic of debate for over a decade and many laboratory and field studies have addressed the issue in numerous countries. In 2009 Lovei et al. (Transgenic Insecticidal Crops and Natural Enemies: A Detailed Review of Laboratory Studies)...

Air pollution: a smoking gun for cancer.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Qian, Chao-Nan; Zeng, Yi-Xin

2014-04-01

Once considered a taboo topic or stigma, cancer is the number one public health enemy in the world. Once a product of an almost untouchable industry, tobacco is indisputably recognized as a major cause of cancer and a target for anticancer efforts. With the emergence of new economic powers in the world, especially in highly populated countries such as China, air pollution has rapidly emerged as a smoking gun for cancer and has become a hot topic for public health debate because of the complex political, economic, scientific, and technologic issues surrounding the air pollution problem. This editorial and the referred articles published in this special issue of the Chinese Journal of Cancer discuss these fundamental questions. Does air pollution cause a wide spectrum of cancers? Should air pollution be considered a necessary evil accompanying economic transformation in developing countries? Is an explosion of cancer incidence coming to China and how soon will it arrive? What must be done to prevent this possible human catastrophe? Finally, the approaches for air pollution control are also discussed.

Hot Spots and Mantle Plumes: A Window Into the Deep Earth and a Lesson on How Science Really Works

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caplan-Auerbach, J.

2010-12-01

Despite years of discussion, debate and controversy over the causes of ocean island volcanism, most students simply learn that such features form from fixed plumes of hot material rising from the core mantle boundary. Although we know that the Hawaiian plume exhibited substantial southward motion, most introductory geology textbooks still report that hot spots are fixed and that the Hawaiian-Emperor bend reflects a change in plate motion. That mantle plumes are the focus of significant controversy within the scientific community is rarely, if ever, discussed, and alternative models for the formation of intraplate volcanoes are ignored. Students may thus complete their studies without learning about the dynamic debate focused on the existence and formation of mantle plumes. This issue represents an opportunity for students to see how science really works, how new models are constructed, and what distinguishes a hypothesis from a theory. The culminating project in Western Washington University’s Introduction to Geophysics class, a course required for the BS degree in geology, focuses on the hot spot and mantle plume debate. For the first nine weeks of the quarter students learn about general topics in geophysics including plate tectonics, magnetism, seismology, gravity and heat flow. At the end of the course, students break into small research groups with the goal of investigating how geophysics may be used to address three questions: (1) Do ocean island volcanoes form from mantle plumes? (2) Are “hot spots” actually hot? (3) Are hot spots stationary? Each group examines how these questions may be addressed using a specific geophysical tool. In addition to the five topics described above, a sixth group investigates the question of “if not hot spots/mantle plumes, how do ocean island volcanoes form?” Students read the current literature on the topic and present their results to their classmates. Presentations focus on topics such as the use of seismic tomography to image deep plumes, the use of magnetic data to determine plume paleolatitude, and the search for heat flow anomalies near hot spots. On the final day of the class students revisit the three questions presented above and discuss whether their thoughts on the topic have changed as a result of studying the geophysics. Finally, the class discusses the issue in terms of Thomas Kuhn’s phases of scientific study, considering whether or not the mantle plumes paradigm is in crisis. As evidenced by comments in student course evaluations, the project is very popular and students appreciate the opportunity to investigate a modern scientific controversy. The project not only helps students learn how geophysics may be used to study the deep earth, it familiarizes them with current scientific literature, and perhaps most importantly, it allows them to learn about and engage in a critical scientific debate.

Understanding the debate on medical education research: a sociological perspective.

PubMed

Albert, Mathieu

2004-10-01

Since the mid-1990s, a debate has taken place among medical education scholars regarding the forms that research should take and the roles it should play. Editors of major journals in medical education and prominent researchers in the domain have repeatedly addressed the issue and have attempted to define what medical education research should be. The goal of this article is to look at the debate from a sociological perspective and to outline the social factors shaping it. An analysis of the texts published since 1990 addressing the issue shows that the debates can be deconstructed in four topics: epistemology, methodology, the primary purpose of medical education research, and the "quality" of the projects carried out in the domain. However, the debates can also be amalgamated and synthesized using the concept of "field" as developed by sociologist Pierre Bourdieu. A "field" refers to the configuration of power relations among individuals, social groups, or institutions within a domain of activities. Scientific fields are typically structured around a "bipolar" opposition pattern. At one pole stand those individuals who promote greater collaboration with nonscientists as well as research aimed at responding to practical needs. At the opposite pole stand those individuals who aspire to achieve independence of the field from such external constraints. The use of the concept of "field" allows us to understand the debate from a larger perspective and to establish parallels with similar debates in other scientific fields. In doing so, we will have the opportunity to learn from the experience of these other fields and be more reflective about the debate in which we engage.

The facilitated component of intestinal glucose absorption

PubMed Central

Kellett, George L

2001-01-01

Over the last decade, a debate has developed about the mechanism of the passive or ‘diffusive’ component of intestinal glucose absorption and, indeed, whether it even exists. Pappenheimer and colleagues have proposed that paracellular solvent drag contributes a passive component, which, at high concentrations of sugars similar to those in the jejunal lumen immediately after a meal, is severalfold greater than the active component mediated by the Na+-glucose cotransporter SGLT1. On the other hand, Ferraris & Diamond maintain that the kinetics of glucose absorption can be explained solely in terms of SGLT1 and that a passive or paracellular component plays little, if any, part. Recently, we have provided new evidence that the passive component of glucose absorption exists, but is in fact facilitated since it is mediated by the rapid, glucose-dependent activation and recruitment of the facilitative glucose transporter GLUT2 to the brush-border membrane; regulation involves a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent pathway activated by glucose transport through SGLT1 and also involves mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) signalling pathways. This topical review seeks to highlight the significant points of the debate, to show how our proposals on GLUT2 impact on different aspects of the debate and to look at the regulatory events that are likely to be involved in the short-term regulation of sugar absorption during the assimilation of a meal. PMID:11251042

Iatrogenic spleen injury during minimally invasive left colonic flexure mobilization: the quest for evidence-based results.

PubMed

Mangano, Alberto; Gheza, Federico; Giulianotti, Pier C

2018-04-13

To assess the frequency, risk factors and outcomes of iatrogenic spleen injury during minimally invasive colo-rectal surgery with a particular focus on the routine splenic flexure mobilization tehcnique. Exclusion criteria: 1. topic not pertinent to the main topic of the review; 2. All case reports, editorials, conference highlights were excluded. After a title and abstract first selection and a final full-text analysis has been performed. The results of the selected articles are presented. The iatrogenic splenic injury rate during colorectal surgery is 0.96%. The iatrogenic injuries cause around 20% of all splenectomy. Ligaments over-traction is the most frequent mechanism of damage. The routine splenic flexure mobilization is a matter of scientific debate. open surgery, male sex, peripheral vascular disease, malignant neoplasia, diverticulitis, emergency surgery and teaching-hospital status. There is a risk difference according to the procedure: transverse colectomy has the highest risk, followed by left colectomy and total colectomy. The routine mobilization of the left colonic flexure is a debated topic. However, according to some authors (including our experience), this procedure is not a risk factor and it may be advantageous: a) it doesn't excessively prolong the total operative time; b) better surgical skills development; c) the tension-related ischemia is avoided; d) wider oncological dissection. Technical accuracy with cautious dissection/visualization can reduce the rate of iatrogenic splenic damage. Laparoscopy decreases the rate of splenic injury by almost 3,5 times. Robotic surgery may have the potential to further reduce this complication but more data are needed on the topic.

Modernization of US Nuclear Forces: Costs in Perspective

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

Tapia-Jimenez, D.

This short research paper addresses two topics that have emerged in the debate about whether, when, and how to modernize U.S. nuclear forces.1 The first topic relates to the size and scale of the planned nuclear force, with some critics of the modernization plan arguing that the United States is simply replicating the Cold War force for a very different era. The second topic relates to the cost of the modernization effort, with some critics arguing that the cost is unaffordable.2 This paper begins with a review of the changes in the size and scale of U.S. nuclear forces sincemore » the Cold War. It then examines the expected costs of modernization in a comparative perspective.« less

Beyond reputation: debate on the role of corporate influence in occupational and environmental medicine.

PubMed

Bohme, Susanna Rankin; Egilman, David

2008-01-01

In his article in this issue, Tee Guidotti casts recent works addressing corporate influence on occupational medicine as "collective act[s] of disparagement ... undertaken ... for political reasons." We move beyond the question of reputation to address key conflicts in the history of occupational medicine, including the American Occupational Medical Association's historical role in weakening the beryllium standard and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine's recent efforts to limit the extent of the Family Medical Leave Act. The corporate practice of externalizing health and safety costs makes industry influence an important ongoing topic of debate in occupational and environmental medicine.

Early rationality in action perception and production? A theoretical exposition.

PubMed

Paulus, Markus; Király, Ildikó

2013-10-01

Within recent years, the question of early rationality in action perception and production has become a topic of great interest in developmental psychology. On the one hand, studies have provided evidence for rational action perception and action imitation even in very young infants. On the other hand, scholars have recently questioned these interpretations and proposed that the ability to rationally evaluate actions is not yet in place in infancy. Others have examined the development of the ability to make rational action choices and have indicated limitations of young children's ability to act rationally. This editorial to the special issue on Early Rationality in Action Perception and Production? introduces the reader to the current debate. It elucidates the underlying theoretical assumptions that drive the debate on whether or not young children's action perception and production is rational. Finally, it summarizes the papers and their contributions to the theoretical debate. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diagnosing the Kaiser: Psychiatry, Wilhelm II and the Question of German War Guilt The William Bynum Prize Essay 2016.

PubMed

Freis, David

2018-07-01

After his abdication in November 1918, the German emperor Wilhelm II continued to haunt the minds of his people. With the abolition of the lese-majesty laws in the new republic, many topics that were only discussed privately or obliquely before could now be broached openly. One of these topics was the mental state of the exiled Kaiser. Numerous psychiatrists, physicians and laypeople published their diagnoses of Wilhelm in high-circulation newspaper articles, pamphlets, and books shortly after the end of the war. Whether these diagnoses were accurate and whether the Kaiser really was mentally ill became the issue of a heated debate.This article situates these diagnoses of Wilhelm II in their political context. The authors of these diagnoses - none of whom had met or examined Wilhelm II in person - came from all political camps and they wrote with very different motives in mind. Diagnosing the exiled Kaiser as mentally ill was a kind of exorcism of the Hohenzollern rule, opening the way for either a socialist republic or the hoped-for rule of a new leader. But more importantly, it was a way to discuss and allocate political responsibility and culpability. Psychiatric diagnoses were used to exonerate both the Emperor (for whom the treaty of Versailles provided a tribunal as war criminal) and the German nation. They were also used to blame the Kaiser's entourage and groups that had allegedly manipulated the weak-willed monarch. Medical concepts became a vehicle for a debate on the key political questions in interwar Germany.

Interracial America. Opposing Viewpoints Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szumski, Bonnie, Ed.

Books in the Opposing Viewpoints Series present debates about current issues that can be used to teach critical reading and thinking skills. The varied opinions in each book examine different aspects of a single issue. The topics covered in this volume explore the racial and ethnic tensions that concern many Americans today. The racial divide…

Career Frontiers: New Conceptions of Working Lives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peiperl, Maury A., Ed.; Arthur, Michael B., Ed.; Goffee, Rob, Ed.; Morris, Timothy, Ed.

This book draws upon and extends a number of existing debates in the area of careers and opens additional dialogues on the future of working life. The book contains 13 papers, organized in three parts and an Introduction. The Introduction contains one paper, "Topics for Conversation: Career Themes Old and New" (Maury A. Peiperl and…

Increasing Corporate Philanthropy to Enrich Technology Innovation in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Meg E.

2010-01-01

Always a fraught topic in higher education, funding solutions for technology that supports teaching and learning prompt intense debate whenever the subject comes up. Given the necessity of integrating technologies more fully into the curriculum to prepare graduates for the future, one needs imaginative funding solutions to bridge the persistent…

Literature for Today's Young Adults. Fourth Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nilsen, Alleen Pace; Donelson, Kenneth L.

Designed to help teachers open young minds to literature, this book presents criteria for evaluating books in all genres and their suggested classroom uses, an examination of hotly debated topics, and an overview of the significance of young adult literature. The fourth edition of the book features 30 boxed inserts containing essays by some of the…

Mechanisms of Masked Priming: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van den Bussche, Eva; Van den Noortgate, Wim; Reynvoet, Bert

2009-01-01

The extent to which unconscious information can influence behavior has been a topic of considerable debate throughout the history of psychology. A frequently used method for studying subliminal processing is the masked priming paradigm. The authors focused on studies in which this paradigm was used. Their aim was twofold: first, to assess the…

"Dolly" Girls: Tweenies as Artefacts of Consumption

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brookes, Fiona; Kelly, Peter

2009-01-01

The apparent sexualization and exploitation of young girls by the consumer media is a much debated topic in the advanced liberal democracies. This paper will develop the argument that the "consumer-media culture" has established itself as one of the most powerful influences in processes of self-formation for young people, and that a…

Inclusive Education and Students without Special Educational Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruijs, Nienke M.; Van der Veen, Ineke; Peetsma, Thea T. D.

2010-01-01

Background: In the debate on inclusive education, students without special educational needs (SEN) are an important topic. However, there is a lot unknown about differences between these typical students in inclusive and non-inclusive classes. For example, the neutral results that are often found in earlier research could be caused by positive…

Learners Need Face-to-Face Advice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sedgmore, Lynne

2012-01-01

In January the 157 Group launched a policy paper making the case for professional careers guidance. With the launch of the National Careers Service in April, information, advice and guidance is a hot topic within the education and skills sector and one that is regularly debated. The combination of policy changes, including the introduction of…

Children's Voice. Volume 15, Number 5, September/October 2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boehm, Steven S., Ed.

2006-01-01

By publishing a diverse range of views on a wide array of topics, "Children's Voice" seeks to encourage public discussion and debate among those who are committed to helping children and families. "Children's Voice" is published bimonthly by the Child Welfare League of America. This issue of "Children's Voice" includes: (1) Defining Family:…

Energy & Environmental Issues Interactive CD-ROM. Version 2.0. [CD-ROM].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida State Univ., Tallahassee.

This CD-ROM presents various energy and environmental topics. "Great Energy Debate" uses video clips to explore the pros and cons of solar, coal, nuclear, and oil energy sources. "Energy Plant Tour" presents a virtual tour through a plant that converts solid waste into energy. "How Stuff Works" explains energy…

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…

Phylogenomic analysis of ants, bees and stinging wasps: Improved taxon sampling enhances understanding of hymenopteran evolution

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The importance of taxon sampling in phylogenetic accuracy is a topic of active debate. We investigated the role of taxon sampling in causing incongruent results between two recent phylogenomic studies of stinging wasps (Hymenoptera: Aculeata), a diverse lineage that includes ants, bees and the major...

Stem cells: intellectual property issues in regenerative medicine.

PubMed

Zachariades, Nicholas A

2013-12-01

The topic of stem cells for use in regenerative medicine, especially embryonic stem cells, inspires much debate, discussion, and outrage as it slices through the very core moral values of society. These social and moral issues have, in turn, resulted in government policies that have influenced the study of stem cells in regenerative medicine.

Leadership Strategies: Re-Conceptualising Strategy for Educational Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eacott, Scott

2011-01-01

Strategy is a much debated concept in the field of educational leadership. This article draws on a variety of data from a larger research programme focused on reconceptualising strategy in the specific context of school leadership. Rather than offering a definitive voice, this article lays the foundations for further inquiry on the topic through a…

Developing Students' Emotional Competency Using the Classroom-as-Organization Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheehan, Beth J.; McDonald, Mark A.; Spence, Kirsty K.

2009-01-01

In management education, the classroom-as-organization (CAO) approach to teaching has been a topic of much discussion and debate. Given the authors' experiences in teaching sport event management, it is known that the CAO approach helps students develop greater self-confidence, greater self- and social awareness, and a greater understanding of…

Empowering and Enabling or Patronising and Pressurising? Opening Dialogues between Staff and Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marchbank, Jen; Letherby, Gayle

2003-01-01

Reflects on the process and experience of attempts to open dialogues between Women's Studies staff and students on the topic of feminist teaching practices. Provides biographies of the staff and students concerned, discusses what is meant by empowerment, and delineates debates over the Women's Studies teaching model. Addresses contradictions and…

Provoking Contingent Moments: Knowledge for "Powerful Teaching" at the Horizon

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurst, Chris

2017-01-01

Background: Teacher knowledge continues to be a topic of debate in Australasia and in other parts of the world. There have been many attempts by mathematics educators and researchers to define the knowledge needed by teachers to teach mathematics effectively. A plethora of terms, such as mathematical content knowledge, pedagogical content…

Perspectives of Physiology as a Discipline from Senior-Level Millennial-Generation Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steury, Michael D.; Poteracki, James M.; Kelly, Kevin L.; Wehrwein, Erica A.

2015-01-01

In the last several decades, there has been a shift in the mindset of research structure from classical "systems or integrative biology" to more molecular focused "-omics" study. A recent topic of debate in physiological societies has been whether or not the "-omic" revolution has delivered in its promises in both…

Whose Performance Counts?: Equity Concerns in Performance Funding Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Opoczynski, Renata

2017-01-01

While accountability in higher education has been a topic of debate for decades, in recent years the discussions have shifted to emphasize efficiency and economic measures of success. A prominent example of this accountability movement is the increase in popularity of performance funding policies. These policies connect specific outcomes on state…

Profiling of Participants in Chat Conversations Using Creativity-Based Heuristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiru, Costin-Gabriel; Rebedea, Traian

2017-01-01

This article proposes a new fully automated method for identifying creativity that is manifested in a divergent task. The task is represented by chat conversations in small groups, each group having to debate on the same topics, with the purpose of better understanding the discussed concepts. The chat conversations were created by undergraduate…

Ritalin for Whom? Revisited: Further Thinking on ADHD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pozzi-Monzo, Maria

2012-01-01

This paper explores further the vast topic of child neuropsychiatric disorders--ADHD in particular. It refers to and expands on issues debated in an earlier paper "Ritalin for whom?". In that paper, it was argued that those who benefitted most from children taking Ritalin were parents and teachers struggling with uncontained and out-of-control…

A College Honors Seminar on Evolution and Intelligent Design: Successes and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelley, Patricia H.

2009-01-01

College honors courses provide an opportunity to tackle controversial topics in an atmosphere that encourages active learning, critical thinking, and open discussion. This venue is particularly appropriate for examining the debate about teaching intelligent design (ID) in public school science classes. A one-credit honors enrichment seminar taught…

Integrating Technologies into ''Authentic'' Assessment Design: An Affordances Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osborne, Richard; Dunne, Elisabeth; Farrand, Paul

2013-01-01

Current pressures in higher education around student employability are driving new initiatives for change. Assessment is also a topic of debate, as it is a key driver of student behaviour, yet often falls behind other metrics in national surveys. In addition, increasing focus on digital literacies is catalysing new appreciations of what emerging…

A Critical and Contextual Approach to Inclusive Education: Perspectives from an Indian Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taneja Johansson, Shruti

2014-01-01

Post Salamanca, inclusive education was incorporated in government policies in countries of the North and South. Since then there have been numerous books, articles, and academic debates on the topic but with little representation from the South. This article examines how inclusive education is conceptualised in India, within four recent…

Motivating Teachers to Use Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Posamentier, Alfred S.; Jaye, Daniel

2007-01-01

The No Child Left Behind Act has brought great attention to the effectiveness of math and literacy program in U.S. Schools. Literacy instruction was the hot topic of the 1990s, but numeracy has taken center stage in current education debates. Although the importance of literacy skills in other subject areas is quite obvious, the connection between…

Aging in France: Population Trends, Policy Issues, and Research Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beland, Daniel; Durandal, Jean-Philippe Viriot

2013-01-01

Like in other advanced industrial countries, in France, demographic aging has become a widely debated research and policy topic. This article offers a brief overview of major aging-related trends in France. The article describes France's demographics of aging, explores key policy matters, maps the institutional field of French social gerontology…

Acid Rain: A Resource Guide for Classroom, Laboratory, Field, and Debate Topics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoss, Frederick W.

1987-01-01

Provides a partially annotated bibliography of journals and book chapters which deal with acid rain. Includes selections which provide background information, ideas for introducing acid rain into science or social studies curricula, inventories of audio-visual aids, and non-print media to supplement classroom, laboratory, and field instruction.…

Politicizing Pedagogy: Teaching for Liberty and Justice at Urban Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kolluri, Suneal

2018-01-01

Recent scholarship on civic education has introduced some useful ways to engage students in learning about controversial topics, debating them, and participating in democratic life. However, while those are valuable tools for active citizenship, they're not sufficient. Democratic education should focus on issues that matter intensely to students'…

Caveat Emptor: Calculating All the Costs of Energy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zinberg, Dorothy S.

This paper examines the energy problem. Specific topics discussed include the recent history of oil and gas consumption in the United States, conservation, coal, solar energy, and nuclear energy. While solutions to the energy problem differ, there is an urgent need for broad, public debate. Ultimately, the decisions made regarding energy will be…

Teachers' Perspectives in Using Disney Songs in the Music Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lesser, Andrew

2016-01-01

Integrating popular music as part of the public school music curriculum has been a topic of debate among many educators and researchers. Songs from the Disney Corporation, specifically from movies, television shows, and performers specifically marketed by Disney, are particularly significant due to their widespread popularity. In this article, the…

Plagiarism: Do Students Know What It Is?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dawson, Maureen M.; Overfield, Joyce A.

2006-01-01

The ability of students to plagiarise coursework assessments has been a topic of much debate in recent years. The consequences of plagiarism for students may be devastating, since their failure to learn and use appropriate study skills will affect both their university experience and their subsequent career. This project set out to investigate…

Early Childhood Program Evaluations: A Decision-Maker's Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Forum on Early Childhood Program Evaluation, 2007

2007-01-01

Increasing demands for evidence-based early childhood services and the need by policymakers to know whether a program is effective or whether it warrants a significant investment of public and/or private funds--coupled with the often-politicized debate around these topics--make it imperative for policymakers and civic leaders to have independent…

The nuclear dilemma and the just war tradition

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

O'Brien, W.V.; Langan, J.

This book presents papers on the ethical aspects of nuclear weapons. Topics considered include the concept of a ''just'' war, national defense, political aspects, religion and politics, the failure of deterrence, conventional warfare, nuclear deterrence and democratic politics, the future of the nuclear debate, non-proliferation policy, arms control, national security, and government policies.

The Measurement of Multidimensional Gender Inequality: Continuing the Debate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Permanyer, Inaki

2010-01-01

The measurement of multidimensional gender inequality is an increasingly important topic that has very relevant policy applications and implications but which has not received much attention from the academic literature. In this paper I make a comprehensive and critical review of the indices proposed in recent years in order to systematise the…

Beyond Abstinence-Only: Relationships between Abstinence Education and Comprehensive Topic Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeffries, William L., IV; Dodge, Brian; Bandiera, Frank C.; Reece, Michael

2010-01-01

In the United States, a debate exists as to whether abstinence-only or comprehensive sexuality education strategies are most beneficial for school-age youth. Despite abstinence being a fundamental component of comprehensive education, the two are often characterized as polar opposites. Few studies have examined overlaps between the approaches. The…

A Public Trial De Novo: Rethinking "Industrial Interests"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vedel, Jane Bjorn; Gad, Christopher

2011-01-01

This article addresses the concept of "industrial interests" and examines its role in a topical controversy about a large research grant from a private foundation, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, to the University of Copenhagen. The authors suggest that the debate took the form of a "public trial" where the grant and close(r)…

Elk responses to trail-based recreation on public forests

Treesearch

Michael J. Wisdom; Haiganoush K. Preisler; Leslie M. Naylor; Robert G. Anthony; Bruce K. Johnson; Mary M. Rowland

2018-01-01

Trail-based recreation is a popular use of public forests in the United States, and four types are common: allterrain vehicle (ATV) riding, mountain biking, hiking, and horseback riding. Effects on wildlife, however, are controversial and often a topic of land use debates. Accordingly, we studied trail-based recreation effects on elk (Cervus canadensis...

School Psychologists' Reported Perspectives on the "Larry P." Ban and Related Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dizon, Francis Gary

2013-01-01

The 1979 landmark case of "Larry P. v. Riles" continues to be one of the most debated topics in school psychology. In this case, Judge Peckham ruled that standardized, norm-referenced intelligence tests were culturally biased towards African-Americans, resulting in overrepresentation of African-Americans in Educably Mentally Retarded…

Not so Scary: Using and Defusing Content Warnings in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenner, Sofia

2018-01-01

Content warnings--notices to students that class material may evoke their past traumas--have become entangled in (over)heated debates about the role of free speech on campus. Critics denounce content warnings as silencing tools intended to promote censorship, preclude discussion of difficult topics or punish professors who hold unpopular views.…

Learning in a Simulation-OT in Heart Surgery and the Challenges of the Scientification of Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langemeyer, Ines

2014-01-01

Enhancing competency and collaboration has become a salient topic of the professional debate on medical safety issues. The advantages of simulation-based training scenarios for team communication, routines and critical work procedures especially in operation theatres have been vigorously discussed. However, the literature on simulation-based…

Latino/a Student Misbehavior and School Punishment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peguero, Anthony A.; Shekarkhar, Zahra

2011-01-01

Although Latino/as are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. student population, Latino/a youth face a number of educational hurdles, such as disproportionate school punishment. This topic is particularly relevant today in the midst of the current social, political, and economic debate over the influence of Latino/a immigration in the US school…

Teaching Problem Solving: Don't Forget the Problem Solver(s)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ranade, Saidas M.; Corrales, Angela

2013-01-01

The importance of intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligences has long been known but educators have debated whether to and how to incorporate those topics in an already crowded engineering curriculum. In 2010, the authors used the classroom as a laboratory to observe the usefulness of including selected case studies and exercises from the…

The current debate on cultural diversity in Sweden.

PubMed

Hamde, Kiflemariam

2008-01-01

The paper examines the conceptual context of cultural diversity in Sweden. It describes the background in which the former Social Democratic Government declared 2006 as the Year for Cultural Diversity. A related concern is scrutinizing whether in fact this year would be a starting point for more deeply engaged diversity programs or if such policy definitions remain mere symbolic acts of window dressing. The study is based on analysis of official documents, diversity events and agendas, and interviews with different actors and diversity consultants, and participation in seminars and conferences on the topic of diversity and integration as the main topics. A major concern is whether the current interest on cultural diversity may lead to its institutionalization in the Swedish cultural and social organizations (Hamde, 2002a) and address the virtues of diversity, such as diversity for profitability and competence in workplaces, social justice concerns, and finally, societal cohesion. Alternatively, the paper explores if the debate on diversity merely remains a 'traveling' idea to appear occasionally and then occur in fashion-like manner as many management ideas do, leaving little traces on peoples' lives.

At-risk studies and clinical antecedents of psychosis, bipolar disorder and depression: a scoping review in the context of clinical staging.

PubMed

Hartmann, Jessica A; Nelson, Barnaby; Ratheesh, Aswin; Treen, Devi; McGorry, Patrick D

2018-06-04

Identifying young people at risk of developing serious mental illness and identifying predictors of onset of illness has been a focus of psychiatric prediction research, particularly in the field of psychosis. Work in this area has facilitated the adoption of the clinical staging model of early clinical phenotypes, ranging from at-risk mental states to chronic and severe mental illness. It has been a topic of debate if these staging models should be conceptualised as disorder-specific or transdiagnostic. In order to inform this debate and facilitate cross-diagnostic discourse, the present scoping review provides a broad overview of the body of literature of (a) longitudinal at-risk approaches and (b) identified antecedents of (homotypic) illness progression across three major mental disorders [psychosis, bipolar disorder (BD) and depression], and places these in the context of clinical staging. Stage 0 at-risk conceptualisations (i.e. familial high-risk approaches) were identified in all three disorders. However, formalised stage 1b conceptualisations (i.e. ultra-high-risk approaches) were only present in psychosis and marginally in BD. The presence of non-specific and overlapping antecedents in the three disorders may support a general staging model, at least in the early stages of severe psychotic or mood disorders.

Topical Oxygen for Chronic Wounds: A PRO/CON Debate

PubMed Central

Mutluoglu, Mesut; Cakkalkurt, Aslican; Uzun, Gunalp; Aktas, Samil

2014-01-01

The role of oxygen in wound healing is universally accepted and does not require any further evidence; however the controversy as to whether oxygen delivery systems have the potential to improve wound healing remains to be concluded. Topical oxygen treatment (TOT) involves the delivery of 100% oxygen for a mean of 90 min, once a day at an atmospheric pressure slightly above 1 atm abs. The use of TOT gained increasing interest recently. The current manuscript will summarize the pros and cons of TOT in the view of the available literature. PMID:26199891

Players and thinkers and learners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frye, Jonathan

2012-12-01

The stronghold that games have on our society has made it imperative that educators understand the impact that video games can have. Owens (2012) presented two frames for how the press discussed the popular game Spore, which incorporates elements of science topics. One frame suggested that the game teaches children about intelligent design, while the other implied the game merely made students excited about science topics. While this debate is nothing new, having foundations in several theoretical perspectives; educators must identify their own perceptions of video games and how even commercial games can be used as tools for teaching.

Current Topics In STEM Education Policy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glembo, Tyler

2015-04-01

The role of the federal government in education is a hotly debated topic in Congress, causing education to become deeply embedded in politics. Federal funding of education, although covering only about ten percent of total cost, has large impact in the classroom, from testing standards to low interest student loans. This talk will examine the current landscape in physics education including issues facing the community at a national/federal level and also legislation such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. We will also examine how stakeholders can develop effective messages and participate in discussions with policy makers.

Physical and chemical evolution of reduced organic matter in the ISM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenniskens, Peter; Blake, David F.

1995-01-01

Icy mantles on interstellar grains have been a topic of study in airborne astronomy. Recent laboratory analog studies of the yield of organic residue from UV photolyzed ices have shown that this mechanism can be the most significant source of complex reduced organic matter in the interstellar medium. However, the total yield is a function of the occurrence of heating events that evaporate the ice, i.e. T is greater than 130 K, and the mechanism for such events is debated. Recently, we proposed that the recombination of radicals in the ice does not need high temperature excursions and, instead, occurs during a structural transformation of water ice at temperatures in the range 38 - 68 K.

A history of development in rotordynamics: A manufacturer's perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shemeld, David E.

1987-01-01

The subject of rotordynamics and instability problems in high performance turbomachinery has been a topic of considerable industry discussion and debate over the last 15 or so years. This paper reviews an original equipment manufacturer's history of development of concepts and equipment as applicable to multistage centrifugal compressors. The variety of industry user compression requirements and resultant problematical situations tends to confound many of the theories and analytical techniques set forth. The experiences and examples described herein support the conclusion that the successful addressing of potential rotordynamics problems is best served by a fundamental knowledge of the specific equipment. This in addition to having the appropriate analytical tools. Also, that the final proof is in the doing.

Outflows in X-ray binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diaz Trigo, M.

2017-10-01

Accretion onto neutron stars and black holes powers the most luminous phenomena in the Universe. Associated to it is the existence of outflows, in the form of uncollimated winds or highly collimated relativistic jets. The origin of outflows and their feedback to the environment is one of the most debated topics in astrophysics today. In this talk I will review the current understanding of accretion disc winds in X-ray binaries, their launching mechanism and their relation to specific accretion states. I will also discuss the potential interplay between the appearance/disappearance of such winds and relativistic jets and the insight gained with ongoing multi-wavelength observational programmes focused on the variability of such phenomena.

Wound Microbiology and Associated Approaches to Wound Management

PubMed Central

Bowler, P. G.; Duerden, B. I.; Armstrong, D. G.

2001-01-01

The majority of dermal wounds are colonized with aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms that originate predominantly from mucosal surfaces such as those of the oral cavity and gut. The role and significance of microorganisms in wound healing has been debated for many years. While some experts consider the microbial density to be critical in predicting wound healing and infection, others consider the types of microorganisms to be of greater importance. However, these and other factors such as microbial synergy, the host immune response, and the quality of tissue must be considered collectively in assessing the probability of infection. Debate also exists regarding the value of wound sampling, the types of wounds that should be sampled, and the sampling technique required to generate the most meaningful data. In the laboratory, consideration must be given to the relevance of culturing polymicrobial specimens, the value in identifying one or more microorganisms, and the microorganisms that should be assayed for antibiotic susceptibility. Although appropriate systemic antibiotics are essential for the treatment of deteriorating, clinically infected wounds, debate exists regarding the relevance and use of antibiotics (systemic or topical) and antiseptics (topical) in the treatment of nonhealing wounds that have no clinical signs of infection. In providing a detailed analysis of wound microbiology, together with current opinion and controversies regarding wound assessment and treatment, this review has attempted to capture and address microbiological aspects that are critical to the successful management of microorganisms in wounds. PMID:11292638

Consumer-Mediated Health Information Exchanges: The 2012 ACMI Debate

PubMed Central

Cimino, James J.; Frisse, Mark; Halamka, John; Sweeney, Latanya; Yasnoff, William

2017-01-01

The American College of Medical Informatics (ACMI) sponsors periodic debates during the American Medical Informatics Fall Symposium to highlight important informatics issues of broad interest. In 2012, a panel debated the following topic: “Resolved: Health Information Exchange Organizations Should Shift Their Principal Focus to Consumer-Mediated Exchange in Order to Facilitate the Rapid Development of Effective, Scalable, and Sustainable Health Information Infrastructure.” Those supporting the proposition emphasized the need for consumer-controlled community repositories of electronic health records (health record banks) to address privacy, stakeholder cooperation, scalability, and sustainability. Those opposing the proposition emphasized that the current healthcare environment is so complex that development of consumer control will take time and that even then, consumers may not be able to mediate their information effectively. While privately, each discussant recognizes that there are many sides to this complex issue, each followed the debater’s tradition of taking an extreme position in order emphasize some of the polarizing aspects in the short time allotted them. In preparing this summary, we sought to convey the substance and spirit of the debate in printed form. Transcripts of the actual debate were edited for clarity, and appropriate supporting citations were added for the further edification of the reader. PMID:24561078

Ethical Issues Regarding Informed Consent for Minors for Space Tourism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marsh, Melvin S.

2010-01-01

This paper describes the difficulty with informed consent and debates whether or not whether adults should be able to ethically, morally, and legally consent for their children during the high-risk activity of space tourism. The experimental nature of space vehicles combined with the high likelihood of medical complications and the destination places space tourism legally in the category of "adventure activities," which include adventure travel to exotic locations as well as adventure sports, such as mountain climbing, rafting, etc. which carry a high risk of danger (http://rescommunis.wordpress.com/2008/02/14/interview-tracey-l-knutson-adventure-sports-defense-attorney-on-space-tourism-risk-and-informed-consente/). However, unlike other adventure sports, adults currently cannot consent for their minor children. Other topics also receive attention, such as a "mature minors" clause, radiation exposure of potential future children, and other difficulties preventing adults from legally consenting to space travel.

Specific Language Impairment, Nonverbal IQ, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cochlear Implants, Bilingualism, and Dialectal Variants: Defining the Boundaries, Clarifying Clinical Conditions, and Sorting Out Causes

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this research forum article is to provide an overview of a collection of invited articles on the topic “specific language impairment (SLI) in children with concomitant health conditions or nonmainstream language backgrounds.” Topics include SLI, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, cochlear implants, bilingualism, and dialectal language learning contexts. Method The topic is timely due to current debates about the diagnosis of SLI. An overarching comparative conceptual framework is provided for comparisons of SLI with other clinical conditions. Comparisons of SLI in children with low-normal or normal nonverbal IQ illustrate the unexpected outcomes of 2 × 2 comparison designs. Results Comparative studies reveal unexpected relationships among speech, language, cognitive, and social dimensions of children's development as well as precise ways to identify children with SLI who are bilingual or dialect speakers. Conclusions The diagnosis of SLI is essential for elucidating possible causal pathways of language impairments, risks for language impairments, assessments for identification of language impairments, linguistic dimensions of language impairments, and long-term outcomes. Although children's language acquisition is robust under high levels of risk, unexplained individual variations in language acquisition lead to persistent language impairments. PMID:26502218

California parents' preferences and beliefs regarding school-based sex education policy.

PubMed

Constantine, Norman A; Jerman, Petra; Huang, Alice X

2007-09-01

Policy debates over the merits of abstinence-only versus comprehensive approaches to sex education are ongoing, despite well-documented public support for comprehensive sex education. Although parents are key stakeholders in the outcomes of these debates, their views have been less thoroughly considered. A random digit dial survey of 1,284 California parents was conducted in 2006. Parents were asked about their sex education policy preferences, the importance of teaching selected topics at different grade levels and reasons for their preferences. Cross-tabulations and odds ratios were used to assess regional and other subgroup differences. Overall, 89% of parents reported a preference for comprehensive sex education, and 11% for abstinence-only education. Support for comprehensive sex education was high in all regions (87-93%) and across all subgroup characteristics: race or ethnicity (79-92%), age (86-94%), education (84-93%), household income (87-92%), religious affiliation (86-91%), religious service attendance (69-96%) and ideological leaning (71-96%). Four types of reasons for preferences emerged: those focused on the consequences of actions, on the importance of providing complete information, on the inevitability of adolescents' engaging in sex and on religious or purity-based morality concerns. While 64% of abstinence-only supporters cited the last type (absolutist reasons), 94% of comprehensive sex education supporters cited one of the first three (pragmatic reasons). The high levels of support for comprehensive sex education across California's diverse regions and demographic subgroups suggest that such support may be generalizable to communities and school districts both in California and around the country. Furthermore, ideological differences might be less important to the sex education debates than the distinction between pragmatic and absolutist perspectives.

"Pictures with a purpose": the birth control debate on the big screen.

PubMed

Parry, Manon

2011-01-01

In the first half of the twentieth century, birth control advocates used the mass media to reframe contraception from a private, secret matter to an acceptable part of life fit for public discussion. Although their campaign began in print, they quickly embraced the more far-reaching medium of film to deliver their message. This article argues that birth control advocates circumvented the Comstock Act in the early decades of the twentieth century by taking up this new medium as part of a long-running strategy to publicize the birth control movement. Their efforts shaped both the public debate on the topic and the development of motion picture censorship.

The injured mind in the UK Armed Forces

PubMed Central

Greenberg, N.; Jones, E.; Jones, N.; Fear, N. T.; Wessely, S.

2011-01-01

The mental health of the UK Armed Forces is a topic much debated by healthcare professionals, politicians and the media. While the current operations in Afghanistan, and the recent conflict in Iraq, are relevant to this debate, much of what is known about the effects of war upon the psyche still derives from the two World Wars. This paper will examine the historical and contemporary evidence about why it is that some Service personnel suffer psychological injuries during their military service and others do not. The paper will also consider some of the strategies that today's Armed Forces have put in place to mitigate the effects of sending military personnel into danger. PMID:21149361

Teaching Societal and Ethical Implications of Nanotechnology to Engineering Students through Science Fiction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berne, Rosalyn W.; Schummer, Joachim

2005-01-01

Societal and ethical implications of nanotechnology have become a hot topic of public debates in many countries because both revolutionary changes and strong public concerns are expected from its development. Because nanotechnology is, at this point, mostly articulated in visionary and futuristic terms, it is difficult to apply standard methods of…

Debating Whether Dinosaurs Should Be "Cloned" from Ancient DNA To Promote Cooperative Learning in an Introductory Evolution Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soja, Constance M.; Huerta, Deborah

2001-01-01

Describes an interactive internet exercise that enables students to engage in cooperative library and web research on a controversial topic in science, specifically the cloning of extinct lifeforms. Creates a dynamic learning environment in a large introductory geology course and demonstrates the importance of scientific literacy. (Author/SAH)

The Teaching of Socioscientific Issues in Interdisciplinarity Biology-philosophy, an Ethical Stake and Citizenship Issue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kacem, Saida; Simonneaux, Laurence

2009-01-01

This research starts from a relatively optimistic thinking based on the fact that the teaching of the socioscientific issues through the practice of argued debates can contribute positively towards education in scientific citizenship. The teaching of techno-sciences raises topical questions which interfere in the classroom and at the same time…

Student Understanding of Climate Change: Influences of College Major and Environmental Group Membership on Undergraduate Knowledge and Mental Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huxster, Joanna

2013-01-01

A consensus has been reached within the scientific community concerning the occurrence of climate change and its anthropogenic causes. Outside of this community, however, there continues to be considerable debate and confusion surrounding the topic. The government mitigation strategies and political leadership needed for this issue will require…

Restructuring for Ethnic Peace: A Public Debate at the University of Hawaii.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tehranian, Majid, Ed.

This volume represents the outcome of a series of seven public forums held at the University of Hawaii on problems of ethnic peace. The papers included cover such topics as academic freedom and responsibility; affirmative action and grievances; legacies of colonialism and racism; dynamics of class, ethnicity, culture, and education; and finally…

The Language Skill Change Project (LSCP): Background, Procedures, and Preliminary Findings

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-01

word in the dictionary so I can understand what I am reading. 49. I use flashcards (with the new word or phrase on one side and the definition or...mostly on a term paper rather than multiple choice tests. 6. I would rather watch a heated debate on a controversial topic than a popular music program

"Spanglish" and Identity within and outside the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dumitrescu, Domnita

2013-01-01

The session that the AATSP organized at this year's MLA Convention in Boston (held on January 4, 2013) was dedicated to a topic that has been the object of constant debate in the past decades: the use of "Spanglish" as a marker of identity among US Latinos. The author states that she puts "Spanglish" into quotation marks…

Secondary School Teachers' Perspectives on Teaching about Topics That Bridge Science and Religion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Billingsley, Berry; Riga, Fran; Taber, Keith S.; Newdick, Helen

2014-01-01

The question of where to locate teaching about the relationships between science and religion has produced a long-running debate. Currently, science and religious education (RE) are statutory subjects in England and are taught in secondary schools by different teachers. This paper reports on an interview study in which 16 teachers gave their…

Comparing Two Cooperative Small Group Formats Used with Physical Therapy and Medical Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Eon, Marcel; Proctor, Peggy; Reeder, Bruce

2007-01-01

This study compared "Structured Controversy" (a semi-formal debate like small group activity) with a traditional open discussion format for medical and physical therapy students. We found that those students who had participated in Structured Controversy changed their personal opinion on the topic more than those who were in the Open Discussion…

Overlapping Parietal Activity in Memory and Perception: Evidence for the Attention to Memory Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cabeza, Roberto; Mazuz, Yonatan S.; Stokes, Jared; Kragel, James E.; Woldorff, Marty G.; Ciaramelli, Elisa; Olson, Ingrid R.; Moscovitch, Morris

2011-01-01

The specific role of different parietal regions to episodic retrieval is a topic of intense debate. According to the Attention to Memory (AtoM) model, dorsal parietal cortex (DPC) mediates top-down attention processes guided by retrieval goals, whereas ventral parietal cortex (VPC) mediates bottom-up attention processes captured by the retrieval…

Humanizing Digital Literacies: A Road Trip in Search of Wisdom and Insight

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowsell, Jennifer; Burke, Anne; Flewitt, Rosie; Liao, Han-Teng; Lin, Angel; Marsh, Jackie; Mills, Kathy; Prinsloo, Mastin; Rowe, Deborah; Wohlwend, Karen

2016-01-01

Digital literacies abound in playing a foundational role in the rhythm and pattern of our lives, yet debates continue about how to harness them to teach and learn literacy. In an effort to humanize digital literacies, this department column offers a vast array of topics, from participatory work that pushes educators and researchers to communicate…

Do Sports Build or Reveal Character?--An Exploratory Study at One Service Academy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doty, Joseph P.; Lumpkin, Angela

2010-01-01

Whether participating in sports builds character and if character can be measured continues to be a debated, though important, topic. Almost daily we read or hear about athletes displaying poor character. Most research shows that as the level of sport competition increases, the level of character decreases. However, participating in sports, at any…

Information Wants To Be Shared: An Alternative Framework for Approaching Intellectual Property Disputes in an Information Age.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tavani, Herman T.

2002-01-01

Discusses the debate over intellectual property rights for digital media. Topics include why intellectual property should be protected; the evolution of copyright law; fair use doctrine; case studies; the philosophical theories of property, including labor theory, utilitarian theory, and personality theory; natural law theory; the social role of…

Early Childhood Education and Care in Urban China: The Importance of Parental Choice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nyland, Berenice; Nyland, Chris; Maharaj, Elizabeth Ann

2009-01-01

The education and care of children during their first years has long been a topic of debate for policy-makers and researchers. In recent years, neurological and longitudinal research has highlighted the impact the education and care environment can have on the long-term cognitive, social and emotional development of young children. China's…

Wanted: Ways to Assess the Majority of Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawchuk, Stephen

2011-01-01

The author reports on the debate about "value added" measures of teaching which may be the most divisive topic in teacher-quality policy today. It has generated sharp-tongued exchanges in public forums, in news stories, and on editorial pages. And it has produced enough policy briefs to fell whole forests. But for most of the nation's teachers,…

Representing Racial Identity: Identity, Race, the Construction of the African American STEM Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Bryan A.; Mangram, Charmaine; Sun, Kathy; Cross, Keith; Raab, Erin

2017-01-01

The challenge of opening the doors to science has been a topic of debate for many years. This content analysis study documented an urban school's attempt to use representational practices to promote positive science identities for African American boys. Our analysis revealed how the school attempted to offer connections between ethnic identity and…

Assessment and Case Law: Implications for the Grading Practices of Music Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Joshua A.

2011-01-01

Assessment continues to be a topic of discussion and concern for many music educators and music teacher educators. The discussion of assessment in music education can spark lively and passionate debate among music educators, music teacher educators, students, policy makers, and parents alike. This article offers a discussion of some of the…

Supreme Court Rulings on Abortion: Roe v. Wade and Selected Progeny

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uerling, Donald F.

2006-01-01

Abortion is one of the most controversial and contentious issues of our time. Few topics generate as much public debate or leave as little room for political compromise. This article presents a discussion of selected United States Supreme Court decisions on abortion and the legal reasoning supporting those decisions. It should be noted initially…

Pulling Back the Curtain: Relearning the History of the Philosophy of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Titone, Connie

2007-01-01

Women have played an undeniable part in shaping the history of philosophy and philosophy of education for at least 1,000 years. Yet, current anthologies, encyclopedias, and textbooks in the field rarely recognize large numbers of women's works as consequential to our understanding of the development of educational topics and debates. This article,…

Covariation between Variables in a Modelling Process: The ACODESA (Collaborative Learning, Scientific Debate and Self-Reflection) Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hitt, Fernando; González-Martín, Alejandro S.

2015-01-01

Semiotic representations have been an important topic of study in mathematics education. Previous research implicitly placed more importance on the development of institutional representations of mathematical concepts in students rather than other types of representations. In the context of an extensive research project, in progress since 2005,…

Opening the Case of the iPad: What Matters, and Where Next?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burnett, Cathy; Merchant, Guy

2017-01-01

Digital literacies abound in playing a foundational role in the rhythm and pattern of our lives, yet debates continue about how to harness them to teach and learn literacy. In an effort to humanize digital literacies, this department column offers a vast array of topics, from participatory work that pushes educators and researchers to communicate…

The Test Authors Speak: Reporting on an Author Survey of the Leading Tests Used in Gifted Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valler, Emilee C.; Burko, Jordan A.; Pfeiffer, Steven I.; Branagan, Alexandra M.

2017-01-01

The conceptualization of giftedness continues to be a widely debated topic within the field. Recently, there has been a shift from a psychometric view of giftedness to inclusion of conative and contextual factors. How one defines and conceptualizes "gifted" drives assessment and identification practices. Conceptualization also guides the…

Controversial Issues in Adventure Education: A Critical Examination.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wurdinger, Scott D.; Potter, Tom G.

Adventure education has its own set of unique questions that help to define what it is and how it differs from other fields of education. Adventure education has grown rapidly over the past several decades, and with its evolution, many critical topics for deliberation have emerged. This book contains 15 chapters, each arranged in a debate format…

The Promise of Anonymity: An Investigation of the Practices of ELA Teachers Facilitating Discourse about LGBTQ Topics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kavanagh, Sarah Schneider

2016-01-01

Background/Context: As states and districts have begun adopting texts inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people, debates about how LGBTQ issues should be represented in the curricular canon have emerged. While existing research investigates curricular questions that are arising as a result of LGBTQ curricular…

The Future Is Unwritten: Democratic Adult Education against and beyond Neoliberalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finnegan, Fergal

2016-01-01

The paper discusses the value of imagination in educational debate and makes an argument for Irish adult educators making space and time to envisage a range of possible futures for the field beyond the terms offered in current policy. It explores this topic in relation to neoliberal educational reform and the broader social context. The second…

Developing a Common Faith and Ethic for School Safety.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Patten, James J.; Siegrist, Jerry

School safety is a topic of national debate due to the severity of student violence in the last few years. While the percentage of violent incidences in schools nationwide has decreased, the problem resides in the increased severity of such crimes. Teachers are facing random acts of violence seldom faced in the past. This paper discusses…

Current Integration of Dissection in Medical Education in Australia and New Zealand: Challenges and Successes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouwer, Hope Ellen; Valter, Krisztina; Webb, Alexandra Louise

2016-01-01

The reduced use of dissection associated with the introduction of integrated systems problem-based learning curricula, graduate-entry programs and medical school expansion is a frequent topic of discussion and debate in modern medical training. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of these changes to the medical education…

The Co-Dependent Relationship of Technology and Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Surry, Daniel W.; Baker, Fredrick W., III

2016-01-01

Technology is one the defining features of humanity. It is ubiquitous in modern society and plays an important role in nearly everything that humans do. New technologies frequently spur our imagination, can evoke powerful emotions and often serve as the topic of heated debate. Many people are in awe of the power and potential of new technologies…

The New Synergy between Print and the Web

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huwe, Terence K.

2009-01-01

The future of the publishing industry and the profession of journalism are hot topics these days. Those with intact long-term memory faculties will recall equally heated and ongoing debates about the future of libraries and their own profession, dating as far back as 1994, when the internet captured public imagination. Times have changed a bit…

A Family History Study of Asperger Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghaziuddin, Mohammad

2005-01-01

Asperger syndrome (AS) is a childhood-onset disorder often described as a mild variant of autism. Although classified as a distinct disorder in the DSM-IV, its overlap with autism continues to be a matter of ongoing debate. While the family genetic origins of autism are well established, few studies have investigated this topic in AS using current…

Solutions and Hope for Severe Behaviors: The Development of Functional Behavioral Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeLeon, Iser; Silverman, Wayne

2008-01-01

Severe behavior disorders are among the most perplexing conditions encountered by clinicians, and as a front page article in the past Christmas Day's "New York Times" illustrates ("Parents defend school's use of shock therapy"), treatment options remain a topic of contentious debate. Not all that long ago physical restraint was the only option,…

Value-Added Measures in Education: What Every Educator Needs to Know

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Douglas N.

2011-01-01

In "Value-Added Measures in Education", Douglas N. Harris takes on one of the most hotly debated topics in education. Drawing on his extensive work with schools and districts, he sets out to help educators and policymakers understand this innovative approach to assessment and the issues associated with its use. Written in straightforward language…

"Pretty Much Fear!!" Rationalizing Teacher (Dis)Engagement in Social Justice Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baily, Supriya; Katradis, Maria

2016-01-01

This article analyzes how teachers in U.S. classrooms navigate, dialogue, debate, and absorb the ideas of privilege, power, and the presence of various forms of injustices. Through their understanding of these topics, we explore how K-12 teachers engage, disengage, and rationalize issues of social justice in education, society, and their own…

Digital Play as Purposeful Productive Literacies in African American Boys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis Ellison, Tisha; Solomon, Marva

2018-01-01

Digital literacies abound in playing a foundational role in the rhythm and pattern of our lives, yet debates continue about how to harness them to teach and learn literacy. In an effort to humanize digital literacies, this department column offers a vast array of topics, from participatory work that pushes educators and researchers to communicate…

Unequally Safe: The Race Gap in School Safety. Working Paper #01-13

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lacoe, Johanna

2013-01-01

Inequality in educational outcomes is a frequent topic of policy debate. This paper investigates one potential source of educational inequality--school safety. With panel survey data of middle school students, this paper estimates racial gaps in student feelings of safety in the classroom, in the hallways, and outside the school building, and how…

The Effects of Class Size on Student Achievement in Intermediate Level Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McInerney, Melissa

2014-01-01

Class size and student achievement have been debated for decades. The vast amount of research on this topic is either conflicting or inconclusive. There are large and small scale studies that support both sides of this dilemma (Achilles, Nye, Boyd-Zaharias, Fulton, & Cain, 1994; Glass & Smith, 1979; Slavin, 1989). Class size reduction is a…

"Undoing" the Self: Should Heterosexual Teachers "Come Out" in the University Classroom?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Louisa

2011-01-01

The issue of whether to "come out" in class has a poignant history in the literature by gay, lesbian and bisexual educators on this topic. By comparison few heterosexuals have publicly written about whether they explicitly reveal their heterosexuality to students. This paper contributes to the enduring debate about whether to "come out" in class…

McCain, Obama Spar on Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoff, David J.

2008-01-01

The campaigns of Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama engaged in a sharp and testy exchange on education last week, making the topic the center of debate for the first time since the long race for the presidency began. Neither candidate changed course on the policies he is promising to pursue. However, Obama sought to distinguish himself…

Usability of English Note-Taking Applications in a Foreign Language Learning Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roy, Debopriyo; Brine, John; Murasawa, Fuyuki

2016-01-01

The act of note-taking offloads cognitive pressure and note-taking applications could be used as an important tool for foreign language acquisition. Its use, importance, and efficacy in a foreign language learning context could be justifiably debated. However, existing computer-assisted language learning literature is almost silent on the topic.…

Selecting Growth Measures for Use in School Evaluation Systems: Should Proportionality Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ehlert, Mark; Koedel, Cory; Parsons, Eric; Podgursky, Michael

2016-01-01

The specifics of how growth models should be constructed and used for educational evaluation is a topic of lively policy debate in states and school districts nationwide. In this article, we take up the question of model choice--framed within a policy context--and examine three competing approaches. The first approach, reflected in the popular…

A Little about Language, Words and Concepts--or What May Happen When Children Learn To Read.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jansen, Mogens

A compilation of lectures and presentations from Nordic and international conferences, symposia, and seminars, as well as informal contributions to debates, this booklet was published originally as a 1987 greeting by the Danish National Association of Reading Teachers. Topics covered in an often humorous presentation include reading, reading…

A summary of the SOTANCP3 workshop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baye, Daniel

2014-12-01

This text summarizes the talks presented at the 3rd International Workshop on State of the Art in Nuclear Cluster Physics (SOTANCP3) held in Yokohama (Japan) from 26 to 30 May 2014. Some personal opinions are also expressed on two much debated topics: the 12C spectrum in the continuum and conflicting interpretations of cluster wave functions.

Supporting Collaborative Learning and E-Discussions Using Artificial Intelligence Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaren, Bruce M.; Scheuer, Oliver; Miksatko, Jan

2010-01-01

An emerging trend in classrooms is the use of networked visual argumentation tools that allow students to discuss, debate, and argue with one another in a synchronous fashion about topics presented by a teacher. These tools are aimed at teaching students how to discuss and argue, important skills not often taught in traditional classrooms. But how…

Collaboration between Higher Education and Labor Market in Kinshasa, DR Congo

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etshim, Rachal

2017-01-01

The transition of new graduate students from school to the labor market in Democratic Republic of Congo has been a major topic for debate over the last twenty years. This study identifies the factors affecting collaboration between higher education and the labor market in Kinshasa, the Capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Even though…

Polluted online information? Surfing Italian websites dealing with the topic of waste and health

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orizio, G.; Locatelli, M. K.; Caimi, L.; Gelatti, U.

2011-10-01

In the field of health communication, a particularly critical issue is communication to the public of environmental risks, especially on topics for which there is still a high degree of scientific uncertainty regarding risk estimates. One such topic is undoubtedly the impact of waste on people's health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence and characteristics of Italian websites dealing with the topic of waste and health. The keywords 'waste' and 'health' were entered in 2010 in the three most commonly used search engines, and the first five pages were analysed. The selected websites were coded according to the content analysis method. For websites of interest we evaluated the 'page rank'. Out of the 150 occurrences analysed, the number of websites found to deal with this subject was only 19, four of which were of an institutional nature. The majority of websites gave a message of increased health risk associated with the three kinds of waste disposal tackled. As regards visibility, only one of the four institutional websites maintained its position on the first page of the three search engines. We found that institutional health websites have low visibility, despite extensive media coverage of waste and health issues in Italy as a result of the Naples case, which was debated globally. This indicates that public health institutions' web strategies are basically unable to meet people's health information requirements, which could strengthen rival health information providers.

The role of the bidirectional hydrogenase in cyanobacteria.

PubMed

Carrieri, Damian; Wawrousek, Karen; Eckert, Carrie; Yu, Jianping; Maness, Pin-Ching

2011-09-01

Cyanobacteria have tremendous potential to produce clean, renewable fuel in the form of hydrogen gas derived from solar energy and water. Of the two cyanobacterial enzymes capable of evolving hydrogen gas (nitrogenase and the bidirectional hydrogenase), the hox-encoded bidirectional Ni-Fe hydrogenase has a high theoretical potential. The physiological role of this hydrogenase is a highly debated topic and is poorly understood relative to that of the nitrogenase. Here the structure, assembly, and expression of this enzyme, as well as its probable roles in metabolism, are discussed and analyzed to gain perspective on its physiological role. It is concluded that the bidirectional hydrogenase in cyanobacteria primarily functions as a redox regulator for maintaining a proper oxidation/reduction state in the cell. Recommendations for future research to test this hypothesis are discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The HIV self-testing debate: where do we stand?

PubMed

Gagnon, Marilou; French, Martin; Hébert, Yamilee

2018-01-18

Emphasis on HIV testing as a gateway to prevention, treatment and care has grown tremendously over the past decade. In turn, this emphasis on testing has created a demand for new policies, programs, and technologies that can potentially increase access to and uptake of HIV testing. HIV self-testing (HST) technologies have gained important momentum following the approval of the over-the-counter self-tests in the United States, the UK, and France. While the renewed interest in HST has given rise to a number of high quality reviews of empirical studies conducted on this topic, we have yet to find an article that captures the extent of the debate on HST. A critical review of the literature on HST was conducted and organized into three categories based on the focus of the article: 1) Empirical research, 2) Arguments, and 3) Context. We focused exclusively on the second category which included ethical analyses, policy analyses, editorials, opinion pieces, commentaries, letters to the editor and so forth. 10 lines of argument on HST were identified in the literature: 1) Individual - Public Health, 2) Strengths - Limits, 3) Benefits - Harms, 4) Screening - Testing, 5) Target - Market, 6) Health Care - Industry, 7) Regulation - Restriction, 8) Resource-Rich Settings - Resource-Limited Settings, 9) Ethical - Unethical, and 10) Exceptionalism - Normalization. Each line of argument is presented and discussed in the paper. We conclude by providing examples of critical questions that should be raised in order to take the debate to another level and generate new ways of thinking about HST.

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

PubMed

Caulfield, Timothy; Rachul, Christen; Zarzeczny, Amy

2012-12-01

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

Air pollution: a smoking gun for cancer

PubMed Central

Zhang, Wei; Qian, Chao-Nan; Zeng, Yi-Xin

2014-01-01

Once considered a taboo topic or stigma, cancer is the number one public health enemy in the world. Once a product of an almost untouchable industry, tobacco is indisputably recognized as a major cause of cancer and a target for anticancer efforts. With the emergence of new economic powers in the world, especially in highly populated countries such as China, air pollution has rapidly emerged as a smoking gun for cancer and has become a hot topic for public health debate because of the complex political, economic, scientific, and technologic issues surrounding the air pollution problem. This editorial and the referred articles published in this special issue of the Chinese Journal of Cancer discuss these fundamental questions. Does air pollution cause a wide spectrum of cancers? Should air pollution be considered a necessary evil accompanying economic transformation in developing countries? Is an explosion of cancer incidence coming to China and how soon will it arrive? What must be done to prevent this possible human catastrophe? Finally, the approaches for air pollution control are also discussed. PMID:24636233

Situating the Debate on "Geometrical Algebra" within the Framework of Premodern Algebra.

PubMed

Sialaros, Michalis; Christianidis, Jean

2016-06-01

Argument The aim of this paper is to employ the newly contextualized historiographical category of "premodern algebra" in order to revisit the arguably most controversial topic of the last decades in the field of Greek mathematics, namely the debate on "geometrical algebra." Within this framework, we shift focus from the discrepancy among the views expressed in the debate to some of the historiographical assumptions and methodological approaches that the opposing sides shared. Moreover, by using a series of propositions related to Elem. II.5 as a case study, we discuss Euclid's geometrical proofs, the so-called "semi-algebraic" alternative demonstrations attributed to Heron of Alexandria, as well as the solutions given by Diophantus, al-Sulamī, and al-Khwārizmī to the corresponding numerical problem. This comparative analysis offers a new reading of Heron's practice, highlights the significance of contextualizing "premodern algebra," and indicates that the origins of algebraic reasoning should be sought in the problem-solving practice, rather than in the theorem-proving tradition.

Using science soundly: The Yucca Mountain standard

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

Fri, R.W.

1995-09-01

Using sound science to shape government regulation is one of the most hotly argued topics in the ongoing debate about regulatory reform. Even though no one advaocates using unsound science, the belief that even the best science will sweep away regulatory controversy is equally foolish. As chair of a National Research Council (NRC) committee that studied the scientific basis for regulating high-level nuclear waste disposal, the author learned that science alone could resolve few of the key regulatory questions. Developing a standard that specifies a socially acceptable limit on the human health effects of nuclear waste releases involves many decisions.more » As the NRC committee learned in evaluating the scientific basis for the Yucca Mountain standard, a scientifically best decision rarely exists. More often, science can only offer a useful framework and starting point for policy debates. And sometimes, science`s most helpful contribution is to admit that it has nothing to say. The Yucca mountain study clearly illustrates that excessive faith in the power of science is more likely to produce messy frustration than crisp decisions. A better goal for regulatory reform is the sound use of science to clarify and contain the inevitable policy controversy.« less

The conscientious objection: debate on emergency contraception.

PubMed

Montanari Vergallo, G; Zaami, S; Di Luca, N M; Marinelli, E

2017-01-01

The authors discuss the emergency contraception (EC) topic, assessing scientific and ethical aspects. The almost totality of the studies carried out tends to report on the use of drugs as an emergency measure to prevent pregnancy. However, it is not yet completely excluded that emergency contraceptives can induce medical abortion. The debate on side effects of EC continues to be a highly emotional and controversial issue both for advocates who believe they will lower considerably the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions, and for opponents who believe that using emergency contraception amounts to an abortion. This latter hypothesis highlights the conflicting aspect of the conscientious objection to abortion of physicians and pharmacists. This research work is aimed at investigating the emergency contraception issue, paying particular attention to the medico-legal and regulatory aspects of this subject. Particularly, the authors focus on the conscientious objection in order to assess, if any, legal protection for physicians and pharmacists who claim a right to conscientious objection. Inappropriate use of EC could be resolved through a registry of user. This registry, of course, would not have the intention of persecution, but would only serve to detect possible cases of subjugation, exploitation and harassment.

Part 1: potential dangers of extreme endurance exercise: how much is too much? Part 2: screening of school-age athletes.

PubMed

O'Keefe, James H; Lavie, Carl J; Guazzi, Marco

2015-01-01

The question is not whether exercise is or isn't one of the very best strategies for improving quality of life, cardiovascular (CV) health and longevity-it is. And there is no debate as to whether or not strenuous high-intensity endurance training produces an amazingly efficient, compliant, and powerful pump-it does. The essence of the controversy centers on what exactly is the ideal pattern of long-term physical activity (PA) for conferring robust and enduring CV health, while also optimizing life expectancy. With that goal in mind, this review will focus on the question: "Is more always better when it comes to exercise?" And if a dose-response curve exists for the therapeutic effects of PA, where is the upper threshold at which point further training begins to detract from the health and longevity benefits noted with moderate exercise? The emerging picture from the cumulative data on this hotly debated topic is that moderate exercise appears to be the sweet spot for bestowing lasting CV health and longevity. However, the specific definition of moderate in this context is not clear yet. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Newspaper coverage of water issues in Australia.

PubMed

Hurlimann, Anna; Dolnicar, Sara

2012-12-01

The media has been found to have an impact on public debate, public opinion, and public policy agendas. Public debate, and public opinion about water conservation and water supply management projects matter because they can influence specific outcomes. For example, public opinion can potentially lead to positive behaviour, like increased water conservation, or potentially negative behaviours such as public opposition to developments such as dams or water recycling plants, which may be necessary under changing climatic conditions. It is therefore critical to understand how the media reports on water-related topics. Results from a content analysis of 1253 newspaper articles published in Australia in 2008 indicate that water-related reports are characterised by lack of inclusion of views held by various stakeholders, a low level of support of statements with scientific evidence, a low level of impartiality in the sense of reporting on opposing views and a relatively high level of hedging, meaning that the author signals that there is some uncertainly about the reported information. In sum these tendencies could theoretically culminate to work against public engagement in water issues and undermine the public's understanding of and confidence in water management measures. Proactive measures of media management are recommended. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coupling Protein Dynamics with Proton Transport in Human Carbonic Anhydrase II

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The role of protein dynamics in enzyme catalysis is one of the most highly debated topics in enzymology. The main controversy centers around what may be defined as functionally significant conformational fluctuations and how, if at all, these fluctuations couple to enzyme catalyzed events. To shed light on this debate, the conformational dynamics along the transition path surmounting the highest free energy barrier have been herein investigated for the rate limiting proton transport event in human carbonic anhydrase (HCA) II. Special attention has been placed on whether the motion of an excess proton is correlated with fluctuations in the surrounding protein and solvent matrix, which may be rare on the picosecond and subpicosecond time scales of molecular motions. It is found that several active site residues, which do not directly participate in the proton transport event, have a significant impact on the dynamics of the excess proton. These secondary participants are shown to strongly influence the active site environment, resulting in the creation of water clusters that are conducive to fast, moderately slow, or slow proton transport events. The identification and characterization of these secondary participants illuminates the role of protein dynamics in the catalytic efficiency of HCA II. PMID:27063577

Playing Games: Do Game Consoles Have a Positive Impact on Girls' Learning Outcomes and Motivation?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kitching, Lucy; Wheeler, Steve

2013-01-01

Games based learning is currently a hotly debated topic in education and is a fertile field of study (Holmes, 2011; Abrams, 2009). Many schools are exploring ways in which games can be embedded into the curriculum, to enhance learning through deeper engagement and higher levels of motivation (Miller & Robertson, 2010). This paper explores the…

A Social History of the Manitoba Metis. The Development and Loss of Aboriginal Rights.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pelletier, Emile

The concept of aboriginal rights has been interpreted in various ways. Too often the general public does not understand fully what is meant by aboriginal rights. This topic has been debated in Parliament since Confederation and the general attitude of the news media has been to overlook it as unimportant. By definition, an aboriginal right is what…

Evaluating Secondary Students' Scientific Reasoning in Genetics Using a Two-Tier Diagnostic Instrument

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsui, Chi-Yan; Treagust, David

2010-01-01

While genetics has remained as one key topic in school science, it continues to be conceptually and linguistically difficult for students with the concomitant debates as to what should be taught in the age of biotechnology. This article documents the development and implementation of a two-tier multiple-choice instrument for diagnosing grades 10…

The Impact of Standard Nutrition Labels on Alcoholic Beverages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Julia A.; Dale, Chelsea F.; Fontana, Victoria C.; Collier, Suzanne L.

2015-01-01

Whether or not to mandate nutrition labels on alcoholic beverages is a topic of debate. We examined the effect of nutrition labels on (1) plans for drinking and (2) alcohol expectancies. Study 1, n = 80 underage college drinkers responded to an image of a beer with or without a nutrition label. Study 2, n = 98 community drinkers responded to…

The Role of Extra-Credit Assignments in the Teaching of World Languages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alley, David

2011-01-01

The granting of extra credit is a hotly debated topic in all fields of education. Teachers are reluctant to offer extra credit for fear of inflating grades, but students are persistent in their demands for extra-credit points to which they have become accustomed. This article considers extra-credit assignments in the teaching of world languages.…

Can Genius Be Taught? Debates in Portuguese Music Education (1868-1930)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paz, Ana Luísa Fernandes

2017-01-01

This paper examines how the idea of musical genius, a mythical notion used as a device for musical practices, facilitates a split between the genius of an innate learner and that of an apprentice, thus creating an ambiguous discursive space. Genius was firstly a matter of nature, but also most discussed under the topic of nurture, that is,…

The Crowd in Mind and Crowded Minds: An Experimental Investigation of Crowding Effects on Students' Views Regarding Tuition Fees in Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hellmann, Jens H.; Jucks, Regina

2017-01-01

In higher education, just amounts of tuition fees are often a topic of heated debate among different groups such as students, university teachers, administrative staff, and policymakers. We investigated whether unpleasant situations that students often experience at university due to social crowding can affect students' views on the justified…

To What Extent Does a Regional Dialect and Accent Impact on the Development of Reading and Writing Skills?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snell, Julia; Andrews, Richard

2017-01-01

The issue of whether a regional accent and/or dialect impact(s) on the development of literacy skills remains current in the UK. For decades the issue has dogged debate concerning education outcomes, portable skills and employability. This article summarises research on the topic using systematic review methodology. A scoping review was undertaken…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 3: Student Achievement at 8th Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chudowsky, Naomi; Chudowsky, Victor

2011-01-01

Over the past few decades, concerns have escalated about the quality of education in the U.S. for students in the middle grades. Children entering adolescence have unique educational, social, and emotional needs. How effectively the nation is educating these students has long been a topic of research and debate. This study by the Center on…

Women Shaping the Future. The Future of Work Discussion Kit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pine, Janet; Jackson, Sue; MacNeill, Kate

Designed to inform and empower women to participate in debates and decisions about the future of work in Australia, this kit provides everything needed to run a discussion session on the future of work with women in the community. It consists of a guide for users, workshop guide, topic sheets, and background reading. The guide for users introduces…

Proceedings of the large wildland fires conference; May 19-23, 2014; Missoula, MT

Treesearch

Robert E. Keane; Matt Jolly; Russell Parsons; Karin Riley

2015-01-01

Large fires or "megafires" have been a major topic in wildland fire research and management for over a decade. There is great debate regarding the impacts of large fires. Many believe that they (1) are occurring too frequently, (2) are burning abnormally large areas, (3) cause uncharacteristically adverse ecological harm, and (4) must be suppressed at all...

Peer Assessment in MOOCs: The Relationship between Peer Reviewers' Ability and Authors' Essay Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huisman, Bart; Admiraal, Wilfried; Pilli, Olga; van de Ven, Maarten; Saab, Nadira

2018-01-01

In a relatively short period of time, massive open online courses (MOOCs) have become a considerable topic of research and debate, and the number of available MOOCs is rapidly growing. Along with issues of formal recognition and accreditation, this growth in the number of MOOCs being developed increases the relevance of assessment quality. Within…

CH Stands for Cheese, Right? A Swiss Culture Class and the National Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seidlitz, Lisa

2012-01-01

Culture has always been a part of foreign language learning. However, in recent years, more and more language professors advocate placing culture at the center of our classes. The question of just how to teach culture remains a topic of debate. This paper describes the reworking of a traditional German grammar and reading course into a class that…

Assessing Factors Influencing Student Success at Mississippi's Public Universities as Measured by Bachelor's Degree Completion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pruett, Christian David

2009-01-01

Retention and matriculation are topics of heavy debate and inquiry in higher education as rising tuition costs, coupled with declining state support, have fueled the need for increased accountability. In Mississippi, few studies have been conducted that are unique to the public universities in the state in order to analyze success factors in…

Reassessing the Value of University Lectures. Issues and Ideas Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

French, Sarah; Kennedy, Gregor

2016-01-01

Over the past few years the question of whether the lecture is an effective teaching method has been one of the most heatedly debated topics in the field of higher education. While research on the effectiveness of lectures has been carried out since at least the 1960s, the value of the lecture has been increasingly questioned recently for a number…

Is There a Need for a European-Wide Initiative on Comprehensive Sexuality Education? Reflections from Croatia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Štulhofer, Aleksandar

2016-01-01

Since the late 1990s, Aleksandar Štulhofer has been involved in debates over school-based sexuality education in his country. Introduced to this sensitive and often divisive topic by several research studies on sexual risk taking in youth, he recently participated in two education-policy processes dealing with school-based health and sexuality…

Physically Fit or Physically Literate? How Children with Special Educational Needs Understand Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coates, Janine

2011-01-01

The role of physical literacy within physical education (PE) has become a widely debated topic in recent years. Its role in educating children about physicality through embodiment, skill acquisition and reading the environment is argued to be of great benefit to children. However, whether children understand the role of PE in the development of…

Teaching Nuclear Issues. Occasional Paper No. 10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hicks, David W.

The nuclear debate is one of critical importance and should be explored as part of the school curriculum. The psychology of denying the issue of nuclear arms and the psychological effects of the arms race on children is examined in this paper. A number of topics that might be included in discussion of nuclear issues are the arms race, politics,…

A Comparison of Factor Score Estimation Methods in the Presence of Missing Data: Reliability and an Application to Nicotine Dependence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Estabrook, Ryne; Neale, Michael

2013-01-01

Factor score estimation is a controversial topic in psychometrics, and the estimation of factor scores from exploratory factor models has historically received a great deal of attention. However, both confirmatory factor models and the existence of missing data have generally been ignored in this debate. This article presents a simulation study…

Blinding Applicants in a First-Stage Peer-Review Process of Biomedical Research Grants: An Observational Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solans-Domènech, Maite; Guillamón, Imma; Ribera, Aida; Ferreira-González, Ignacio; Carrion, Carme; Permanyer-Miralda, Gaietà; Pons, Joan M. V.

2017-01-01

To blind or not researcher's identity has often been a topic of debate in the context of peer-review process for scientific publication and research grant application. This article reports on how knowing the name and experience of researchers/institutions influences the qualification of a proposal. We present our experience of managing the…

Four Scenarios for Determining the Size and Reusability of Learning Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schoonenboom, Judith

2012-01-01

The best method for determining the size of learning objects (LOs) so as to optimise their reusability has been a topic of debate for years now. Although there appears to be agreement on basic assumptions, developed guidelines and principles are often in conflict. This study shows that this confusion stems from the fact that in the literature,…

Education and Reproduction of Social Inequality: German Politics and Sociology of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sunker, Heinz

2004-01-01

This article deals with central issues in the field of sociology and politics of education after the publication of the outcomes of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) study for Germany. These outcomes serve to remind us of the old debate on politics of education in the 1960s. The main topic since then remains the reproduction…

Tyranny of the Textbook: An Insider Exposes How Educational Materials Undermine Reforms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jobrack, Beverlee

2011-01-01

Educational reforms and standards have been a topic of public debate for decades, with the latest go-round being the State Common Core Curriculum Standards. But time and again those reforms have failed, and each set of standards, no matter how new and different, has had little impact on improving student achievement. Why? The textbooks. Textbooks…

American Foreign Policy for the '80s: A Voter's Guide to the Facts and Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irwin, Wallace, Jr., Ed.; And Others

The purpose of this guide is to provide voters, officeholders, and candidates with background information on major foreign policy issues so that they can follow the 1980 presidential debates and reach their own informed conclusions. Thirteen major foreign policy topics are covered. The material is written in telegraphic style to get the essential…

Teachers' Views of Mathematics Textbook Series in Flanders: Does it (Not) Matter Which Mathematics Textbook Series Schools Choose?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Steenbrugge, H.; Valcke, M.; Desoete, A.

2013-01-01

The debate on the differential effects of mathematics textbook series is a recurrent topic in the research literature. Research results remain inconclusive, pointing to a lack of evidence to decide on the relevance of the selection by schools of a mathematics textbook series. Studies also point to difficulties in comparing textbooks. Recently, in…

Massive Open Online Change? Exploring the Discursive Construction of the "MOOC" in Newspapers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selwyn, Neil; Bulfin, Scott; Pangrazio, Luci

2015-01-01

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have been a prominent topic of recent educational discussion and debate. MOOCs are, in essence, university-affiliated courses offered to large groups of online learners for little or no cost and are seen by many as a bellwether for change and reform across higher education systems. This study uses content and…

Using Webquests for Oral Communication in English as a Foreign Language for Tourism Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laborda, Jesus Garcia

2009-01-01

A long-standing debate in native and foreign language learning revolves around the use of computers to promote genuine social and professional communication. Webquests are a very common way of using Web resources to research a variety of topics, and if appropriately used can trigger the situations necessary to develop both written and oral…

Benefits of a Sport-Specific Warm-Up in Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Julian; Banks, Aaron; Brathwaite, Rock

2004-01-01

Participating in some form of a warm-up prior to engaging in physical activity is considered an acceptable and valid practice. Nonetheless, the topic has been debated among those in the sport and physical education field for a number of years. Some professionals believe warm-up is essential to physical activity, while others believe warm-up is not…

Accreditation of Online and Distance Learning Programs: Online GIS Education Program Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cabuk Anaper, Saye Nihan; Ulucay, D. Melike Taner; Cabuk, Alper

2013-01-01

The quality issue emerged as a topic of concern for the goods and product market has also become a key element in services like higher education. With the rise of the mobility of students, academicians and graduates, the quality and the compatibility of education systems have recently been subject to much debate. Moreover, the huge role of higher…

A Qualitative Analysis of the Concepts of Fidelity and Adaptation in the Implementation of an Evidence-Based HIV Prevention Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owczarzak, Jill; Broaddus, Michelle; Pinkerton, Steven

2016-01-01

Continued debate about the relative value of fidelity versus adaptation, and lack of clarity about the meaning of fidelity, raise concerns about how frontline service providers resolve similar issues in their daily practice. We use SISTA ("Sisters Informing Sisters on Topics about acquired immune deficiency syndrome"), an evidence-based…

Compilation of Agricultural Research, Education, and Extension Questions for Discussion. 104th Congress, 1st Session.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Committee on Agriculture.

This volume compiles and reprints the responses of 37 organizations to a series of questions issued by the House Committee on Agriculture in anticipation of debates concerning the Research Title of the 1995 Farm Bill due for updating and revision. The questions address some of the following topics: the role of the federal government in…

Assessment Innovation and Student Experience: A New Assessment Challenge and Call for a Multi-Perspective Approach to Assessment Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bevitt, Sheena

2015-01-01

The impact of innovative assessment on student experience in higher education is a neglected research topic. This represents an important gap in the literature-given debate around the marketisation of higher education, international focus on student satisfaction measurement tools and political calls to put students at the heart of higher education…

What's There to Debate about Nuclear Energy? Promoting Multidimensional Science Literacy by Implementing STS Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartley, Elise; Brown, Patrick L.; Concannon, James P.; Stumpe, Laura

2013-01-01

In this lesson, the teacher begins by reviewing some key energy topics with the students. Next, students are asked to focus closely on nuclear energy as a viable resource by closely reading, highlighting, and annotating an article regarding the future of nuclear energy. The culminating activity and evaluation of students understanding of energy…

The Impact of Institutional Factors on Student Academic Results: Implications for "Quality" in Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wimshurst, Kerry; Wortley, Richard; Bates, Merrelyn; Allard, Troy

2006-01-01

This paper situates the topic of student assessment and the moderation of assessment within a broader context of policy debates about the quality of teaching and learning in universities. The focus and discussion grew out of a research project that aimed to investigate factors related to academic success and failure in a Faculty of Arts. The…

Selecting Growth Measures for School and Teacher Evaluations. Working Paper 80

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ehlert, Mark; Koedel, Cory; Parsons, Eric; Podgursky, Michael

2012-01-01

The specifics of how growth models should be constructed and used to evaluate schools and teachers is a topic of lively policy debate in states and school districts nationwide. In this paper we take up the question of model choice and examine three competing approaches. The first approach, reflected in the popular student growth percentiles (SGPs)…

Analysing Design and Technology as an Educational Construct: An Investigation into Its Curriculum Position and Pedagogical Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Dawne; Wooff, David; McLain, Matt; Morrison-Love, David

2017-01-01

The hierarchal status of academic disciplines, what defines valuable or legitimate knowledge and what should we teach our children is a topic of much debate. Amidst concerns of an academic decline, tackling the culture of low expectation and anti-intellectualism, the need to address social justice, and its by-product of cultural reproduction, is…

Do Human Rights Exist for Korean Gay Men and Lesbians?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Youn, Gahyun

All talk of sex was taboo in Korean society until the middle of this century. Only during the last decade has sexuality been a topic of discussion, but still the discourse was dominated by traditional male views regarding sex. Today, the number of homosexuals living openly is growing, and active debate about homosexuality in Korea is now emerging.…

Applied Communication, Argumentation, and Debate: Abstracts of Doctoral Dissertations Published in "Dissertation Abstracts International," July through December 1983 (Vol. 44 Nos. 1 through 6).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills, Urbana, IL.

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 13 titles deal with the following topics: (1) collective bargaining in higher education; (2) decoding nonverbal communication and clinical effectiveness; (3) the need for interpersonal communication training for Texas peace…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

General Accounting Office, Washington, DC.

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

Fostering Success or Stratification? A Macroapproach to Understanding "Success" in the Community College Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ireland, S. Mei-Yen

2015-01-01

The topic of student success is a central focus for community college educators and researchers, yet little consideration is given to the long-term success that community college students may or may not be attaining. What role (if any) do concerns about social stratification have in the debate over student success? Exploring the ways in which…

Defining User Behavior in the Coffee Shop Area of a Super Bookstore, a Grounded Theory Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Craig

Super bookstores have entered into many communities across the United States, and they have caused library professionals to defend and debate the similarities and differences between the bookstores and libraries. Most of the literature on the topic consists of editorial or opinion articles focusing on the differences in services provided by the…

Immigration and Gender as Differentiating Elements in the Motivation and Strategies of Spanish Secondary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suárez, José Manuel; Fernández, Ana Patricia; Zamora, Ángela

2016-01-01

Introduction: The debate over the education of immigrant pupils relative to native Spanish students is currently a hot topic, but very little research has been undertaken in this area in Spain. The objective of this study was to detect certain possible differences in motivation and strategies between immigrant and Spanish pupils, and also between…

Educational Language Policy and the Role of Advocacy among English Language Professionals in the United States: An Historical and Case Study Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mallett, Karen Elizabeth

2009-01-01

Reform-oriented efforts geared toward transformative education and equal educational opportunities for all U.S. school children (regardless of race, gender, or cultural/linguistic background) are underway and advocacy is emerging as an important topic of discussion and debate among language-in-education specialists, applied linguists included. …

Validity of using large-density asymptotics for studying reaction-infiltration instability in fluid-saturated rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Chongbin; Hobbs, B. E.; Ord, A.

2018-04-01

Reaction-infiltration instability, in which chemical reactions can dissolve minerals and therefore create preferential pore-fluid flow channels in fluid-saturated rocks, may play an important role in controlling groundwater quality in groundwater hydrology. Although this topic has been studied for many years, there is a recent debate, which says that the use of large-density asymptotics in the previous studies is invalid. However, there is a crucial conceptual mistake in this debate, which leads to results and conclusions that are inconsistent with the fundamental laws of physics. It is well known that in terms of distance, time and velocity, there are only two independent variables. But they are treated as three independent variables, a procedure that is the main source of the physically unrealistic results and conclusions in the debate. In this paper, we will discuss the results and conclusions related to the debate, with emphasis on the issues leading to the corresponding errors. In particular, we demonstrate that there is an unappreciated constraint condition between the dimensional/dimensionless distance, time and velocity in the debate. By using this constraint condition, it can be confirmed that as the ratio of the reactant concentration in the incoming fluid stream to the mineral concentration approaches zero, the dimensionless transport parameter, H, automatically approaches infinity. Therefore, it is further confirmed that the previous work conducted by Chadam and others remains valid.

Brazilian historiography and the environment: contributions by Sérgio Buarque de Holanda and the contemporary environmental history debate.

PubMed

Losada, Janaina Zito

2016-01-01

Throughout the second half of the twentieth century, Brazilian historigraphical debate was profoundly marked by Sérgio Buarque de Holanda. The problems of national identity, the occupation of the land, the social organization of Brazil and its civilizatory roots, the cultural exchanges and boundaries in inland parts, the perceptions and forms of appropriation of nature, and other topics covered by the author still echo in contemporary historical research. This article discusses how his main works contribute to environmental history, especially his interpretations of how human societies and the natural environment have affected one another. The role of nature, its metaphors, ideas, or images are the evidence of a history of Brazilian historiography.

The reasonable effectiveness of mathematics in the natural sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harvey, Alex

2011-12-01

Mathematics and its relation to the physical universe have been the topic of speculation since the days of Pythagoras. Several different views of the nature of mathematics have been considered: Realism—mathematics exists and is discovered; Logicism—all mathematics may be deduced through pure logic; Formalism—mathematics is just the manipulation of formulas and rules invented for the purpose; Intuitionism—mathematics comprises mental constructs governed by self evident rules. The debate among the several schools has major importance in understanding what Eugene Wigner called, The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences. In return, this `Unreasonable Effectiveness' suggests a possible resolution of the debate in favor of Realism. The crucial element is the extraordinary predictive capacity of mathematical structures descriptive of physical theories.

[The epiglottis in antiquity in medicine and philosophy].

PubMed

Repici, L

1990-01-01

In Antiquity, the epiglottis and the related question whether drink enters the lung is a problem embracing both differently organized philosophical strategies and differently developed medical competences. Over the centuries, the history of a physiological question gradually turns into a debate where we find philosophers disagreeing with philosophers and physicians with physicians. A peculiar feature of this debate is that from a certain time on it involves a division between those who defend Plato's view on the subject and those who (philosophers as well as physicians) criticize it. Plato, Aristotle and Chrysippus, the Hippocratic authors and Erasistratus in the testimony of Aulus Gellius, Plutarch and indirectly also of Cicero, and then Galen and Macrobius have a special place in the development of this topic.

Stereotype Threat.

PubMed

Spencer, Steven J; Logel, Christine; Davies, Paul G

2016-01-01

When members of a stigmatized group find themselves in a situation where negative stereotypes provide a possible framework for interpreting their behavior, the risk of being judged in light of those stereotypes can elicit a disruptive state that undermines performance and aspirations in that domain. This situational predicament, termed stereotype threat, continues to be an intensely debated and researched topic in educational, social, and organizational psychology. In this review, we explore the various sources of stereotype threat, the mechanisms underlying stereotype-threat effects (both mediators and moderators), and the consequences of this situational predicament, as well as the means through which society and stigmatized individuals can overcome the insidious effects of stereotype threat. Ultimately, we hope this review alleviates some of the confusion surrounding stereotype threat while also sparking further research and debate.

THAT INSTRUMENT IS LOUSY! IN SEARCH OF AGREEMENT WHEN USING INSTRUMENTAL VARIABLES ESTIMATION IN SUBSTANCE USE RESEARCH

PubMed Central

Popovici, Ioana

2009-01-01

SUMMARY The primary statistical challenge that must be addressed when using cross-sectional data to estimate the consequences of consuming addictive substances is the likely endogeneity of substance use. While economists are in agreement on the need to consider potential endogeneity bias and the value of instrumental variables estimation, the selection of credible instruments is a topic of heated debate in the field. Rather than attempt to resolve this debate, our paper highlights the diversity of judgments about what constitutes appropriate instruments for substance use based on a comprehensive review of the economics literature since 1990. We then offer recommendations related to the selection of reliable instruments in future studies. PMID:20029936

Superconductivity in highly disordered NbN nanowires.

PubMed

Arutyunov, K Yu; Ramos-Álvarez, A; Semenov, A V; Korneeva, Yu P; An, P P; Korneev, A A; Murphy, A; Bezryadin, A; Gol'tsman, G N

2016-11-25

The topic of superconductivity in strongly disordered materials has attracted significant attention. These materials appear to be rather promising for fabrication of various nanoscale devices such as bolometers and transition edge sensors of electromagnetic radiation. The vividly debated subject of intrinsic spatial inhomogeneity responsible for the non-Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer relation between the superconducting gap and the pairing potential is crucial both for understanding the fundamental issues of superconductivity in highly disordered superconductors, and for the operation of corresponding nanoelectronic devices. Here we report an experimental study of the electron transport properties of narrow NbN nanowires with effective cross sections of the order of the debated inhomogeneity scales. The temperature dependence of the critical current follows the textbook Ginzburg-Landau prediction for the quasi-one-dimensional superconducting channel I c  ∼ (1-T/T c ) 3/2 . We find that conventional models based on the the phase slip mechanism provide reasonable fits for the shape of R(T) transitions. Better agreement with R(T) data can be achieved assuming the existence of short 'weak links' with slightly reduced local critical temperature T c . Hence, one may conclude that an 'exotic' intrinsic electronic inhomogeneity either does not exist in our structures, or, if it does exist, it does not affect their resistive state properties, or does not provide any specific impact distinguishable from conventional weak links.

Why Parents Choose: Examining Factors Influencing Urban-Suburban Parents to Participate in Schools-within-Schools Programs of Choice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berry, Pamela N.

2017-01-01

During an era of a strong movement toward national school choice and the much-debated topic of school vouchers, it is critical for today's public school leaders to understand why families make the decision to leave their neighborhood schools and enroll in other school choice options. This study situated school choice within the context of an…

School Resourcing: Towards Purposes Analysis and Effective Strategies. Responses to the College Year Book, 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unicorn: Journal of the Australian College of Education, 2000

2000-01-01

This journal issue, which is part of a series of wide-ranging debates on major educational topics in Australia, examines three major points connected to school resourcing. First is the shift of emphasis in the discourse on resources from inputs to outcomes. Second is the extent to which schools ought to be self-managed and the possible conflict…

On the Question of an Identity Status Category Order: Rasch Model Step and Scale Statistics Used to Identify Category Order

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Owidha, Amjed; Green, Kathy E.; Kroger, Jane

2009-01-01

The question of whether or not a developmental continuum underlies James Marcia's identity statuses has been a topic of debate among identity researchers for nearly 20 years. This study addressed the prefatory question of whether the identity statuses can be empirically ordered in a theoretically optimal way. This question was addressed via use of…

Thin film cell development workshop report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodyard, James R.

1991-01-01

The Thin Film Development Workshop provided an opportunity for those interested in space applications of thin film cells to debate several topics. The unique characteristics of thin film cells as well as a number of other issues were covered during the discussions. The potential of thin film cells, key research and development issues, manufacturing issues, radiation damage, substrates, and space qualification of thin film cells were discussed.

Designing a Topic-Based Syllabus for Young Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bourke, James M.

2006-01-01

In recent years there has been a good deal of debate on the teaching of English to young learners. Although the article looks at the teaching of English to lower primary children in an ESL context in Southeast Asia, it is not specific to one region. The young learners in question are aged 6 to 8 years. The main focus of the article is how best to…

Cloning, Stem Cells, and the Current National Debate: Incorporating Ethics into a Large Introductory Biology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fink, Rachel D.

2002-01-01

Discussing the ethical issues involved in topics such as cloning and stem cell research in a large introductory biology course is often difficult. Teachers may be wary of presenting material biased by personal beliefs, and students often feel inhibited speaking about moral issues in a large group. Yet, to ignore what is happening "out there"…

An Analysis of Current Graduation Thesis Writing by English Majors in Independent Institute

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Ying

2014-01-01

The paper takes 414 graduates from ZJU in 2011 and 2012, NIT as a case, analyzing the status of their writing of graduation thesis. It is found that a considerable number of students have problems in selection and report of topics, writing of each part and debating in the whole process of graduation thesis. In view of the situation, based on the…

Empirical Foundations for Medium of Instruction Policies: Approximate Replications of Afolayan (1976) and Siegel (1997b)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willans, Fiona; Leung, Constant

2016-01-01

With global attention currently focused on the challenge of providing Education for All (UNESCO 2000), we must ensure that the language of teaching and learning remains a topic on the agenda towards making sure that the education being provided is effective. This is therefore a critical time to review medium of instruction debates, and to reassess…

The Tibet Question. [10th Grade Lesson]. Schools of California Online Resources for Education (SCORE): Connecting California's Classrooms to the World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

La Porte, Mark

In this interdisciplinary curriculum unit, students examine and debate the relationship between China and Tibet. Students are expected to produce a mock television report covering topics related to the Tibet question, such as historical issues, the policies of the U.S., Chinese, and Tibetan governments, and human rights concerns. Students are…

Neural Substrates for Verbal Working Memory in Deaf Signers: fMRI Study and Lesion Case Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buchsbaum, Bradley; Pickell, Bert; Love, Tracy; Hatrak, Marla; Bellugi, Ursula; Hickok, Gregory

2005-01-01

The nature of the representations maintained in verbal working memory is a topic of debate. Some authors argue for a modality-dependent code, tied to particular sensory or motor systems. Others argue for a modality-neutral code. Sign language affords a unique perspective because it factors out the effects of modality. In an fMRI experiment, deaf…

Applied Communication, Argumentation, and Debate: Abstracts of Doctoral Dissertations Published in "Dissertation Abstracts International," January through June 1982 (Vol. 42 Nos. 7 through 12).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills, Urbana, IL.

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 11 titles deal with the following topics: (1) interpersonal communication in the reference interview; (2) the relationship of a principal's communication behavior to the teacher's perceived job satisfaction; (3) the relationship…

Rhetoric and Public Address: Abstracts of Doctoral Dissertations Published in "Dissertation Abstracts International," January through June 1980 (Vol. 40 Nos. 7 through 12).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills, Urbana, IL.

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 20 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: (1) the campaign communication during the Carter-Ford television debates; (2) apprehensiveness and performance in public speaking; (3) a history and criticism of…

Immigration and Schools: Policy and the Law. A Legal Memorandum: Quarterly Law Topics for School Leaders. Vol. 8, No. 3, Spring 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Kelley R.

2008-01-01

In recent years, immigration has become a hot-button issue--so much that mere mention of the word almost guarantees an impassioned response. Whether that response generates ideas and hope, debate and frustration, or even anger, depends on seemingly innumerable factors. Everything from personal preferences, politics, and prejudices to ethnic,…

The Effects of Different Lengths of Pretask Planning Time on L2 Learners' Oral Test Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Lanlan; Chen, Jiliang; Sun, Lan

2015-01-01

The effect of planning on second language (L2) learners' oral performance is a hotly debated topic in the field of second language acquisition. However, studies on the effect of different amounts of planning time have been quite limited, especially in a testing context. The present study investigated the effects of different lengths of…

Computer Attitude, Use, Experience, Software Familiarity and Perceived Pedagogical Usefulness: The Case of Mathematics Professors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yushau, Balarabe

2006-01-01

As the pedagogical-effectiveness of information technology (IT) in mathematics education is carefully established the topic of discourse among mathematicians and mathematics educators is no longer a dispute about whether or not to use IT in the teaching and learning of mathematics but a shift to some debate about the when and how of its usage.…

Quality Assurance for Postgraduate Programs: Design of a Model Applied on a University in Chile

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Careaga Butter, Marcelo; Meyer Aguilera, Eduardo; Badilla Quintana, María Graciela; Jiménez Pérez, Laura; Sepúlveda Valenzuela, Eileen

2017-01-01

The quality of Education in Chile is a controversial topic that has been in the public debate in the last several years. To ensure quality in graduate programs, accreditation is compulsory. The current article presents a model to improve the process of self-regulation. The main objective was to design a Model of Quality Assurance for Postgraduate…

The Power of Tradition: Methods for Teaching Latin in the Context of History of Educational Thought

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fomin, Andriy

2005-01-01

Many authors note that the history of teaching Latin would be a fruitful topic for a comprehensive treatise. Although intense debates about the quality and necessity of teaching Latin date back as early as in the eighteenth century, Latin courses have persisted into the present and, notably, with few changes in content. The author supports the…

Young physicists' forum

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

T. Adams et al.

2001-11-02

The Young Physicists' Forum was an opportunity for the younger members of the particle-physics community to gather at Snowmass 2001 and to study and debate major issues that face the field over the next twenty years. Discussions were organized around three major topics: outreach and education, the impact of globalization, and building a robust and balanced field. We report on the results of these discussions, as presented on July 17, 2001.

Russian Military Transformation - Goal in Sight?

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-01

War College U.S. ARMY WAR COLLEGE CENTER for STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP and DEVELOPMENT The United States Army War College educates and develops leaders for...and analysis to influence policy debate and bridge the gap between military and academia. The Center for Strategic Leadership and Development...the leadership of the Army. Studies produced by civilian and military analysts concern topics having strategic implications for the Army, the

Random Drug Searches in Schools. A Legal Memorandum: Quarterly Law Topics for School Leaders. Vol. 8, No. 1, Fall 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kallio, Brenda

2007-01-01

In his 2004 State of the Union address, President George W. Bush described drug testing as "an effective part" of an "aggressive, community-based strategy to reduce demand for illegal drugs" (as cited in Lineburg, Alexander, & Sughrue, 2006 [emphasis added]). His statement fueled debate about the role of U.S. public schools…

Forest structure in low diversity tropical forests: a study of Hawaiian wet and dry forests

Treesearch

R. Ostertag; F. Inman-Narahari; S. Cordell; C.P. Giardina; L. Sack

2014-01-01

The potential influence of diversity on ecosystem structure and function remains a topic of significant debate, especially for tropical forests where diversity can range widely. We used Center for Tropical Forest Science (CTFS) methodology to establish forest dynamics plots in montane wet forest and lowland dry forest on Hawai‘i Island. We compared the species...

Federal Efforts to Improve the Lowest-Performing Schools: District Views on School Improvement Grant Requirements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kober, Nancy; Rentner, Diane Stark

2011-01-01

As Congress considers legislation to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, one topic of debate is the program of school improvement grants (SIGs) authorized by section 1003(g) of Title I. SIGs are intended to help to turn around low-performing schools and are part of the larger ESEA Title I program to improve…

Tracking the Time Course of Word-Frequency Effects in Auditory Word Recognition with Event-Related Potentials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dufour, Sophie; Brunelliere, Angele; Frauenfelder, Ulrich H.

2013-01-01

Although the word-frequency effect is one of the most established findings in spoken-word recognition, the precise processing locus of this effect is still a topic of debate. In this study, we used event-related potentials (ERPs) to track the time course of the word-frequency effect. In addition, the neighborhood density effect, which is known to…

Introducing E-Learning in a South African Higher Education Institution: Challenges Arising from an Intervention and Possible Responses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bharuthram, Sharita; Kies, Carolynn

2013-01-01

This article draws on research conducted at a tertiary institution in South Africa as part of the redesigning of an English for Educational Development (EED) course to include an e-learning online discussion component. The subject material used was based on HIV/AIDS topics that students had to debate within an online discussion forum. Framed by…

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

Fernández-Ramírez, César; Danilkin, Igor V.; Mathieu, Vincent

It appears that there are two resonances withmore » $J^P= 1/2^-$ quantum numbers in the energy region near the $$\\Lambda(1405)$$ hyperon. The nature of these states is a topic of current debate. To provide further insight we use Regge phenomenology to access how these two resonances fit the established hyperon spectrum. We find that only one of these resonances is compatible with a three-quark state.« less

Impact of Timed Reading on Comprehension and Speed: A Study on Turkish EFL Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armagan, Kiymet Selin; Genc, Zubeyde Sinem

2017-01-01

Reading process has always been one of the most significant and debatable topics in the area of learning and teaching languages. Reading process in mother tongue (L1) and in a foreign language (L2), the association of these processes, variables affecting reading and the qualities of good and poor readers in L1 and L2 have been investigated…

Law and the Wearing of Religious Symbols: European Bans on the Wearing of Religious Symbols in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Erica

2011-01-01

Written in accessible language, Law and the Wearing of Religious Symbols is a comprehensive analysis of a topical subject that is being widely debated across Europe. The book provides an overview of emerging case law from the European Court of Human Rights as well as from national courts and equality bodies in European countries on the wearing of…

Talk the Talk, Walk the Walk: Defining Critical Race Theory in Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hylton, Kevin

2012-01-01

Over the last decade there has been a noticeable growth in published works citing Critical Race Theory (CRT). This has led to a growth in interest in the UK of practical research projects utilising CRT as their framework. It is clear that research on "race" is an emerging topic of study. What is less visible is a debate on how CRT is…

Applied Communication, Argumentation, and Debate: Abstracts of Doctoral Dissertations Published in "Dissertation Abstracts International," July through December 1985 (Vol. 46 Nos. 1 through 6).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills, Urbana, IL.

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 21 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: (1) comparison of receiver profiles in Clark County, Nevada, for various school-community relations communications channels; (2) effects of profit knowledge, size…

Rhetorical and Communication Theory: Abstracts of Doctoral Dissertations Published in "Dissertation Abstracts International," January through June 1981 (Vol. 41 Nos. 7 through 12).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills, Urbana, IL.

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The nine titles deal with the following topics: (1) the theory and application of presumption in public debate; (2) the rhetoric of transcendentalism; (3) speechwriting in rhetorical criticism; (4) the conspiracy argument as…

Improving the Powers of Taste: An Historical Case for Using Literature To Teach Composition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaillet, Lynee Lewis

As the issue of whether literature might be used to teach composition has not been a lively issue of debate among current scholars, those interested in the topic might look to George Jardine, professor of logic and philosophy at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, from 1774 to 1824. As Robert Connors suggests, teachers stand to gain much by…

Unpacking the Discrepancy between Learner and Teacher Beliefs: What Should Be the Role of Grammar in Language Classes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hos, Rabia; Kekec, Mustafa

2015-01-01

Learner and teacher beliefs play an important role in second language (L2) learning. Furthermore, the role of grammar instruction and error correction in the L2 classroom is a topic that is still debated in the literature. This study explored the beliefs of EFL learners and teachers regarding the controversial role of grammar instruction and error…

A long way to the electrode: how do Geobacter cells transport their electrons?

PubMed

Bonanni, Pablo Sebastián; Schrott, Germán David; Busalmen, Juan Pablo

2012-12-01

The mechanism of electron transport in Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilms is a topic under intense study and debate. Although some proteins were found to be essential for current production, the specific role that each one plays in electron transport to the electrode remains to be elucidated and a consensus on the mechanism of electron transport has not been reached. In the present paper, to understand the state of the art in the topic, electron transport from inside of the cell to the electrode in Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilms is analysed, reviewing genetic studies, biofilm conductivity assays and electrochemical and spectro-electrochemical experiments. Furthermore, crucial data still required to achieve a deeper understanding are highlighted.

ERIC First Analysis: The United States Justice System; 1983-84 National High School Debate Resolutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, David L.

Designed to serve as a framework from which high school debate students, coaches, and judges can evaluate the issues, arguments, and evidence present in sustaining and reforming the U.S. justice system, this booklet provides debaters with guidelines for research on the 1983-84 debate resolutions selected by the National University Continuing…

Comparison of topical versus intravenous tranexamic acid in primary total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled and prospective cohort trials.

PubMed

Wang, Hao; Shen, Bin; Zeng, Yi

2014-12-01

There has been much debate and controversy about the optimal regimen of tranexamic acid in primary total knee arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to undertake a meta-analysis to compare the efficacy of topical and intravenous regimen of tranexamic acid in primary total knee arthroplasty. A systematic review of the electronic databases PubMed, CENTRAL, Web of Science, and Embase was undertaken. All randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studies evaluating the effectiveness of topical and intravenous tranexamic acid during primary total knee arthroplasty were included. The focus of the analysis was on the outcomes of blood loss, transfusion rate, and thromboembolic complications. Subgroup analysis was performed when possible. Of 328 papers identified, six trials were eligible for data extraction and meta-analysis comprising 679 patients (739 knees). We found no statistically significant difference between topical and intravenous administration of tranexamic acid in terms of blood loss, transfusion requirements and thromboembolic complications. Topical tranexamic acid has a similar efficacy to intravenous tranexamic acid in reducing both blood loss and transfusion rate without sacrificing safety in primary total knee arthroplasty. II. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Taking Race Off the Table: Agenda Setting and Support for Color-Blind Public Policy.

PubMed

Chow, Rosalind M; Knowles, Eric D

2016-01-01

Whites are theorized to support color-blind policies as an act of racial agenda setting-an attempt to defend the existing hierarchy by excluding race from public and institutional discourse. The present analysis leverages work distinguishing between two forms of social dominance orientation (SDO): passive opposition to equality (SDO-E) and active desire for dominance (SDO-D). We hypothesized that agenda setting, as a subtle hierarchy-maintenance strategy, would be uniquely tied to high levels of SDO-E. When made to believe that the hierarchy was under threat, Whites high in SDO-E increased their endorsement of color-blind policy (Study 1), particularly when the racial hierarchy was framed as ingroup advantage (Study 2), and became less willing to include race as a topic in a hypothetical presidential debate (Study 3). Across studies, Whites high in SDO-D showed no affinity for agenda setting as a hierarchy-maintenance strategy. © 2015 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Quantum neurophysics: From non-living matter to quantum neurobiology and psychopathology.

PubMed

Tarlacı, Sultan; Pregnolato, Massimo

2016-05-01

The concepts of quantum brain, quantum mind and quantum consciousness have been increasingly gaining currency in recent years, both in scientific papers and in the popular press. In fact, the concept of the quantum brain is a general framework. Included in it are basically four main sub-headings. These are often incorrectly used interchangeably. The first of these and the one which started the quantum mind/consciousness debate was the place of consciousness in the problem of measurement in quantum mechanics. Debate on the problem of quantum measurement and about the place of the conscious observer has lasted almost a century. One solution to this problem is that the participation of a conscious observer in the experiment will radically change our understanding of the universe and our relationship with the outside world. The second topic is that of quantum biology. This topic has become a popular field of research, especially in the last decade. It concerns whether or not the rules of quantum physics operate in biological structures. It has been shown in the latest research on photosynthesis, the sense of smell and magnetic direction finding in animals that the laws of quantum physics may operate in warm-wet-noisy biological structures. The third sub-heading is quantum neurobiology. This topic has not yet gained wide acceptance and is still in its early stages. Its primary purpose is directed to understand whether the laws of quantum physics are effective in the biology of the nervous system or not. A further step in brain neurobiology, toward the understanding of consciousness formation, is the research of quantum laws effects upon neural network functions. The fourth and final topic is quantum psychopathology. This topic takes its basis and its support from quantum neurobiology. It comes from the idea that if quantum physics is involved in the normal working of the brain, diseased conditions of the brain such as depression, anxiety, dementia, schizophrenia and hallucinations can be explained by quantum physical pathology. In this article, these topics will be reviewed in a general framework, and for the first time a general classification will be made for the quantum brain theory. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Should anthropology be part of cognitive science?

PubMed

Beller, Sieghard; Bender, Andrea; Medin, Douglas L

2012-07-01

Anthropology and the other cognitive science (CS) subdisciplines currently maintain a troubled relationship. With a debate in topiCS we aim at exploring the prospects for improving this relationship, and our introduction is intended as a catalyst for this debate. In order to encourage a frank sharing of perspectives, our comments will be deliberately provocative. Several challenges for a successful rapprochement are identified, encompassing the diverging paths that CS and anthropology have taken in the past, the degree of compatibility between (1) CS and (2) anthropology with regard to methodology and (3) research strategies, (4) the importance of anthropology for CS, and (5) the need for disciplinary diversity. Given this set of challenges, a reconciliation seems unlikely to follow on the heels of good intentions alone. Copyright © 2012 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Borderline personality disorder in adolescence: the case for medium stay inpatient treatment.

PubMed

Williams, Laurel; Sharp, Carla

2013-03-01

The diagnosis of personality disorders in adolescents has been a topic of debate in recent years. This manuscript reviews the case of an adolescent girl admitted for a medium length combined inpatient and partial hospitalization program. This program has developed protocols to assess for Axis I and II pathology as well as various psychological processes. Comprehensive outcome measures were administered to the patient at discharge and follow-up. Diagnosis of a personality disorder in adolescence appears to be associated with psychological processes usually identified in adults. Against the background of an emerging debate about the need to reform a culture of ultra-short inpatient care, this case study provides some support for more thorough assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of adolescents who appear to have comorbid Axis I and II disorders.

The evolutionist debate in Spain during the nineteenth century: a re-examination.

PubMed

Puig-Samper, Miguel Ángel; García González, Armando; Pelayo, Francisco

2017-01-01

This article re-examines the research on evolutionism in Spain and updates knowledge on this topic in light of the work of Thomas Glick, the more philosophical work of Diego Núñez and contributions in recent years from the Latin American network of historians of biology and evolution, who have dealt with the more polemical aspects of the reception of evolution theory. It includes new arguments, such as identification of the drawings in El Museo Universal, whose Lamarckian or Darwinian nature has been a subject of ongoing debate. It also covers the crucial role of the acceptance of Haeckel's work in Spain in comparison to the weaker support for a strictly Darwinian perspective, the role of the Spanish histology school, and the impact of evolutionism on literature.

Pack size and paracetamol overdose: 16 years later.

PubMed

Bateman, D Nicholas

2014-01-01

In 1998 the United Kingdom limited the availability of paracetamol sold over-the-counter in an effort to reduce serious paracetamol overdose. Since that time debate has continued on the effectiveness of this policy in reducing what is acknowledged as a major public health problem. This commentary reviews recent publications on this topic which suggest that the effects were small. Reasons for this are discussed using data from recent work.

Buyer Beware: Negotiating Legal and Fair Contracts between Schools and Food and Beverage Companies. A Legal Memorandum: Quarterly Law Topics for School Leaders, Fall 2004

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Underwood, Julie

2004-01-01

Exclusive vending contracts with food and beverage companies can produce much-needed revenue for school districts. However, these pouring and vending contracts as well as other forms of exclusive vendor contracts are often the subject of contentious public debate and legal challenges. Even the language used to refer to such agreements varies:…

Petrologic insights into basaltic volcanism at historically active Hawaiian volcanoes: Chapter 6 in Characteristics of Hawaiian volcanoes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Helz, Rosalind L.; Clague, David A.; Sisson, Thomas W.; Thornber, Carl R.; Poland, Michael P.; Takahashi, T. Jane; Landowski, Claire M.

2014-01-01

Contributions to our knowledge of the nature of the mantle source(s) of Hawaiian basalts are reviewed briefly, although this is a topic where debate is ongoing. Finally, our accumulated petrologic observations impose constraints on the nature of the summit reservoirs at Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, specifically whether the summit chamber has been continuous or segmented during past decades.

Sustaining aspen in western landscapes: Symposium proceedings; 13-15 June 2000; Grand Junction, CO

Treesearch

Wayne D. Shepperd; Dan Binkley; Dale L. Bartos; Thomas J. Stohlgren; Lane G. Eskew

2001-01-01

The current status and trend of aspen is a topic of debate; some studies have claimed dramatic reductions in aspen stands while others have found no major changes. The actual picture of aspen forests across the West is variable, and the presence of conifers and ungulates in aspen may or may not indicate a progressive loss of aspen. These proceedings summarize the state...

The Opinions of Liberal Arts Professors about the Teacher Education System (An Example of Uludag University, Liberal Arts Faculty)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuksel, Sedat

2011-01-01

The place of liberal arts faculties in teacher education is a much debated topic. After the 1980s, liberal arts faculties are more involved in teacher education. The purpose of this study is to determine the opinions of those professors working at liberal art faculties about the teacher education system. This research is a case study in which…

Is This Year's Exam as Demanding as Last Year's? Using a Pilot Method to Evaluate the Consistency of Examination Demands over Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crisp, Victoria; Novakovic, Nadezda

2009-01-01

Maintaining standards over time is a much debated topic in the context of national examinations in the UK. This study used a pilot method to compare the demands, over time, of two examination units testing administration. The method involved 15 experts revising a framework of demand types and making paired comparisons of examinations from…

Cardiopulmonary bypass for pediatric cardiac surgery.

PubMed

Hirata, Yasutaka

2018-02-01

The management of cardiopulmonary bypass for pediatric cardiac surgery is more challenging than that in adults due to the smaller size, immaturity, and complexity of the anatomy in children. Despite major improvements in cardiopulmonary bypass, there remain many subjects of debate. This review article discusses the physiology of cardiopulmonary bypass for pediatric and congenital heart surgery, including topics related to hemodilution, hypothermia, acid-base strategies, inflammatory response, and myocardial protection.

Standardization and Digital Enclosure: The Privatization of Standards, Knowledge, and Policy in the Age of Global Information Technology. Part of the Advances in IT Standards and Standardization Research (AISSR) Book Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schoechle, Timothy, Ed.

2009-01-01

Recent trends have shown increasing privatization of standardization activities under various corporations, trade associations, and consortia, raising significant public policy issues about how the public interest may be represented. This book establishes a framework of analysis for public policy discussion and debate. Discussing topics such as…

Global Forum on Skills for Work and Life: Post 2015 (Bonn, Germany, October 14-16, 2014). Global Forum Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, 2015

2015-01-01

The UNESCO-UNEVOC Global Forum "Skills for Work and Life Post-2015" took up the vital topics of youth, skills and greening TVET in the context of the post-2015 development agenda. 2015 marks the end of the Education for All (EFA) initiative, and global and regional debates are sharpening the focus of discussions geared towards setting…

Student as Hero, Teacher as Hero: A Mythic Analysis of the Portrayal of Selected Educational Issues in American Popular Culture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arenz, Donald R.

Issues that concern a culture are frequently reflected in the myths or stories that it tells. Education of its children frequently has caused discussion and debate in American society on topics such as "keeping up" with the Russians or whether test scores are higher or lower than five or ten years ago. Since television has become an influential…

Prediction of forest canopy and surface fuels from lidar and satellite time series data in a bark beetle-affected forest

Treesearch

Benjamin C. Bright; Andrew T. Hudak; Arjan J. H. Meddens; Todd J. Hawbaker; Jennifer S. Briggs; Robert E. Kennedy

2017-01-01

Wildfire behavior depends on the type, quantity, and condition of fuels, and the effect that bark beetle outbreaks have on fuels is a topic of current research and debate. Remote sensing can provide estimates of fuels across landscapes, although few studies have estimated surface fuels from remote sensing data. Here we predicted and mapped field-measured canopy and...

Does Incidental Disgust Amplify Moral Judgment? A Meta-Analytic Review of Experimental Evidence.

PubMed

Landy, Justin F; Goodwin, Geoffrey P

2015-07-01

The role of emotion in moral judgment is currently a topic of much debate in moral psychology. One specific claim made by many researchers is that irrelevant feelings of disgust can amplify the severity of moral condemnation. Numerous researchers have found this effect, but there have also been several published failures to replicate it. Clarifying this issue would inform important theoretical debates among rival accounts of moral judgment. We meta-analyzed all available studies--published and unpublished--in which incidental disgust was manipulated prior to or concurrent with a moral judgment task (k = 50). We found evidence for a small amplification effect of disgust (d = 0.11), which is strongest for gustatory/olfactory modes of disgust induction. However, there is also some suggestion of publication bias in this literature, and when this is accounted for, the effect disappears entirely (d = -0.01). Moreover, prevalent confounds mean that the effect size that we estimate is best interpreted as an upper bound on the size of the amplification effect. On the basis of the results of this meta-analysis, we argue against strong claims about the causal role of affect in moral judgment and suggest a need for new, more rigorous research on this topic. © The Author(s) 2015.

Sigmund Freud and Otto Rank: debates and confrontations about anxiety and birth.

PubMed

Pizarro Obaid, Francisco

2012-06-01

The publication of Otto Rank's The Trauma of Birth (1924) gave rise to an intense debate within the secret Committee and confronted Freud with one of his most beloved disciples. After analyzing the letters that the Professor exchanged with his closest collaborators and reviewing the works he published during this period, it is clear that anxiety was a crucial element among the topics in dispute. His reflections linked to the signal anxiety concept allowed Freud to refute Rank's thesis that defined birth trauma as the paradigmatic key to understanding neurosis, and, in turn, was a way of confirming the validity of the concepts of Oedipus complex, repression and castration in the conceptualization of anxiety. The reasons for the modifications of anxiety theory in the mid-1920s cannot be reduced, as Freud would affirm officially in his work of 1926, to the detection of internal contradictions in his theory or to the desire to establish a metapsychological version of the problem, for they gain their essential impulse from the debate with Rank. Copyright © 2012 Institute of Psychoanalysis.

Educating the Emotions from Gradgrind to Goleman

PubMed Central

Dixon, Thomas

2016-01-01

Charles Dickens famously satirised the rationalism and mechanism of utilitarian educational ideas through the figure of Mr Gradgrind in Hard Times. Even in the nineteenth century there were very few people, in reality, who would have agreed that the education of children should be a matter of purely intellectual, rather than emotional, instruction. The surge of interest in emotional intelligence and emotional literacy since the 1990s has given this topic new currency but, on all sides of the debate, it is mistakenly assumed that the idea of educating the emotions is something new. The present article retrieves one part of the forgotten history of emotional education by examining nineteenth-century British discussions about the proper places of passion, feeling and emotion in the classroom, in the context of debates about utilitarianism, religion and the role of the state. The views of educationalists and philosophers, including Samuel Wilderspin and John Stuart Mill, are considered and compared with more recent policy debates about ‘Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning’. The article concludes by asking: Who are the Gradgrinds today? PMID:27524849

Educating the Emotions from Gradgrind to Goleman.

PubMed

Dixon, Thomas

Charles Dickens famously satirised the rationalism and mechanism of utilitarian educational ideas through the figure of Mr Gradgrind in Hard Times . Even in the nineteenth century there were very few people, in reality, who would have agreed that the education of children should be a matter of purely intellectual, rather than emotional, instruction. The surge of interest in emotional intelligence and emotional literacy since the 1990s has given this topic new currency but, on all sides of the debate, it is mistakenly assumed that the idea of educating the emotions is something new. The present article retrieves one part of the forgotten history of emotional education by examining nineteenth-century British discussions about the proper places of passion, feeling and emotion in the classroom, in the context of debates about utilitarianism, religion and the role of the state. The views of educationalists and philosophers, including Samuel Wilderspin and John Stuart Mill, are considered and compared with more recent policy debates about 'Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning'. The article concludes by asking: Who are the Gradgrinds today?

Climate, environmental and socio-economic change: weighing up the balance in vector-borne disease transmission

DOE PAGES

Parham, Paul E.; Waldock, Joanna; Christophides, George K.; ...

2015-02-16

Arguably one of the most important effects of climate change is the potential impact on human health. While this is likely to take many forms, the implications for future transmission of vector-borne diseases (VBDs), given their ongoing contribution to global disease burden, are both extremely important and highly uncertain. In part, this is due not only to data limitations and methodological challenges when integrating climate-driven VBD models and climate change projections, but, perhaps most crucially, the multitude of epidemiological, ecological, and socioeconomic factors that drive VBD transmission, and this complexity has generated considerable debate over the last 10-15 years. Inmore » this article, and Theme Issue, we seek to elucidate current knowledge around this topic, identify key themes and uncertainties, evaluate ongoing challenges and open research questions, and, crucially, offer some solutions for the field moving forwards. Although many of these challenges are ubiquitous across multiple VBDs, more specific issues also arise in different vector-pathogen systems. This Theme Issue seeks to cover both, reflected in the breadth and depth of the topics and VBD-systems considered, itself strongly indicative of the challenging, but necessary, multidisciplinary nature of this research field.« less

[Aims and core contents of basic and post basic courses of nursing management].

PubMed

Saiani, Luisa; Brugnolli, Anna

2006-01-01

The second part of the issue, dedicated to the nursing management offers a discussion on some of the relevant areas of debate for the organization of nursing care. A reflection on the core contents and main aims of basic and post basic (master, advanced level, specialistic degree) nursing courses is proposed in the first contribution. Then a selection of topics is presented, focusing on the main research contributions available in the literature and on the ongoing debate for the following areas: the role of communication at the inter-shift handover and the new model of bedside reporting; the problems and challenges of doctors nurses collaboration in the health care team; the problems and expectations of new nurses joining the health care team and the process of development of practical skills; the hot debate on nursing roles and level of practice and the difficulties in differentiating between elementary, specialist and advanced nursing practice; the new emerging roles: the characteristics and achievements of Nurse Consultant; the new challenges of coordinators of the health care teams with the management of the multigenerational nursing team. For each topic a definition of the problem is presented, an example of relevant study, a critical debate and suggestions for further studies and areas of research. A list of the main journals that deal with nursing management is proposed with comments on the main characteristics of each journal. A study protocol that aims at describing the outcomes of the different styles and models of organization of medical wards on patients and nurses is presented as an example of organizative research; an experience of, and a model for, participation of the nurses to health policy planning is proposed. Nurses were, asked to identify health care problems encountered in their daily practice, their causes and propose solutions at basic and policy level. The session of International Observatory explores the main problems and difficulties of the research on the organization of care, focusing more on opportunities than on the challenges and drawbacks of the available literature.

An Empirical Ethics Agenda for Psychiatric Research Involving Prisoners

PubMed Central

Christopher, Paul P.; Candilis, Philip J.; Rich, Josiah D.; Lidz, Charles W.

2012-01-01

In the past 30 years, the incarcerated population in the United States has more than quadrupled to 2.3 million adults. With an alarmingly high prevalence of mental illness, substance use, and other serious health conditions compounding their curtailed autonomy, prisoners constitute perhaps the nation’s most disadvantaged group. Scientifically rigorous research involving prisoners holds the potential to inform and enlighten correctional policy and to improve their treatment. At the same time, prisoner research presents significant ethical challenges to investigators and institutional review boards (IRBs) alike, by subjecting participants to conditions that potentially undermine the validity of their informed consent. In 2006, the Institute of Medicine Committee on Ethical Considerations for Revisions to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Regulations for Protection of Prisoners Involved in Research recommended both further protections and a more permissive approach to research review that would allow inmates greater access to potentially beneficial research. These recommendations have sparked renewed debate about the ethical trade-offs inherent to prisoner research. In this article, the authors review the major justifications for research with prisoner subjects and the associated ethical concerns, and argue that the field of empirical ethics has much to offer to the debate. They then propose a framework for prioritizing future empirical ethics inquiry on this understudied topic. PMID:25309805

Poor anchoring limits dyslexics' perceptual, memory, and reading skills.

PubMed

Oganian, Yulia; Ahissar, Merav

2012-07-01

The basic deficits underlying the severe and persistent reading difficulties in dyslexia are still highly debated. One of the major topics of debate is whether these deficits are language specific, or affect both verbal and non-verbal stimuli. Recently, Ahissar and colleagues proposed the "anchoring-deficit hypothesis" (Ahissar, Lubin, Putter-Katz, & Banai, 2006), which suggests that dyslexics have a general difficulty in automatic extraction of stimulus regularities from auditory inputs. This hypothesis explained a broad range of dyslexics' verbal and non-verbal difficulties. However, it was not directly tested in the context of reading and verbal memory, which poses the main stumbling blocks to dyslexics. Here we assessed the abilities of adult dyslexics to efficiently benefit from ("anchor to") regularities embedded in repeated tones, orally presented syllables, and written words. We also compared dyslexics' performance to that of individuals with attention disorder (ADHD), but no reading disability. We found an anchoring effect in all groups: all gained from stimulus repetition. However, in line with the anchoring-deficit hypothesis, controls and ADHD participants showed a significantly larger anchoring effect in all tasks. This study is the first that directly shows that the same domain-general deficit, poor anchoring, characterizes dyslexics' performance in perceptual, working memory and reading tasks. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ERIC First Analysis: Agricultural Policy. 1986-87 National High School Debate Resolutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, David L.; Fraleigh, Douglas

Designed to serve as a framework in which high school debate students, coaches, and judges can evaluate the issues, arguments, and evidence concerning which agricultural policies best serve the United States, this booklet provides guidelines for research on the 1986-87 debate resolutions selected by the National Federation of State High School…

Reaching Out: Extending the Argument about Debate Outreach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grassmick, David; Clinton, Pamela A.

A. C. Snider has suggested that CEDA (Cross Examination Debate Association) should create an outreach program to connect CEDA debate programs with the high school policy debate community. Most debate educators would laud programs that promise to train more students in argumentation, but a pilot program shows that an outreach program does not…

Debating Values: Key Issues in Formatting an Argumentative Case.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, David K.

This paper analyzes the components of an "ideal" debate using a non-policy proposition. It is argued that debates using non-policy propositions are currently plagued by a variety of problems. Value propositions on the college level are dissimilar to the value propositions used in high school Lincoln-Douglas debate. Many debaters are…

Does corruption undermine trust in health care? Results from public opinion polls in Croatia.

PubMed

Radin, Dagmar

2013-12-01

Health and health care provision are one of the most important topics in public policy, and often a highly debated topic in the political arena. The importance of considering trust in the health care sector is highlighted by studies showing that trust is associated, among others, with poor self-related health, and poorer health outcomes. Similarly, corruption has shown to create economic costs and inefficiencies in the health care sector. This is particularly important for a newly democratized country such as Croatia, where a policy responsive government indicates a high level of quality of democracy (Roberts, 2009) and where a legacy of corruption in the health care sector has been carried over from the previous regime. In this study, I assess the relationship between health care corruption and trust in public health care and hypothesize that experience with health care corruption as well as perception of corruption has a negative effect on trust in public care facilities. Data were collected in two surveys, administered in 2007 and 2009 in Croatia. Experience with corruption and salience with corruption has a negative effect on trust in public health care in the 2007 survey, but not in the 2009 survey. While the results are mixed, they point to the importance of further studying this relationship. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhancing Teachers' Awareness About Relations Between Science and Religion. The Debate Between Steady State and Big Bang Theories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagdonas, Alexandre; Silva, Cibelle Celestino

2015-11-01

Educators advocate that science education can help the development of more responsible worldviews when students learn not only scientific concepts, but also about science, or "nature of science". Cosmology can help the formation of worldviews because this topic is embedded in socio-cultural and religious issues. Indeed, during the Cold War period, the cosmological controversy between Big Bang and Steady State theory was tied up with political and religious arguments. The present paper discusses a didactic sequence developed for and applied in a pre-service science teacher-training course on history of science. After studying the historical case, pre-service science teachers discussed how to deal with possible conflicts between scientific views and students' personal worldviews related to religion. The course focused on the study of primary and secondary sources about cosmology and religion written by cosmologists such as Georges Lemaître, Fred Hoyle and the Pope Pius XII. We used didactic strategies such as short seminars given by groups of pre-service teachers, videos, computer simulations, role-play, debates and preparation of written essays. Along the course, most pre-service teachers emphasized differences between science and religion and pointed out that they do not feel prepared to conduct classroom discussions about this topic. Discussing the relations between science and religion using the history of cosmology turned into an effective way to teach not only science concepts but also to stimulate reflections about nature of science. This topic may contribute to increasing students' critical stance on controversial issues, without the need to explicitly defend certain positions, or disapprove students' cultural traditions. Moreover, pre-service teachers practiced didactic strategies to deal with this kind of unusual content.

Military aviation: a contact lens review.

PubMed

Lattimore, M R

1990-10-01

The military aviation communities have benefitted from the development of advanced electro-optical avionics systems. One drawback that has emerged is an increasing system incompatibility with traditional spectacle visual corrections. An alternative solution to the refractive error correction problem that some services have been investigating is that of contact lens wear. Since this much-debated topic is currently of command interest, a general overview of contact lens issues is presented as a framework for future discussions.

Wilderness, natural areas, and ecological reserves: thoughts on the politics of the big outside

Treesearch

R. McGreggor Cawley

2000-01-01

This essay offers some loosely organized comments on the project of preserving wilderness on the scale of the big outside. These comments are arranged around a subject that has been the topic of quite a bit of debate over the past few years—the possibility that the nature in our discussions about federal land and the environment is an artifact of social construction....

A Mixed-Methods Sequential Explanatory Study: Elementary Principals' Perceptions of the Impact of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System Testing Culture on the Six Conditions for Effective Learning in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraine, Patrick David

2012-01-01

There has been much debate regarding the impact of state-mandated assessment in schools. Most of the literature on this topic has been gathered from studies focused on teachers' perceptions (Hungerford, 2004). The effects, typically perceived to be negative, indicate reduced quality of teaching and learning in schools. The purpose of this study…

[Diabetes mellitus].

PubMed

Ruiz, J

2012-01-18

The globalization became the topic the most often discussed in the socio-economic field by the media. The direct and indirect effects on the chronic diseases are not fully explored, especially by the biomedicine. Through the filter of the complex thought, which connects instead of disjoining, we try to widen the debate around the diabetes which became an emblematic disease. This change of perspective should enable us to approach the chronic diseases differently. It is the objective of this review.

The Effect of a Self-Care Education Program on a Military Medical Beneficiary Population.

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-09-01

care was a topic generating heated debate between the two main candidates. George Bush repeatedly stressed that individuals must accept more personal...Defining the role of self-care is important when linking it to health care. Some writers have stressed the importance of providing health care concepts...further stressing that: An intensified health education system must be designed to educate and encourage the American people to change behavior

"E-tivities from the Front Line": A Community of Inquiry Case Study Analysis of Educators' Blog Posts on the Topic of Designing and Delivering Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Phemie

2014-01-01

Designing and implementing successful online learning has been at the forefront of institutional agendas since digital learning increased in market demand over the last decade. However there is still ongoing debate as to the "how" of this arduous task. The Community of Inquiry (CoI) is one learning design method that has seen potential…

Is Linus Pauling, a vitamin C advocate, just making much ado about nothing? (Review).

PubMed

Kodama, M; Kodama, T

1994-01-01

Clinical use of vitamin C has been the subject of much debate in both the USA and Japan. We examine a number of topics to clarify the reasons for the confrontation of opinion between the pros and the cons as to the medical usefulness of this vitamin. We refer to our own experiences on the use of vitamin C infusion treatment for the control of either diabetes mellitus or autoimmune disease and allergy to show the importance of pharmacological considerations in the assessment of the effect of vitamin C. We also refer to a number of scientific debates to prove that a shift of paradigm is indispensable for getting a full comprehension of the benefits of vitamin C including the control of both diabetes mellitus and autoimmune disease/allergy complex.

Compilation of a casebook on bioethics and the Holocaust as a platform for bioethics education.

PubMed

Chelouche, Tessa

2013-03-01

The Holocaust arose, in part, because of a profound and pervasive breakdown of medical professional ethics. This history is complex and powerfully instructive. The value judgments and moral actions of the Nazi doctors can inform current debate and practices and also prevent the use of inaccurate analogies in current bioethical debates. Under the auspices of the International Center for Health, Law and Ethics at Haifa University, we are in the process of publishing a casebook on bioethical topics, using personal cases from the Third Reich and the Holocaust. The casebook will provide a platform for deep reflection and discourse on historical ethical issues and their relevance for today. This teaching tool can also inspire healthcare professionals and students to practice with greater compassion, knowledge, tolerance, respect and justice on behalf of their patients.

Spanning our differences: moral psychology, physician beliefs, and the practice of medicine

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Moral pluralism is the norm in contemporary society. Even the best philosophical arguments rarely persuade moral opponents who differ at a foundational level. This has been vividly illustrated in contemporary debates in bioethics surrounding contentious issues such as abortion and euthanasia. It is readily apparent that bioethics discourse lacks an empirical explanation for the broad differences about various topics in bioethics and health policy. In recent years, social and cognitive psychology has generated novel approaches for defining basic differences in moral intuitions generally. We propose that if empirical research using social intuitionist theory explains why people disagree with one another over moral issues, then the results of such research might help people debate their moral differences in a more constructive and civil manner. We illustrate the utility of social intuitionism with data from a national physician survey. PMID:25366256

The current skills gaps in analytical sciences are failing industry: debate at the 21st International Reid Bioanalytical Forum.

PubMed

Spooner, Neil; Sangster, Timothy

2016-07-01

21st International Reid Bioanalytical Forum, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK, 7-10 September 2015 The 21st International Reid Bioanalytical Forum held between 7 and 10 September 2015, brought together over 100 scientists from around the world, representing industry, academia and vendors, for 4 days of engaging science at the University of Surrey in Guildford, UK. The scientific program consisted of 43 podium and 23 poster presentations from key opinion leaders and those just setting out on their scientific career. The latter being the focus of the meeting. One of the highlights of the forum was the debate. An expert panel helped spark off an active discussion among a passionate audience on the topic of 'The Current Skills Gaps in Analytical Sciences are Failing Industry.'

Science fiction and human enhancement: radical life-extension in the movie 'In Time' (2011).

PubMed

Roduit, Johann A R; Eichinger, Tobias; Glannon, Walter

2018-03-20

The ethics of human enhancement has been a hotly debated topic in the last 15 years. In this debate, some advocate examining science fiction stories to elucidate the ethical issues regarding the current phenomenon of human enhancement. Stories from science fiction seem well suited to analyze biomedical advances, providing some possible case studies. Of particular interest is the work of screenwriter Andrew Niccol (Gattaca, S1m0ne, In Time, and Good Kill), which often focuses on ethical questions raised by the use of new technologies. Examining the movie In Time (2011), the aim of this paper is to show how science fiction can contribute to the ethical debate of human enhancement. In Time provides an interesting case study to explore what could be some of the consequences of radical life-extension technologies. In this paper, we will show how arguments regarding radical life-extension portrayed in this particular movie differ from what is found in the scientific literature. We will see how In Time gives flesh to arguments defending or rejecting radical life-extension. It articulates feelings of unease, alienation and boredom associated with this possibility. Finally, this article will conclude that science fiction movies in general, and In Time in particular, are a valuable resource for a broad and comprehensive debate about our coming future.

[Debate and challenges on the topic of free medical care in Africa: "Back to the Future"?].

PubMed

Ridde, Valéry; Blanchet, Karl

2009-01-01

In its 2008 annual report, WHO affirmed the importance of resisting the temptation to depend on direct payment for primary health care. Members of the WHO committee on the social determinants of health as well as of those at the conference on primary health care in Ouagadougou in 2008 reaffirmed the need to make access to health care systems more equitable. Several decades after imposition of direct payment began, convincing data clearly demonstrate its harmful effects on the basic fairness of access to care. Accordingly, the current debate in the field of financial support for health involves the elimination of payments. More precisely, we can finally say that this is a debate about a return to the free care that existed before the widespread implementation of "cost recovery" systems. Here we want to review these discussions and prepare the ground for a debate on possible effective strategies for making health care systems more equitable from the perspective of universal coverage. We will thus note that analyses today must certainly focus more on how to eliminate direct payments than on the reasons to do so, already amply demonstrated. The international community must now undertake to support governments that want to move in this direction and ensure that the process is thoroughly documented so that it can also produce useful knowledge for the formulation of fair public policies.

High School Students Debate the Use of Embryonic Stem Cells: The Influence of Context on Decision-Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molinatti, Gregoire; Girault, Yves; Hammond, Constance

2010-01-01

The present study analyzes decision-making and argumentation by high school students in a debate situation on a socioscientific issue, the use of embryonic stem cells in research and therapy. We tested the influence on the debates of two different contexts. Adolescent students at the high school level in the same grade (mean age 16.4 years) from…

Adoption of telemedicine: from pilot stage to routine delivery

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Today there is much debate about why telemedicine has stalled. Teleradiology is the only widespread telemedicine application. Other telemedicine applications appear to be promising candidates for widespread use, but they remain in the early adoption stage. The objective of this debate paper is to achieve a better understanding of the adoption of telemedicine, to assist those trying to move applications from pilot stage to routine delivery. Discussion We have investigated the reasons why telemedicine has stalled by focusing on two, high-level topics: 1) the process of adoption of telemedicine in comparison with other technologies; and 2) the factors involved in the widespread adoption of telemedicine. For each topic, we have formulated hypotheses. First, the advantages for users are the crucial determinant of the speed of adoption of technology in healthcare. Second, the adoption of telemedicine is similar to that of other health technologies and follows an S-shaped logistic growth curve. Third, evidence of cost-effectiveness is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the widespread adoption of telemedicine. Fourth, personal incentives for the health professionals involved in service provision are needed before the widespread adoption of telemedicine will occur. Summary The widespread adoption of telemedicine is a major -- and still underdeveloped -- challenge that needs to be strengthened through new research directions. We have formulated four hypotheses, which are all susceptible to experimental verification. In particular, we believe that data about the adoption of telemedicine should be collected from applications implemented on a large-scale, to test the assumption that the adoption of telemedicine follows an S-shaped growth curve. This will lead to a better understanding of the process, which will in turn accelerate the adoption of new telemedicine applications in future. Research is also required to identify suitable financial and professional incentives for potential telemedicine users and understand their importance for widespread adoption. PMID:22217121

­­Pressure Agyrotropy In Magnetized Plasma: Measurements And Application In Turbulent Magnetic Reconnection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Che, H.; Schiff, C.; Le, G.; Dorelli, J.; Giles, B. L.; Moore, T. E.

2017-12-01

What measurement of agyrotropy of pressure tensor is accurate is a debatable topic in magnetic reconnection. From the basic principles of scientific measurement, we show that there are only two independent measurements determined by the invariants of pressure tensor. One is Q proposed by Swisdak (GRL, 2016) which is constructed by the sum of principle minors. We propose a new one AG which is constructed by the determinant. AG and Q are two independent and equivalent relative measurements and are invariants under space rotation. Using particle-in-cell simulations, we show that turbulence scattering can affect agyrotropy and the agyrotropy is an indicator of turbulence wave structure. We apply agyrotropy measurement to the event 10-16-2015 observed by Magnetospheric Multiscale Science and found that the high frequency waves might contribute to the enhancement of reconnection rate.

Evidence Europe 2017. London, UK - February 22-23, 2017.

PubMed

Kibble, A

2017-03-01

As the political backdrop changes in both the U.S. and Europe, volatility in the pharma industry is beginning to be felt as the sector becomes sensitive to the uncertainty. U.S. President Trump has stated he will pursue an agenda against high U.S. drug prices and is expected to seek to repeal the Affordable Care Act, while in Europe, Brexit casts further unknowns in regulatory authorization procedures, trade and external reference pricing. With these factors in mind, Terrapin's Evidence Europe meeting provided for a very topical discussion on the use of evidence to define and communicate value in healthcare. With a particular focus on real-world evidence, the conference used presentations, panel briefings and roundtable discussions to foster debate on the challenges faced by industry as it negotiates the current fragile environment. Copyright 2017 Clarivate Analytics.

Returning Individual Research Results: Development of a Cancer Genetics Education and Risk Communication Protocol

PubMed Central

Roberts, J. Scott; Shalowitz, David I.; Christensen, Kurt D.; Everett, Jessica N.; Kim, Scott Y. H.; Raskin, Leon; Gruber, Stephen B.

2011-01-01

The obligations of researchers to disclose clinically and/or personally significant individual research results are highly debated, but few empirical studies have addressed this topic. We describe the development of a protocol for returning research results to participants at one site of a multicenter study of the genetic epidemiology of melanoma. Protocol development involved numerous challenges: (1) deciding whether genotype results merited disclosure; (2) achieving an appropriate format for communicating results; (3) developing education materials; (4) deciding whether to retest samples for additional laboratory validation; (5) identifying and notifying selected participants; and (6) assessing the impact of disclosure. Our experience suggests potential obstacles depending on researcher resources and the design of the parent study, but offers a process by which researchers can responsibly return individual study results and evaluate the impact of disclosure. PMID:20831418

The High School Forensic Program: Resource for School and Community.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fryar, Maridell; Wise, Charles N.

1974-01-01

There is valid criticism that contest debate practices constitute both a reality gap between contest debate and actual public communication, and a closed feedback loop among coaches, judges, and debaters. However, remedial and preventive action is possible if forensics directors are highly motivated to work within a broad program of communication…

Absorption by DNA single strands of adenine isolated in vacuo: The role of multiple chromophores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nielsen, Lisbeth Munksgaard; Pedersen, Sara Øvad; Kirketerp, Maj-Britt Suhr; Nielsen, Steen Brøndsted

2012-02-01

The degree of electronic coupling between DNA bases is a topic being up for much debate. Here we report on the intrinsic electronic properties of isolated DNA strands in vacuo free of solvent, which is a good starting point for high-level excited states calculations. Action spectra of DNA single strands of adenine reveal sign of exciton coupling between stacked bases from blueshifted absorption bands (˜3 nm) relative to that of the dAMP mononucleotide (one adenine base). The bands are blueshifted by about 10 nm compared to those of solvated strands, which is a shift similar to that for the adenine molecule and the dAMP mononucleotide. Desolvation has little effect on the bandwidth, which implies that inhomogenous broadening of the absorption bands in aqueous solution is of minor importance compared to, e.g., conformational disorder. Finally, at high photon energies, internal conversion competes with electron detachment since dissociation of the bare photoexcited ions on the microsecond time scale is measured.

A model independent search for new physics in final states containing leptons at the DO experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piper, Joel M.

The standard model is known to be the low energy limit of a more general theory. Several consequences of the standard model point to a strong probability of new physics becoming experimentally visible in high energy collisions of a few TeV, resulting in high momentum objects. The specific signatures of these collisions are topics of much debate. Rather than choosing a specific signature, this analysis broadly searches the data, preferring breadth over sensitivity. In searching for new physics, several different approaches are used. These include the comparison of data with standard model background expectation in overall number of events, comparisons of distributions of many kinematic variables, and finally comparisons on the tails of distributions that sum the momenta of the objects in an event. With 1.07 fb-1 at the DO experiment, we find no evidence of physics beyond the standard model. Several discrepancies from the standard model were found, but none of these provide a compelling case for new physics.

ERIC First Analysis: 1980-81 National High School Debate Resolutions (How Can the Interests of United States Consumers Best Be Served?).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, David L.

The five chapters of this book are intended to prepare high school debaters and their coaches for the efficient investigation of the 1980-81 High Scbool Debate Problem Area and Resolutions. The first chapter contains an overview of the problem area--consumer interests--describing the basic concepts of regulation and risk, the definitions of the…

Family and career-conscious hospitals - problem areas and necessary steps.

PubMed

Fegert, Jörg M; Liebhardt, Hubert

2012-01-01

This paper aims to describe the wide range of compatibility issues between work in the medical profession and the family. Several topics are intertwined and overlap in some areas. Family friendliness in curative medicine, healthcare, medical studies and the training, specialisation and CPD of doctors is a key theme in the current debate on the future of health and family policies. The rising proportion of women and changes in the medical community characterise the future of medicine. Topics such as working hours and organisation of work, as well as family support and maternity leave, must be discussed further and in particular regarding employees in the health services. This overview will describe where Germany has issues, what is already being done well in the hospitals but could still be improved.

[S2k-Guideline on Meniscal Disease: Non-operative and Surgical Management].

PubMed

Siebert, Christian H; Becker, Roland; Buchner, Matthias; Förster, Jürgen; Frosch, Karl-Heinz; Losch, Andreas; Niemeyer, Philipp; Scheffler, Sven

2018-03-12

A meniscal injury should not automatically lead to surgery. Even in light of all the developments in arthroscopic surgery, non-operative management still has a place in the treatment algorithms for lesions around the knee. In this second publication of the German guidelines for meniscal surgery, the authors describe the various treatment possibilities, their indications and offer critical insight into the various therapeutic options. This will allow the patient and physician alike to make the proper individual decisions. Various German speaking associations addressing topics surrounding the knee have joined forces to develop these guidelines for meniscal lesions. The hope is that these two publications on the topic will shed light on the ongoing debate and offer some guidance. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Sympathoneural and Adrenomedullary Responses to Mental Stress

PubMed Central

Carter, Jason R.; Goldstein, David S.

2017-01-01

This concept-based review provides historical perspectives and updates about sympathetic noradrenergic and sympathetic adrenergic responses to mental stress. The topic of this review has incited perennial debate, because of disagreements over definitions, controversial inferences, and limited availability of relevant measurement tools. The discussion begins appropriately with Cannon's "homeostasis" and his pioneering work in the area. This is followed by mental stress as a scientific idea and the relatively new notions of allostasis and allostatic load. Experimental models of mental stress in rodents and humans are discussed, with particular attention to ethical constraints in humans. Sections follow on sympathoneural to mental stress, reactivity of catecholamine systems, clinical pathophysiologic states, and the cardiovascular reactivity hypothesis. Future advancement of the field will require integrative approaches and coordinated efforts between physiologists and psychologists on this interdisciplinary topic. PMID:25589266

Family and Career-conscious Hospitals – Problem Areas and Necessary Steps

PubMed Central

Fegert, Jörg M.; Liebhardt, Hubert

2012-01-01

This paper aims to describe the wide range of compatibility issues between work in the medical profession and the family. Several topics are intertwined and overlap in some areas. Family friendliness in curative medicine, healthcare, medical studies and the training, specialisation and CPD of doctors is a key theme in the current debate on the future of health and family policies. The rising proportion of women and changes in the medical community characterise the future of medicine. Topics such as working hours and organisation of work, as well as family support and maternity leave, must be discussed further and in particular regarding employees in the health services. This overview will describe where Germany has issues, what is already being done well in the hospitals but could still be improved. PMID:22558032

Moral psychology (ethics).

PubMed

Andreou, Chrisoula

2010-07-01

This article examines a selection of currently lively debates in the quickly evolving, interdisciplinary field of moral psychology. Topics discussed include the possibility of amoralism, the nature of rationality, the (ir)rationality of emotions and intuitions, the psychology of cooperation and of (rational) commitment, weakness of will, free will, and the assignment of moral responsibility. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Students' Preferences on the Use of Mother Tongue in English as a Foreign Language Classrooms: Is It the Time to Re-Examine English-Only Policies?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debreli, Emre; Oyman, Nadire

2016-01-01

In literature on bilingual teaching, different perspectives exist for and against the use of first language (L1) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. There is a continuing matter of debate on whether L1 contributes to or precludes the learning of a second language (L2). Numerous studies have been conducted on this topic, but no clear…

Evaluating practice-based learning specific to the community matron role.

PubMed

Banning, Maggi

2009-02-01

Since the inception of the community matron role in 2004 there has been much debate about the exact nature of the role in primary and secondary care. How to effectively skill-up and educate a diverse group of clinicians has been a hot topic. This study involved a small focus group of community matrons in training. The qualitative themes extracted from this work are reported on and suggest that practice-based learning is both valuable and efficacious.

The Atlanta Urban Debate League: Exploring the Making of a Critical Literacy Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cridland-Hughes, Susan

2016-01-01

The Atlanta Urban Debate League was established in 1985 as an after school program focused on providing debate outreach to high school students in the Atlanta public schools. Still in operation today, volunteers work with current students in public middle and high schools in Atlanta, supporting students as they practice reading, writing, speaking…

ERIC First Analysis: Water Resources; 1985-86 National High School Debate Resolutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, David L.; Fraleigh, Douglas

Designed to serve as a framework from which high school debate students, coaches, and judges can evaluate the issues, arguments and evidence present in the availability and quality of water resources in the United States, this booklet provides guidelines for research on the 1985-86 debate resolutions selected by the National Federation of State…

Genome-wide association studies in pharmacogenetics research debate

PubMed Central

Bailey, Kent R; Cheng, Cheng

2016-01-01

Will genome-wide association studies (GWAS) ‘work’ for pharmacogenetics research? This question was the topic of a staged debate, with pro and con sides, aimed to bring out the strengths and weaknesses of GWAS for pharmacogenetics studies. After a full day of seminars at the Fifth Statistical Analysis Workshop of the Pharmacogenetics Research Network, the lively debate was held – appropriately – at Goonies Comedy Club in Rochester (MN, USA). The pro side emphasized that the many GWAS successes for identifying genetic variants associated with disease risk show that it works; that the current genotyping platforms are efficient, with good imputation methods to fill in missing data; that its global assessment is always a success even if no significant associations are detected; and that genetic effects are likely to be large because humans have not evolved in a drug-therapy environment. By contrast, the con side emphasized that we have limited knowledge of the complexity of the genome; limited clinical phenotypes compromise studies; the likely multifactorial nature of drug response clouding the small genetic effects; and limitations of sample size and replication studies in pharmacogenetic studies. Lively and insightful discussions emphasized further research efforts that might benefit GWAS in pharmacogenetics. PMID:20235786

Organ donation and Islam-challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Sharif, Adnan

2012-09-15

The issue of organ donation in Islam has been debated for decades, with most religious authorities sanctioning both living-organ and deceased-organ donation. However, disquiet among the Islamic community on the compatibility of organ donation with their faith remains, especially in relation to deceased-organ donation. This remains a topical, controversial, and challenging component of organ procurement at both local and international levels. In this article, I will explore Islamic arguments both for and against organ donation, in the context of both living-donor and deceased-donor models. By discussing both practical and philosophical perspectives, the aim is to facilitate discussion on how best to achieve consensus on this issue by driving the debate forward in an open and all-encompassing manner. Although every attempt should be made to achieve consensus among key Muslim opinion makers (individuals, authorities, and institutions), encouraging personalized decision making by intellectual effort should be the goal to achieve genuine informed consent.

Children's Theories and the Drive to Explain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwitzgebel, Eric

Debate has been growing in developmental psychology over how much the cognitive development of children is like theory change in science. Useful debate on this topic requires a clear understanding of what it would be for a child to have a theory. I argue that existing accounts of theories within philosophy of science and developmental psychology either are less precise than is ideal for the task or cannot capture everyday theorizing of the sort that children, if they theorize, must do. I then propose an account of theories that ties theories and explanation very closely together, treating theories primarily as products of a drive to explain. I clarify some of the positions people have taken regarding the theory theory of development, and I conclude by proposing that psychologists interested in the ''theory theory'' look for patterns of affect and arousal in development that would accompany the existence of a drive to explain.

Duties to kin through a tragi-comic lens.

PubMed

Gillett, Grant; Hankey, Robin

2014-06-01

Euripides' Alcestis (1959) raises the issue of ethical duties within families and exposes the romantic postures and rhetoric that can dominate such discussions. Should anybody be asked to sacrifice themselves or even undergo significant health risks for members of their own family? (An issue that is also relevant in considering our duties to future generations in terms of the earth we leave to them.) The issue that is dramatized to a heroic level in Alcestis arises in live organ and tissue donation within a family and challenges the idea that families should be trusted to sort out solutions that they can all live with. Alcestis intensifies the debate because the sacrifice of one life for another is its topic but, in doing so, it exposes many traps lying in wait for ethicists and medical jurists who boldly enter such debates (where emotions create shifting ground on which angels fear to tread).

The role of time and time perspective in age-related processes: Introduction to the special issue.

PubMed

Fung, Helene H; Isaacowitz, Derek M

2016-09-01

There currently appears to be a general consensus on the relationship between time perspective and aging, such that (a) future time is perceived as more limited with age and (b) older people are more present-focused and less future-focused than younger people. At the same time, there are debates about whether these age differences are positively related to well-being and to what extent there are boundary conditions beyond which these age differences would cease to occur. The 8 manuscripts included in this Special Issue attempt to shed light on these debates. In doing so, they refine the dominant theoretical perspective on the topic-socioemotional selectivity theory-and introduce new theoretical perspectives. New measures and methodologies for studying time perspective and aging are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

[The gender debate from the pedagogic perspective].

PubMed

Forster, Johanna

2004-09-01

The question of form and extent of biological and/or cultural influences on female and male behaviour and performance is marking a major focus in present scientific research. Accordingly, a broad spectrum of approaches in research and interpretations of results is available. The recent debate on sex and gender is offering two basic objectives for research in education science: First, the critical review of the data and results on sex specifics presented in respect to the articulation of educational aims, topics and methods. Second, the intensified research focus on the developmental consequences of gender and gender roles for boys and girls, women and men. The pedagogical focus is discussed regarding the following three objectives: 1. developmental conditions in early ontogeny, 2. the question of sex specific differences in cognitive abilities in respect to school performance of adolescents, and 3. teaching knowledge on "sex" and "gender" in schools.

Abundance Ratios in a Large Sample of Emps with VLT+UVES

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, Vanessa; Cayrel, Roger; Spite, Monique; Bonifacio, Piercarlo; Eric, Depagne; Patrick, François; Timothy, Beers C.; Johannes, Andersen; Beatriz, Barbuy; Birgitta, Nordström

Constraints on Early Galactic Enrichement from a large sample of Extremely Metal Poor Stars I will present the overall results from an large effort conducted at ESO-VLT+UVES to measure abundances in a sample of extremely metal-poor stars (EMPS) from high-resolution and high signal to noise spectra. More than 70 EMPS with [Fe/H]<-2.7 were observed equally distributed between turnoff and giants stars and very precise abundance ratios could be derived thanks to the high quality of the data. Among the results those of specific interest are lithium measurements in unevolved EMPS the much debated abundance of oxygen in the early galaxy (we present [OI] line measurements down to [O/Fe]=-3.5) and the trends of alpha elements iron group elements and Zinc. The scatter around these trends will also be discussed taking advantage of the small observationnal error-bars of this dataset. The implications on the early Galactic enrichement will be rewiewed while more specific topics covered by this large effort (and large team) will be adressed in devoted posters.

2016 CAPS ethics session/Ein debate: 1. Regionalization of pediatric surgical care 2. Ethical introduction of surgical innovation 3. Addressing stress in a surgical practice: resiliency, well-being, and burnout.

PubMed

Bagwell, Charles E; Chiu, Priscilla; Fecteau, Annie; Gow, Kenneth W; Mueller, Claudia M; Price, David; Zigman, Andrew F

2017-05-01

The following is the conference proceeding of the Second Ein Debate from the 48th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association of Paediatric Surgeons held in Vancouver, BC, from September 22 to 24, 2016. The three main topics for debate, as prepared by the members of the CAPS Ethics Committee, are: 1. Regionalization of care: pros and cons, 2. Innovation in clinical care: ethical considerations, and 3. Surgeon well-being: caring for the caregiver. The authors of this paper, as participants in the debate, were assigned their positions at random. Therefore, the opinions they express within this summary might not reflect their own viewpoints. In the first discussion, arguments for and against the regionalization of pediatric surgical care are discussed, primarily in the context of a case of BA. In the pro argument, the evidence and lessons learned from different European countries are explored as well as different models to provide the best BA care outside of large teaching centers. In the counterargument, the author explains how regionalization of care could be detrimental for the patient, the family, the regional center, and for the health care system in general. In the debate on surgical innovation the authors define surgical innovation. They review the pertinent ethical principles, explore a model for its implementation, and the role of the institution at which the innovation is proposed. In the third section, surgeon well-being is examined, and recent literature on surgeon resiliency and burnout both at the attending and resident level is reviewed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Internet-based discussion forum as a useful resource for the discussion of clinical cases and an educational tool.

PubMed

Foong, Deborah P S; McGrouther, Duncan A

2010-07-01

An Internet-based group of plastic surgeons was formed in India in February 2001. It has 1290 members and seeks to facilitate online discussion. These discussions were reviewed to assess their value in education and aiding patient management. All messages and discussions between August 2007 and July 2008 were examined retrospectively. Data were collected regarding topics, replies, and use of clinical images. A total of 2217 messages were exchanged within 330 separate discussions (mean = 6.7 messages per discussion, range = 0-45). A total of 164 discussions contained photographs (50%). Mean number of photographs per discussion was five (range = 0-34). Discussions included requests for advice on complex cases (40%), interesting cases and their management/outcome (25%) and courses/conferences (30%). Topics discussed include training/courses (26.7%), cleft (15.4%), aesthetics (13.1%), trauma (12.5%), head and neck (8.4%), cutaneous (6.4%), perineal/genital reconstruction (6.1%), and scar management (4.7%). Forums like this facilitate discussion between individuals in remote locations. They provide easy access to the expertise of a large cohort of highly experienced surgeons. Most discussions were clinical, involving challenging situations. The discussions are open and nonjudgmental, hence encouraging contribution and healthy debate. We encourage its use as an educational tool and a platform for discussion.

On the Origin of Complex Adaptive Traits: Progress Since the Darwin Versus Mivart Debate.

PubMed

Suzuki, Takao K

2017-06-01

The evolutionary origin of complex adaptive traits has been a controversial topic in the history of evolutionary biology. Although Darwin argued for the gradual origins of complex adaptive traits within the theory of natural selection, Mivart insisted that natural selection could not account for the incipient stages of complex traits. The debate starting from Darwin and Mivart eventually engendered two opposite views: gradualism and saltationism. Although this has been a long-standing debate, the issue remains unresolved. However, recent studies have interrogated classic examples of complex traits, such as the asymmetrical eyes of flatfishes and leaf mimicry of butterfly wings, whose origins were debated by Darwin and Mivart. Here, I review recent findings as a starting point to provide a modern picture of the evolution of complex adaptive traits. First, I summarize the empirical evidence that unveils the evolutionary steps toward complex traits. I then argue that the evolution of complex traits could be understood within the concept of "reducible complexity." Through these discussions, I propose a conceptual framework for the formation of complex traits, named as reducible-composable multicomponent systems, that satisfy two major characteristics: reducibility into a sum of subcomponents and composability to construct traits from various additional and combinatorial arrangements of the subcomponents. This conceptual framework provides an analytical foundation for exploring evolutionary pathways to build up complex traits. This review provides certain essential avenues for deciphering the origin of complex adaptive traits. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

What Is Stochastic Resonance? Definitions, Misconceptions, Debates, and Its Relevance to Biology

PubMed Central

McDonnell, Mark D.; Abbott, Derek

2009-01-01

Stochastic resonance is said to be observed when increases in levels of unpredictable fluctuations—e.g., random noise—cause an increase in a metric of the quality of signal transmission or detection performance, rather than a decrease. This counterintuitive effect relies on system nonlinearities and on some parameter ranges being “suboptimal”. Stochastic resonance has been observed, quantified, and described in a plethora of physical and biological systems, including neurons. Being a topic of widespread multidisciplinary interest, the definition of stochastic resonance has evolved significantly over the last decade or so, leading to a number of debates, misunderstandings, and controversies. Perhaps the most important debate is whether the brain has evolved to utilize random noise in vivo, as part of the “neural code”. Surprisingly, this debate has been for the most part ignored by neuroscientists, despite much indirect evidence of a positive role for noise in the brain. We explore some of the reasons for this and argue why it would be more surprising if the brain did not exploit randomness provided by noise—via stochastic resonance or otherwise—than if it did. We also challenge neuroscientists and biologists, both computational and experimental, to embrace a very broad definition of stochastic resonance in terms of signal-processing “noise benefits”, and to devise experiments aimed at verifying that random variability can play a functional role in the brain, nervous system, or other areas of biology. PMID:19562010

Human white matter and knowledge representation

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Understanding how knowledge is represented in the human brain is a fundamental challenge in neuroscience. To date, most of the work on this topic has focused on knowledge representation in cortical areas and debated whether knowledge is represented in a distributed or localized fashion. Fang and colleagues provide evidence that brain connections and the white matter supporting such connections might play a significant role. The work opens new avenues of investigation, breaking through disciplinary boundaries across network neuroscience, computational neuroscience, cognitive science, and classical lesion studies. PMID:29698391

Human white matter and knowledge representation.

PubMed

Pestilli, Franco

2018-04-01

Understanding how knowledge is represented in the human brain is a fundamental challenge in neuroscience. To date, most of the work on this topic has focused on knowledge representation in cortical areas and debated whether knowledge is represented in a distributed or localized fashion. Fang and colleagues provide evidence that brain connections and the white matter supporting such connections might play a significant role. The work opens new avenues of investigation, breaking through disciplinary boundaries across network neuroscience, computational neuroscience, cognitive science, and classical lesion studies.

Affording to exchange: social capital and online information sharing.

PubMed

Maksl, Adam; Young, Rachel

2013-08-01

The potential harm and benefit associated with sharing personal information online is a topic of debate and discussion. Using survey methods (n=872), we explore whether attainment of social capital online relates to greater comfort with sharing personal information. We found that perceptions of bridging and bonding social capital earned from using Facebook are significant predictors of overall comfort levels with sharing personal information. This research raises timely questions about how the perceived benefits of social networking sites influence how personal information is shared online.

Emotions in teaching environmental science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quigley, Cassie

2016-09-01

This op-ed article examines the emotional impact of teaching environmental science and considers how certain emotions can broaden viewpoints and other emotions narrow them. Specifically, it investigates how the topic of climate change became an emotional debate in a science classroom because of religious beliefs. Through reflective practice and examination of positionality, the author explored how certain teaching practices of pre-service science teachers created a productive space and other practices closed down the conversations. This article is framed with theories that explore both divergent and shared viewpoints.

Charge transport in CdTe solar cells revealed by conductive tomographic atomic force microscopy

DOE PAGES

Luria, Justin; Kutes, Yasemin; Moore, Andrew; ...

2016-09-26

Polycrystalline photovoltaics comprising cadmium telluride (CdTe) represent a growing portion of the solar cell market, yet the physical picture of charge transport through the meso-scale grain morphology remains a topic of debate. It is unknown how thin film morphology affects the transport of electron-hole pairs. Accordingly this study is the first to generate three dimensional images of photocurrent throughout a thin-film solar cell, revealing the profound influence of grain boundaries and stacking faults on device efficiency.

Prevention, communication and equity in environmental epidemiology: ethical issues.

PubMed

Pagliarani, Giovanna; Botti, Caterina

2011-01-01

In environmental epidemiology research, decisions about when and how to intervene requires adequate ethical reflection. In fact, different kinds of issues may arise about: research methods and knowledge production; management of the results in terms of their overall assessments or for the implementation of preventive actions; reclamation intervention. In this contribution we propose to consider three topics we regard as crucial to this ethical debate: the reporting of conclusive research data; the correct application of the precautionary principle; and the environmental equity issues.

Current and emerging rehabilitation for concussion: A review of the evidence

PubMed Central

Broglio, Steven P.; Collins, Michael W.; Williams, Richelle M.; Mucha, Anne; Kontos, Anthony

2015-01-01

Concussion is one of the most hotly debated topics in sports medicine today. Research surrounding concussion has experienced significant growth recently especially in the areas of incidence, assessment, and recovery. However, there is limited research on the most effective rehabilitation approaches for this injury. This review evaluates the current literature for evidence for and against physical and cognitive rest and the emerging areas targeting vestibular, oculomotor, and pharamocological interventions for the rehabilitation of sport-related concussion. PMID:25818710

Proceedings of Workshop on Transformation (4th), held on September 18-19 2002, at The Clubs at Quantico, Quantico Marine Base, Quantico, VA

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-11-01

moment. Transformation is the current intellectual fashion and discussion topic and has been around subliminally for many years under the perfumed...opportunities. � Stimulate the Advocacy Process. � Focus on the long-view while recognizing the force development continuum (time). � Serve as a nucleus of...catalyst to stimulate thought and provoke debate on issues of significance to the senior leadership of the Marine Corps. We also provide support to the

The right to die--ethical dilemmas in persons with spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Rundquist, Jeanine M

2002-01-01

The right to die can be a controversial topic, and health care workers in the rehabilitation setting may find themselves in the center of this heated debate. This article presents a case study of a patient with tetraplegia, Daniel, and his choices regarding life and death. The case study will be examined through the use of ethical principles as well as from a legal standpoint. Social, cultural, and economic issues are also discussed. Guidelines for possible resolution to the conflict are offered.

The anatomy of the anterior cruciate ligament and its relevance to the technique of reconstruction.

PubMed

Śmigielski, R; Zdanowicz, U; Drwięga, M; Ciszek, B; Williams, A

2016-08-01

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is commonly performed and has been for many years. Despite this, the technical details related to ACL anatomy, such as tunnel placement, are still a topic for debate. In this paper, we introduce the flat ribbon concept of the anatomy of the ACL, and its relevance to clinical practice. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:1020-6. ©2016 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Teaching evolution in the Australian classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vozzo, Les

A summary of the key issues of controversy encountered by science teachers in Australian classrooms. Evolution, cloning and gene manipulation, fertility control, artificial intelligence, irradiation of food, the use of nuclear energy, radiation from powerlines are some of the topics discussed and debated in classrooms. What are some of the difficulties encountered by teachers when students ask questions that raise moral dilemmas and challenges entrenched beliefs and views of the world. What are some of the teaching strategies used that deal with these difficulties.

Trade and the environment: Discussion

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

Lutz, E.

1992-12-01

The author presents a synopsis of several papers on the issue of international trade and the environment. The papers address the following topics: the complex interrelationships of international trade, environment, and poverty in developing countries; environmental aspects of economic relations between nations; and the debate between environmentalists and free trade advocates. The author also adds comments about the US embargo on Mexican yellow-fin tuna imports, concluding that this unilateral embargo action, while initially creating tentions, may have provided a useful impetus to working out a multinational environmental standard.

Boardroom disclosure. In light of recent corporate scandals, AHA board execs debate whether they should serve on the boards of for-profit companies.

PubMed

Galloro, Vince

2002-12-02

Corporate integrity is the topic du jour, and now it has emerged among the leadership of the American Hospital Association, where a divide exists over whether AHA board executives should serve concurrently on the boards of for-profit firms selling goods to hospitals. Fred Brown (left), AHA chairman in 1999, is one of several former AHA chair officers who served on the boards of privately held firms during their tenures.

The black hole quantum atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dey, Ramit; Liberati, Stefano; Pranzetti, Daniele

2017-11-01

Ever since the discovery of black hole evaporation, the region of origin of the radiated quanta has been a topic of debate. Recently it was argued by Giddings that the Hawking quanta originate from a region well outside the black hole horizon by calculating the effective radius of a radiating body via the Stefan-Boltzmann law. In this paper we try to further explore this issue and end up corroborating this claim, using both a heuristic argument and a detailed study of the stress energy tensor. We show that the Hawking quanta originate from what might be called a quantum atmosphere around the black hole with energy density and fluxes of particles peaked at about 4 MG, running contrary to the popular belief that these originate from the ultra high energy excitations very close to the horizon. This long distance origin of Hawking radiation could have a profound impact on our understanding of the information and transplanckian problems.

Depth profiling the solid electrolyte interphase on lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12) using synchrotron-based photoelectron spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nordh, Tim; Younesi, Reza; Brandell, Daniel; Edström, Kristina

2015-10-01

The presence of a surface layer on lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12, LTO) anodes, which has been a topic of debate in scientific literature, is here investigated with tunable high surface sensitive synchrotron-based photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) to obtain a reliable depth profile of the interphase. Li||LTO cells with electrolytes consisting of 1 M lithium hexafluorophosphate dissolved in ethylene carbonate:diethyl carbonate (LiPF6 in EC:DEC) were cycled in two different voltage windows of 1.0-2.0 V and 1.4-2.0 V. LTO electrodes were characterized after 5 and 100 cycles. Also the pristine electrode as such, and an electrode soaked in the electrolyte were analyzed by varying the photon energies enabling depth profiling of the outermost surface layer. The main components of the surface layer were found to be ethers, P-O containing compounds, and lithium fluoride.

Monetary economics from econophysics perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yakovenko, Victor M.

2016-12-01

This is an invited article for the Discussion and Debate special issue of The European Physical Journal Special Topics on the subject "Can Economics be a Physical Science?" The first part of the paper traces the personal path of the author from theoretical physics to economics. It briefly summarizes applications of statistical physics to monetary transactions in an ensemble of economic agents. It shows how a highly unequal probability distribution of money emerges due to irreversible increase of entropy in the system. The second part examines deep conceptual and controversial issues and fallacies in monetary economics from econophysics perspective. These issues include the nature of money, conservation (or not) of money, distinctions between money vs. wealth and money vs. debt, creation of money by the state and debt by the banks, the origins of monetary crises and capitalist profit. Presentation uses plain language understandable to laypeople and may be of interest to both specialists and general public.

Religiosity and Migration Aspirations among Mexican Youth.

PubMed

Hoffman, Steven; Marsiglia, Flavio Francisco; Ayers, Stephanie L

2015-02-01

International migration has become an important topic of discussion from a policy and humanitarian perspective. Part of the debate includes a renewed interest in understanding the factors that influence decisions about migration to the US among Mexican youth still residing in their country of origin. The purpose of this study was to advance knowledge specifically about internal and external religiosity and their influence on youths' migration aspirations. The data for this study were collected in 2007 from students enrolled in an alternative high school program located in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. The findings indicated that as external religiosity increases, the desire to work or live in the USA decreases. Furthermore, as internal religiosity increases, the desire to work or live in the USA and plans to migrate increase. The results are interpreted and discussed in light of previous research on religious and cultural norm adherence.

An assessment of inductive coupling roadway powered vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leschly, K. O.; Feinberg, A.; Heft, R.; Warren, G.

1980-01-01

The technical concept underlying the roadway powered vehicle system is the combination of an electrical power source embedded in the roadway and a vehicle-mounted power pickup that is inductively coupled to the roadway power source. The feasibility of such a system, implemented on a large scale was investigated. Factors considered included current and potential transportation modes and requirements, economics, energy, technology, social and institutional issues. These factors interrelate in highly complex ways, and a firm understanding of each of them does not yet exist. The study therefore was structured to manipulate known data in equally complex ways to produce a schema of options and useful questions that can form a basis for further, harder research. A dialectical inquiry technique was used in which two adversary teams, mediated by a third-party team, debated each factor and its interrelationship with the whole of the known information on the topic.

Chemical origins of frictional aging.

PubMed

Liu, Yun; Szlufarska, Izabela

2012-11-02

Although the basic laws of friction are simple enough to be taught in elementary physics classes and although friction has been widely studied for centuries, in the current state of knowledge it is still not possible to predict a friction force from fundamental principles. One of the highly debated topics in this field is the origin of static friction. For most macroscopic contacts between two solids, static friction will increase logarithmically with time, a phenomenon that is referred to as aging of the interface. One known reason for the logarithmic growth of static friction is the deformation creep in plastic contacts. However, this mechanism cannot explain frictional aging observed in the absence of roughness and plasticity. Here, we discover molecular mechanisms that can lead to a logarithmic increase of friction based purely on interfacial chemistry. Predictions of our model are consistent with published experimental data on the friction of silica.

Field studies of Pan troglodytes reviewed and comprehensively mapped, focussing on Japan's contribution to cultural primatology.

PubMed

McGrew, William C

2017-01-01

Field studies done over decades of wild chimpanzees in East, Central and West Africa have yielded impressive, cumulative findings in cultural primatology. Japanese primatologists have been involved in this advance from the outset, over a wide variety of topics. Here I review the origins and development of field studies of Pan troglodytes, then assess their progress based on analogy between cultural primatology and cultural anthropology, through four stages: natural history, ethnography, ethnology, and intuition. Then, I focus on six topics that continue to yield informative debate: technology, universals, nuanced variation, archaeology, applied primatology, and ecology. Finally, I offer a map of sites of field study of wild chimpanzees. It is clear that Japanese primatologists have made a significant contribution to East-West scientific exchange, especially at the field sites of Bossou and Mahale.

Everyday representations of young people about peripheral areas.

PubMed

Oliveira, Elda de; Soares, Cassia Baldini; Batista, Leandro Leonardo

2016-01-01

to understand everyday representations of young people about the peripheral areas, with the purpose of establishing topics to drug education media programs. Marxist approach, with emancipatory action research and the participation in workshops of 13 youngsters from a public school of the peripheral area of São Paulo. there are contradictory everyday representations about the State's role, which, on the one hand, does not guarantee social rights and exert social control over the peripheral areas and, on the other hand, is considered the privileged interlocutor for the improvement of life and work conditions. the action research discussed mainly topics related to social rights context, claim of the young participants. It is necessary to expand the discussion beyond the citizenship rights sphere, which is only part of the debate about social inequalities inherent in capitalist exploitation and the necessary transformations to build equality policies.

Teaching Evolution & the Nature of Science via the History of Debates about the Levels at Which Natural Selection Operates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stansfield, William D.

2013-01-01

Students should not graduate from high school without understanding that scientific debates are essential components of scientific methodology. This article presents a brief history of ongoing debates regarding the hypothesis that group selection is an evolutionary mechanism, and it serves as an example of the role that debates play in correcting…

Trend of Narratives in the Age of Misinformation.

PubMed

Bessi, Alessandro; Zollo, Fabiana; Del Vicario, Michela; Scala, Antonio; Caldarelli, Guido; Quattrociocchi, Walter

2015-01-01

Social media enabled a direct path from producer to consumer of contents changing the way users get informed, debate, and shape their worldviews. Such a disintermediation might weaken consensus on social relevant issues in favor of rumors, mistrust, or conspiracy thinking-e.g., chem-trails inducing global warming, the link between vaccines and autism, or the New World Order conspiracy. Previous studies pointed out that consumers of conspiracy-like content are likely to aggregate in homophile clusters-i.e., echo-chambers. Along this path we study, by means of a thorough quantitative analysis, how different topics are consumed inside the conspiracy echo-chamber in the Italian Facebook. Through a semi-automatic topic extraction strategy, we show that the most consumed contents semantically refer to four specific categories: environment, diet, health, and geopolitics. We find similar consumption patterns by comparing users activity (likes and comments) on posts belonging to these different semantic categories. Finally, we model users mobility across the distinct topics finding that the more a user is active, the more he is likely to span on all categories. Once inside a conspiracy narrative users tend to embrace the overall corpus.

Participating in a policy debate program and academic achievement among at-risk adolescents in an urban public school district: 1997-2007.

PubMed

Anderson, Susannah; Mezuk, Briana

2012-10-01

This study investigates the relationship between participating in a high school debate program on college-readiness in the Chicago Public School district over a 10-year period. At-risk school students were identified using an index including 8th grade achievement, poverty status, and enrollment in special education. Regression analyses were used to assess the association between debate participation and graduation and ACT performance. Overall, debaters were 3.1 times more likely to graduate from high school (95% confidence interval: 2.7-3.5) than non-debaters, and more likely to reach the college-readiness benchmarks on the English, Reading, and Science portions of the ACT. This association was similar for both low-risk and at-risk students. Debate intensity was positively related to higher scores on all sections of the ACT. Findings indicate that debate participation is associated with improved academic performance for at-risk adolescents. Copyright © 2012 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

94 Mo(γ,n) and 90Zr(γ,n) cross-section measurements towards understanding the origin of p-nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meekins, E.; Banu, A.; Karwowski, H.; Silano, J.; Zimmerman, W.; Muller, J.; Rich, G.; Bhike, M.; Tornow, W.; McClesky, M.; Travaglio, C.

2014-09-01

The nucleosynthesis beyond iron of the rarest stable isotopes in the cosmos, the so-called p-nuclei, is one of the forefront topics in nuclear astrophysics. Recently, a stellar source was found that, for the first time, was able to produce both light and heavy p-nuclei almost at the same level as 56Fe, including the most debated 92,94Mo and 96,98Ru; it was also found that there is an important contribution from the p-process nucleosynthesis to the neutron magic nucleus 90Zr. We focus here on constraining the origin of p-nuclei through nuclear physics by studying two key astrophysical photoneutron reaction cross sections for 94Mo(γ,n) and 90Zr(γ,n). Their energy dependencies were measured using quasi-monochromatic photon beams from Duke University's High Intensity Gamma-ray Source facility at the respective neutron threshold energies up to 18 MeV. Preliminary results of these experimental cross sections will be presented along with their comparison to predictions by a statistical model based on the Hauser-Feshbach formalism implemented in codes like TALYS and SMARAGD. The nucleosynthesis beyond iron of the rarest stable isotopes in the cosmos, the so-called p-nuclei, is one of the forefront topics in nuclear astrophysics. Recently, a stellar source was found that, for the first time, was able to produce both light and heavy p-nuclei almost at the same level as 56Fe, including the most debated 92,94Mo and 96,98Ru; it was also found that there is an important contribution from the p-process nucleosynthesis to the neutron magic nucleus 90Zr. We focus here on constraining the origin of p-nuclei through nuclear physics by studying two key astrophysical photoneutron reaction cross sections for 94Mo(γ,n) and 90Zr(γ,n). Their energy dependencies were measured using quasi-monochromatic photon beams from Duke University's High Intensity Gamma-ray Source facility at the respective neutron threshold energies up to 18 MeV. Preliminary results of these experimental cross sections will be presented along with their comparison to predictions by a statistical model based on the Hauser-Feshbach formalism implemented in codes like TALYS and SMARAGD. This research was supported by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement.

Blood Loss and Transfusion After Topical Tranexamic Acid Administration in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty.

PubMed

Wang, Hao; Shen, Bin; Zeng, Yi

2015-11-01

There has been much debate and controversy about the safety and efficacy of the topical use of tranexamic acid in primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The purpose of this study was to perform a meta-analysis to evaluate whether there is less blood loss and lower rates of transfusion after topical tranexamic acid administration in primary TKA. A systematic review of the electronic databases PubMed, CENTRAL, Web of Science, and Embase was undertaken. All randomized, controlled trials and prospective cohort studies evaluating the effectiveness of topical tranexamic acid during primary TKA were included. The focus of the analysis was on the outcomes of blood loss results, transfusion rate, and thromboembolic complications. Subgroup analysis was performed when possible. Of 387 studies identified, 16 comprising 1421 patients (1481 knees) were eligible for data extraction and meta-analysis. This study indicated that when compared with the control group, topical application of tranexamic acid significantly reduced total drain output (mean difference, -227.20; 95% confidence interval, -347.11 to -107.30; P<.00001), total blood loss (mean difference, -311.28; 95% confidence interval, -404.94 to -217.62; P<.00001), maximum postoperative hemoglobin decrease (mean difference, -0.73; 95% confidence interval, -0.96 to -0.50; P<.00001), and blood transfusion requirements (risk ratios, 0.33; 95% confidence interval, 0.24 to 0.43; P=.14). The authors found a statistically significant reduction in blood loss and transfusion rates when using topical tranexamic acid in primary TKA. Furthermore, the currently available evidence does not support an increased risk of deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism due to tranexamic acid administration. Topical tranexamic acid was effective for reducing postoperative blood loss and transfusion requirements without increasing the prevalence of thromboembolic complications. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Psychology teaching in nursing education: a review of and reflection on approaches, issues, and contemporary practice.

PubMed

de Vries, Jan M A; Timmins, Fiona

2012-11-01

This paper highlights the relevance of psychology for nurses and the issues around the inclusion of psychology as an essential part of nursing education. Considerable international variations in the extent to which psychology is incorporated in nursing education suggest a need for discussion and reflection on this topic. This paper aims to (a) examine and reflect on scholarly literature in English addressing psychology of nursing in education and (b) present and reflect on an example of psychology teaching in a school of nursing and midwifery in Ireland. A review of the literature took place, which included a search of various databases and an analysis of emerging psychology for nursing textbooks over the period 1906-2011. Findings were used as a framework for reflection on a local example. The literature review yielded numerous commentaries, discussion papers, textbook reviews and editorials but very few empirical studies. Three topics were identified as appearing most frequently in the literature: the relevance of psychology in the nursing curriculum; depth and content of coverage; and whether integrated or separate instruction of psychology should be chosen. Findings suggest that overall the relevance of psychology to nursing education is not contested, but debates have emerged regarding how best to approach and integrate psychology. The outcomes of these debates are mostly inconclusive at present. Educators are encouraged to become active in these discussions and reflections, which are hampered by lack of empirical evidence. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What's so important about conducting research involving third parties?

PubMed

Murrelle, L; McCarthy, C R

2001-01-01

Controversy has arisen over the long-standing practice of collecting family health and behavioral history information in the course of conducting biomedical research. Identifiable individuals (third parties) on whom investigators collect private data through primary research subjects (probands) also are considered research subjects. At issue is whether informed consent is required from third parties prior to obtaining information about them from probands. A recent federal regulatory ruling dictates that investigators must either obtain informed consent from all third parties or their research must qualify for a waiver of consent. Because of the ruling, a traditional family medical history questionnaire, typical of those routinely used in genetic epidemiologic studies of familial risk, failed to meet the criteria for the waiver. The implications of this ruling are far-reaching. They could influence the quality of research in the United States on the causes of most human diseases. To enable continuing medical and bioethical education on the topic, in March 2001, Virginia Commonwealth University hosted a 2-day open conference, "Third Party Rights and Risks: A Forum on Informed Consent from Persons Affected by the Study of Human Subjects." International leaders from the fields of biomedical ethics and law convened with federal regulatory officials, Institutional Review Board members, academic and industry scientists, and patient-family rights advocates to discuss and debate this critical topic. Conference presenters submitted papers to clarify the issues, promote continued debate, and assist in the formulation of policy recommendations regarding third-party rights and risks.

Contextual sensitivity in scientific reproducibility

PubMed Central

Van Bavel, Jay J.; Mende-Siedlecki, Peter; Brady, William J.; Reinero, Diego A.

2016-01-01

In recent years, scientists have paid increasing attention to reproducibility. For example, the Reproducibility Project, a large-scale replication attempt of 100 studies published in top psychology journals found that only 39% could be unambiguously reproduced. There is a growing consensus among scientists that the lack of reproducibility in psychology and other fields stems from various methodological factors, including low statistical power, researcher’s degrees of freedom, and an emphasis on publishing surprising positive results. However, there is a contentious debate about the extent to which failures to reproduce certain results might also reflect contextual differences (often termed “hidden moderators”) between the original research and the replication attempt. Although psychologists have found extensive evidence that contextual factors alter behavior, some have argued that context is unlikely to influence the results of direct replications precisely because these studies use the same methods as those used in the original research. To help resolve this debate, we recoded the 100 original studies from the Reproducibility Project on the extent to which the research topic of each study was contextually sensitive. Results suggested that the contextual sensitivity of the research topic was associated with replication success, even after statistically adjusting for several methodological characteristics (e.g., statistical power, effect size). The association between contextual sensitivity and replication success did not differ across psychological subdisciplines. These results suggest that researchers, replicators, and consumers should be mindful of contextual factors that might influence a psychological process. We offer several guidelines for dealing with contextual sensitivity in reproducibility. PMID:27217556

Contextual sensitivity in scientific reproducibility.

PubMed

Van Bavel, Jay J; Mende-Siedlecki, Peter; Brady, William J; Reinero, Diego A

2016-06-07

In recent years, scientists have paid increasing attention to reproducibility. For example, the Reproducibility Project, a large-scale replication attempt of 100 studies published in top psychology journals found that only 39% could be unambiguously reproduced. There is a growing consensus among scientists that the lack of reproducibility in psychology and other fields stems from various methodological factors, including low statistical power, researcher's degrees of freedom, and an emphasis on publishing surprising positive results. However, there is a contentious debate about the extent to which failures to reproduce certain results might also reflect contextual differences (often termed "hidden moderators") between the original research and the replication attempt. Although psychologists have found extensive evidence that contextual factors alter behavior, some have argued that context is unlikely to influence the results of direct replications precisely because these studies use the same methods as those used in the original research. To help resolve this debate, we recoded the 100 original studies from the Reproducibility Project on the extent to which the research topic of each study was contextually sensitive. Results suggested that the contextual sensitivity of the research topic was associated with replication success, even after statistically adjusting for several methodological characteristics (e.g., statistical power, effect size). The association between contextual sensitivity and replication success did not differ across psychological subdisciplines. These results suggest that researchers, replicators, and consumers should be mindful of contextual factors that might influence a psychological process. We offer several guidelines for dealing with contextual sensitivity in reproducibility.

Population Dynamics and Tropical Deforestation: State of the Debate and Conceptual Challenges

PubMed Central

Carr, David L.; Suter, Laurel; Barbieri, Alisson

2009-01-01

What is the role of population in driving deforestation? This question was put forth as a discussion topic in the cyberseminar hosted by Population Environment Research Network (PERN) in Spring, 2003. Contributors from diverse backgrounds weighed in on the discussion, citing key factors in the population-deforestation nexus and suggesting further courses of action and research. Participants explored themes of their own choosing, with many coming to the forefront. Scale, time, and place-based effects were cited as areas in need of particular attention. Consumption patterns as the mechanism for spurring deforestation were discussed, drawing attention to the differential patterns associated with urban vs. rural demands on forest resources and land. The applicability of the IPAT formula and the influence of its component parts, affluence and technology, when operating in tandem with population, was debated. The relation of demographic factors to these pathways was critically examined. Institutional and governmental influence, such as infrastructure and policies affecting access and incentives, the valuation of resources, and institutional failures such as mismanagement and corruption emerged as a crucial set of factors. This article synthesizes the critical debates in the population-deforestation literature, makes suggestions for future paths of research, and discussed possible policy and direct action initiatives. PMID:19672477