Lackey on group justified belief and evidence

Funding: Thanks to the Leverhulme Trust for a Major Research Fellowship which enabled the author to complete this article.In this paper, I examine one central strand of Lackey’s The Epistemology of Groups, namely her account of group justified belief, and the puzzle cases she uses to develop it. Her puzzle cases involve a group of museum guards most of whom justifiably believe a certain claim but do so on different bases. Consideration of these cases leads her to hold that a group justifiably believes that p if and only if 1) a significant proportion of its operative members a) justifiably believe that p on b) bases that are consistent when combined and 2) the total evidence which members of the group do and should have had sufficiently supports that p. I question her judgement about these cases and condition 2, by examining the nature of group evidence as well as “transmission” principles governing the relationship between the epistemic standing of members of a group and the group itself.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Understanding Visitor Experiences at the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument

The Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument (UMRBNM) is known for unique recreation opportunities on a wild and scenic river. Visitor’s experiences are complex and can be influenced by new management regulations, perceived conflict, and crowding, which can impact overall user satisfaction. This study examines the breadth of visitor experiences on the UMRBNM and assesses stakeholders’ satisfaction of BLM management. Using a qualitative approach, in-depth phone interviews were conducted with Key Informants. Those interviewed represent a diverse group of stakeholders including advisory council members, non-profits and friends groups, outfitters and guides, and local officials. Interviews explored visitor experiences, satisfaction with management, and recreation use restrictions. In this paper, responses were summarized and emerging themes were discussed. The results will provide managers with baseline data to help inform future management decisions

Evidence for cross-protection but not type-replacement over the 11 years after human papillomavirus vaccine introduction

Examination of cross-protection and type replacement after human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine introduction is essential to guide vaccination recommendations and policies. The aims of this study were to examine trends in non-vaccine-type HPV: 1) genetically related to vaccine types (to assess for cross-protection) and 2) genetically unrelated to vaccine types (to assess for type replacement), among young women 13-26 years of age during the 11 years after HPV vaccine introduction. Participants were recruited from a hospital-based teen health center and a community health department for four cross-sectional surveillance studies between 2006 and 2017. Participants completed a survey that assessed sociodemographic characteristics and behaviors, and cervicovaginal swabs were collected and tested for 36 HPV genotypes. We determined changes in proportions of non-vaccine-type HPV prevalence and conducted logistic regression to determine the odds of infection across the surveillance studies, propensity-score adjusted to control for selection bias. Analyses were stratified by vaccination status. Among vaccinated women who received only the 4-valent vaccine (n = 1,540), the adjusted prevalence of HPV types genetically related to HPV16 decreased significantly by 45.8% (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.31-0.74) from 2006-2017, demonstrating evidence of cross-protection. The adjusted prevalence of HPV types genetically related to HPV18 did not change significantly (14.2% decrease, AOR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.56-1.21). The adjusted prevalence of HPV types genetically unrelated to vaccine types did not change significantly (4.2% increase, AOR = 1.09, CI = 0.80-1.48), demonstrating no evidence of type replacement. Further studies are needed to monitor for cross-protection and possible type replacement after introduction of the 9-valent HPV vaccine

Epidemiology of Any and Vaccine-Type Anogenital Human Papillomavirus Among 13-26-Year-Old Young Men After HPV Vaccine Introduction

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to determine prevalence of and factors associated with any human papillomavirus (HPV) and vaccine-type HPV among young men after vaccine introduction, stratified by vaccination status. METHODS: Young men were recruited from clinical sites from 2013 to 2015, completed a survey, and were tested for 36 anogenital HPV types. We determined factors associated with ≥1 HPV type among all participants, and vaccine-type HPV (HPV6, 11, 16, and/or 18) among all, vaccinated and unvaccinated participants, using multivariable regression. RESULTS: Mean age was 21.5 years and 26% had received at least one HPV vaccine dose. HPV prevalence was lower in vaccinated versus unvaccinated young men (50.5% vs. 62.6%, p = .03). HPV positivity was discordant by anogenital site. At both sites, 59.4% were positive for ≥1 HPV type and 26.0% for ≥1 4-valent vaccine type. In multivariable logistic regression, factors associated with ≥1 HPV type among all participants were frequency of oral sex (odds ratio [OR] = 1.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.00-3.24), recent smoking (OR = 1.84, CI = 1.17-2.90), and sexually transmitted infection history (OR = 1.56, CI = 1.02-2.38). Factors associated with vaccine-type HPV among all participants were white versus black race (OR = 1.91, CI = 1.10-3.34) and gonorrhea history (OR = 2.52, CI = 1.45-4.38); among vaccinated participants were private versus Medicaid insurance (OR = 5.6, CI = 1.46-20.4) and private versus no insurance (OR = 15.9, CI = 3.06-83.3); and among unvaccinated participants was gonorrhea history (OR = 1.83, CI = 1.03-3.24). CONCLUSIONS: Anogenital HPV prevalence was high and vaccination rates low among young men 2-4 years after vaccine introduction, underscoring the urgency of increasing vaccination rates and vaccinating according to national guidelines

RP-1 and JP-8 Thermal Stability Experiments

This work experimentally investigates the effect of fuel composition changes on jet and rocket fuel thermal stability. A High Reynolds Number Thermal Stability test device evaluated JP-8 and RP-1 fuels. The experiment consisted of an electrically heated, stainless steel capillary tube with a controlled fuel outlet temperature. An optical pyrometer monitored the increasing external temperature profiles of the capillary tube as deposits build inside during each test. Multiple runs of each fuel composition provided results on measurement repeatability. Testing a t two different facilities provided data on measurement reproducibility. The technique is able to distinguish between thermally stable and unstable compositions of JP-8 and intermediate blends made by combining each composition. The technique is also able to distinguish among standard RP-1 rocket fuels and those having reduced sulfur levels. Carbon burn off analysis of residue in the capillary tubes on the RP-1 fuels correlates with the external temperature results

Methodological Status and Trends in Expository Text Structure Instruction Efficacy Research

This systematic descriptive historical review was conducted to examine the status and trends in expository text structure instruction efficacy research for first through twelfth grade students. The analysis included sixty studies, which spanned the years 1978 to 2014. Descriptive dimensions of the research included study type, research design, treatment fidelity, school level, number of participants, service delivery settings, and comprehensiveness of demographic reporting, text structure instruction, and measurement. Researchers primarily used randomized and quasi-experimental research designs. Analysis of results revealed that (a) a relatively large number of text structure efficacy research studies have been conducted, (b) complete demographic information was difficult to ascertain for many of the participants, (c) researchers of few studies instructed students in all five expository text structures, (d) treatment fidelity data were often missing, and (e) researchers rarely used both direct and indirect measures of effects. Limitations of the analysis and future research directions are discussed

The folic acid metabolism gene mel-32/Shmt is required for normal cell cycle lengths in Caenorhabditis elegans

Neural tube defects are common and serious birth defects in which the brain and/or spinal cord are exposed outside the body. Supplementation of foods with folic acid, an essential vitamin, is linked to a lower risk of neural tube defects; however, the mechanisms by which folic acid influence neural tube defect risk are unclear. Our research seeks to identify the basic cellular roles of known folic acid metabolism genes during morphogenesis using the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) as a simple model system. Here, we used live imaging to characterize defects in embryonic development when mel-32 is depleted. mel-32 is an essential folic acid metabolism gene in C. elegans and a homolog to the mammalian enzyme serine hydroxymethyltransferase (Shmt). Disruption of mel-32 resulted in a doubling or tripling of cell cycle lengths and a lack of directed cell movement during embryogenesis. However, the order of cell divisions, as determined by lineage analysis, is unchanged compared to wild type embryos. These results suggest that mel32/Shmt is required for normal cell cycle lengths in C. elegans

The Effects Of Caffeine On Early Second Half Sprint Performance In NCAA DIII Women’s Soccer Players

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of caffeine on early second half sprint performance in 21 NCAA DIII women’s soccer players. The caffeine dosage attempted to approximate a liquid dosage many student athletes typically consume. Design In a randomized double blind repeated measures design, subjects began the protocol after ingestion of caplets containing 3 mg.kg-1 of caffeine (CAF) and after ingestion of placebo (PLA) caplets. Pre-game, warm-up, and first half conditions were designed to maximize external validity. Methods An adapted version of the Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test was applied to replicate first half activity. Sprint performance was measured with the Running Based Anaerobic Sprint Test. Mean power, maximum power, and minimum power, were assessed under each condition. Repeated measures MANOVA was used to determine if there were significant mean vector differences between the trials. Results Although mean, maximum, and minimum power in the CAF trial increased 3.2%, 3.4%, and 4% respectively, MANOVA results showed no statistically significant differences in the mean vector for power variables (Λ = .752, p \u3e .05). Conclusions The lack of statistical significance in this study is likely attributed to the relationship between a small, although contextually plausible, relative caffeine dosage and an extended exercise time. The results also suggest caffeine ingestion of 3 mg.kg-1 should not be considered capable of improving sprint performance at the start of the second half

Waitlist-Controlled Trial of Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Hoarding Disorder

Objective: This study investigated a multicomponent cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) for hoarding based on a model proposed by Frost and colleagues and manualized in Steketee and Frost (2007). Method: Participants with clinically significant hoarding were recruited from the community and a university-based anxiety clinic. Of the 46 patients randomly assigned to CBT or waitlist (WL), 40 completed the 12-week assessment and 36 completed 26 sessions. Treatment included education and case formulation, motivational interviewing, skills training for organizing and problem solving, direct exposure to nonacquiring and discarding, and cognitive therapy. Measures included the Saving Inventory-Revised (self-report), Hoarding Rating Scale-Interview, and measures of clinical global improvement. Between group repeated measures analyses using general linear modeling examined the effect of CBT versus WL on hoarding symptoms and moodstate after 12 weeks. Within group analyses examined pre-post effects for all CBT participants combined after 26 sessions. Results: After 12 weeks, CBT participants benefited significantly more than WL patients on hoarding severity and mood with moderate effect sizes. After 26 sessions of CBT, participants showed significant reductions in hoarding symptoms with large effect sizes for most measures. At session 26, 71% of patients were considered improved on therapist clinical global improvement ratings and 81% of patients rated themselves improved; 41% of completers were clinically significantly improved. Conclusions: Multicomponent CBT was effective in treating hoarding. However, treatment refusal and compliance remain a concern, and further research with independent assessors is needed to establish treatment benefits and durability of gains