Specialist or Nonspecialist Physical Education Teachers in Ontario Elementary Schools: Examining Differences in Opportunities for Physical Activity

Research supports the position that specialists are the preferred providers of physical education in elementary (primary) school settings. We examined whether specialists delivered more physical education lessons and provided greater opportunities for moderate and vigorous physical activity and whether barriers to curricular and extracurricular physical activity opportunities in Ontario elementary schools differed for specialist and nonspecialist teachers. Using a cross-sectional design, a questionnaire was mailed to key informants in 599 randomly selected elementary schools in Ontario, yielding an 85% response rate. Most physical education in Ontario elementary schools is delivered by nonspecialists (63%). No self-reported differences were found between specialists and generalist teachers in the number of physical education lessons delivered per week, the minutes per physical education class, or in the amount of reported moderate or vigorous physical activity in lessons. Compared with specialists, respondents in schools in which generalist teachers taught PE perceived lack of training as a greater barrier to delivering physical education. Given the importance of subject knowledge in teaching effectively, there is still need to advocate for specialist physical education teaching in elementary schools. However, concerns about teaching specialism may be secondary to broader and more complex factors surrounding the delivery of physical education in elementary schools.La recherche appuie le point de vue selon lequel les spécialistes sont les mieux placés pour enseigner l’éducation physique au primaire. Nous nous sommes penchés sur deux questions: (a) les spécialistes offrent-ils plus de cours d’éducation physique et d’occasions de pratiquer des activités physiques modérées ou vigoureuses ?, et (b) les obstacles à la participation aux activités physiques scolaires et extra-scolaires dans les écoles primaires de l’Ontario sont-ils les mêmes pour les enseignants spécialistes et les enseignants non-spécialistes ? Dans le contexte d’un modèle croisé, nous avons envoyé un questionnaire à des répondants clés dans 599 écoles primaires sélectionnées au hasard en Ontario. Notre taux de réponse a été de 85%. La majorité (63%) des cours d’éducation physique en Ontario sont offerts par des non spécialistes. Les résultats n’indiquent aucune différence entre les enseignants spécialistes et les enseignants non-spécialistes quant aux critères suivants: le nombre de cours d’éducation physique offerts par semaine, la durée des cours d’éducation physique et la mesure dans laquelle les cours impliquent de l’activité physique modérée ou vigoureuse. Par rapport aux répondants des écoles où les cours d’éducation physique se donnaient par des spécialistes, ceux des écoles où ces cours se donnaient par des généralistes ont indiqué que le manque de formation constituait un obstacle plus important à l’enseignement de l’éducation physique. Compte tenu du rôle important de la connaissance de la matière dans l’enseignement efficace, il faudrait continuer à promouvoir l’enseignement de l’éducation physique par des spécialistes dans les écoles primaires. Toutefois, les préoccupations portant sur l’enseignement par des spécialistes semblent secondaires face aux facteurs plus généraux et complexes en matière d’enseignement de l’éducation physique dans les écoles primaires

STM observation of electronic wave interference effect in finite-sized graphite with dislocation-network structures

Superperiodic patterns near a step edge were observed by STM on several-layer-thick graphite sheets on a highly oriented pyrolitic graphite substrate, where a dislocation network is generated at the interface between the graphite overlayer and the substrate. Triangular- and rhombic-shaped periodic patterns whose periodicities are around 100 nm were observed on the upper terrace near the step edge. In contrast, only outlines of the patterns similar to those on the upper terrace were observed on the lower terrace. On the upper terrace, their geometrical patterns gradually disappeared and became similar to those on the lower terrace without any changes of their periodicity in increasing a bias voltage. By assuming a periodic scattering potential at the interface due to dislocations, the varying corrugation amplitudes of the patterns can be understood as changes in LDOS as a result of the beat of perturbed and unperturbed waves, i.e. the interference in an overlayer. The observed changes in the image depending on an overlayer height and a bias voltage can be explained by the electronic wave interference in the ultra-thin overlayer distorted under the influence of dislocation-network structures.Comment: 8 pages; 6 figures; Paper which a part of cond-mat/0311068 is disscussed in detai

Search for Sub-TeV Gamma Rays Coincident with BATSE Gamma Ray Bursts

Project GRAND is a 100m x 100m air shower array of proportional wire chambers (PWCs). There are 64 stations each with eight 1.29 m^2 PWC planes arranged in four orthogonal pairs placed vertically above one another to geometrically measure the angles of charged secondaries. A steel plate above the bottom pair of PWCs differentiates muons (which pass undeflected through the steel) from non-penetrating particles. FLUKA Monte Carlo studies show that a TeV gamma ray striking the atmosphere at normal incidence produces 0.23 muons which reach ground level where their angles and identities are measured. Thus, paradoxically, secondary muons are used as a signature for gamma ray primaries. The data are examined for possible angular and time coincidences with eight gamma ray bursts (GRBs) detected by BATSE. Seven of the GRBs were selected because of their good acceptance by GRAND and high BATSE Fluence. The eighth GRB was added due to its possible coincident detection by Milagrito. For each of the eight candidate GRBs, the number of excess counts during the BATSE T90 time interval and within plus or minus five degrees of BATSE's direction was obtained. The highest statistical significance reported in this paper (2.7 sigma) is for the event that was predicted to be the most likely to be observed (GRB 971110).Comment: To be presented at the XXVIII International Cosmic Ray Conference, Tsukuba, Japa

Getting the strain under control: Trans-Varestraint tests for hot cracking susceptibility

A new method for conducting Trans-Varestraint tests for assessing hot cracking susceptibility is proposed. Experiments were carried out, to validate the new method, with an industrial scale rig using tungsten inert gas welding. The hot cracking susceptibility of API-5L X65 and EN3B steel was compared. The results indicated that, by using the new method, the strain applied to the welding bead and consequently to the solidification front was controlled in a repeatable and reliable way. The results also indicated that EN3B has a maximum crack length (a parameter in the test) higher than X65 and it is reached at lower augmented strain thus demonstrating it is more susceptible to hot cracking, while also indicating that there is a capability of predicting the initiation position of hot cracks during welding. By using the method proposed, the capability of setting standardized test procedures for Trans-Varestraint tests is improved. It is recommended that future tests for assessing hot cracking susceptibility should employ the proposed method in order for the results to be comparable and to also study the effect of strain rate in hot cracking of materials

Inferential Transitions

This paper provides a naturalistic account of inference. We posit that the core of inference is constituted by bare inferential transitions (BITs), transitions between discursive mental representations guided by rules built into the architecture of cognitive systems. In further developing the concept of BITs, we provide an account of what Boghossian [2014] calls ‘taking’—that is, the appreciation of the rule that guides an inferential transition. We argue that BITs are sufficient for implicit taking, and then, to analyse explicit taking, we posit rich inferential transitions (RITs), which are transitions that the subject is disposed to endorse

Associated Links Among Smoking, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Pooled Analysis in the International Lung Cancer Consortium.

Background The high relapse and mortality rate of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) fuels the need for epidemiologic study to aid in its prevention. Methods We included 24 studies from the ILCCO collaboration. Random-effects panel logistic regression and cubic spline regression were used to estimate the effects of smoking behaviors on SCLC risk and explore their non-linearity. Further, we explored whether the risk of smoking on SCLC was mediated through COPD. Findings Significant dose–response relationships of SCLC risk were observed for all quantitative smoking variables. Smoking pack-years were associated with a sharper increase of SCLC risk for pack-years ranged 0 to approximately 50. The former smokers with longer cessation showed a 43%quit_for_5–9 years to 89%quit_for_≥ 20 years declined SCLC risk vs. subjects who had quit smoking < 5 years. Compared with non-COPD subjects, smoking behaviors showed a significantly higher effect on SCLC risk among COPD subjects, and further, COPD patients showed a 1.86-fold higher risk of SCLC. Furthermore, smoking behaviors on SCLC risk were significantly mediated through COPD which accounted for 0.70% to 7.55% of total effects. Interpretation This is the largest pooling study that provides improved understanding of smoking on SCLC, and further demonstrates a causal pathway through COPD that warrants further experimental study. Abbreviations COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CPG, cigarettes per day; ILCCO, International Lung Cancer Consortium; MeSH, medical subject headings; NSCLC, non-small cell lung cancer; OR, odds ratio; SCLC, small cell lung cancer

Women’s beliefs about medicines and adherence to pharmacotherapy in pregnancy: Opportunities for community pharmacists?

Background During pregnancy women might weigh benefits of treatment against potential risks to the unborn child. However, non-adherence to necessary treatment can adversely affect both mother and child. To optimize pregnant women’s beliefs and medication adherence, community pharmacists are ideally positioned to play an important role in primary care. Objective This narrative review aimed to summarize the evidence on 1) pregnant women’s beliefs, 2) medication adherence in pregnancy, and 3) community pharmacists’ counselling during pregnancy. Method Three search strategies were used in Medline and Embase to find original studies evaluating women’s beliefs, medication adherence and community pharmacists’ counselling during pregnancy. All original descriptive and analytic epidemiological studies performed in Europe, North America and Australia, written in English and published from 2000 onwards were included. Results We included 14 studies reporting on women’s beliefs, 11 studies on medication adherence and 9 on community pharmacists’ counselling during pregnancy. Women are more reluctant to use medicines during pregnancy and tend to overestimate the teratogenic risk of medicines. Risk perception varies with type of medicine, level of health literacy, education level and occupation. Furthermore, low medication adherence during pregnancy is common. Finally, limited evidence showed current community pharmacists’ counselling is insufficient. Barriers hindering pharmacists are insufficient knowledge and limited access to reliable information. Conclusion Concerns about medication use and non-adherence are widespread among pregnant women. Community pharmacists’ counselling during pregnancy is insufficient. Further education, training and research are required to support community pharmacists in fulfilling all the opportunities they have when counselling pregnant women

Enhancing the effectiveness of interdisciplinary mental health treatment teams

Mental health administrators often lack guidelines for promoting and evaluating the effectiveness of interdisciplinary clinical treatment teams. This article describes the use of a model of group effectiveness that elucidates several aspects of team effectiveness. Also discussed are how administrators can support such teams by reviewing their initial set-up, how the organization influences the team's productivity and longevity, and how team members can better understand one another's personal and professional frames of reference to improve mutual collaboration.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44090/1/10488_2005_Article_BF02106536.pd

Diving into the vertical dimension of elasmobranch movement ecology

Knowledge of the three-dimensional movement patterns of elasmobranchs is vital to understand their ecological roles and exposure to anthropogenic pressures. To date, comparative studies among species at global scales have mostly focused on horizontal movements. Our study addresses the knowledge gap of vertical movements by compiling the first global synthesis of vertical habitat use by elasmobranchs from data obtained by deployment of 989 biotelemetry tags on 38 elasmobranch species. Elasmobranchs displayed high intra- and interspecific variability in vertical movement patterns. Substantial vertical overlap was observed for many epipelagic elasmobranchs, indicating an increased likelihood to display spatial overlap, biologically interact, and share similar risk to anthropogenic threats that vary on a vertical gradient. We highlight the critical next steps toward incorporating vertical movement into global management and monitoring strategies for elasmobranchs, emphasizing the need to address geographic and taxonomic biases in deployments and to concurrently consider both horizontal and vertical movements