A Minimalist Framework for Thought Experiment Analysis

Thought experiments are frequently vague and obscure hypothetical scenarios that are difficult to assess. The paper proposes a simple model of thought experiments. In the first part, I introduce two contemporary frameworks for thought experiment analysis: an experimentalist approach that relies on similarities between real and thought experiment, and a reasonist approach focusing on the answers provided by thought experimenting. Further, I articulate a minimalist approach in which thought experiment is considered strictly as doxastic mechanism based on imagination. I introduce the basic analytical tool that allows us to differentiate an experimental core from an attached argumentation. The last section is reserved for discussion. I address several possible questions concerning adequacy of minimalistic definition and analysis

Apriorism, Psychologism, and Conceptualism about Thought Experiments

Epistemological optimists about thought experiments hold that imagination could be under certain conditions source of epistemic justification. Their claim is usually based on one of three dominant conceptions about epistemic value of thought experiments. Apriorism states that imagination may serve as unique a priori source of new synthetic knowledge about the actual world. I argue against this view and show that apriorism is either too weak, or too strong or too vague. Psychologism is viable, yet not fully clear conception about new meta-knowledge obtained by thought experimenting. I compare some interpretations of this position and present reasons for favorizing one of them. Conceptualism considers thought experiments as instruments for cleaning our conceptual systems. I argue that this position is in fact not about epistemic value of thought experiments, but about one specific usage of experimental result

Marketing Sweetpotatoes to the United Kingdom

The sweet potato, though nutritious and healthful, has languished as measured by per capita consumption. Value-adding products have been developed, but have not been successful in expanding consumption and acceptance. Specialty pack exports to the United Kingdom, with expansion to continental Europe, are a potential market for appropriately packaged product.Marketing,

Literature Review: Trauma-Informed Classrooms for Middle School Students

Abstract Trauma-informed classrooms refer to implementation of trauma-informed strategies in classrooms such that the learning environment is cognizant of the effects of trauma on the social and educational life of a child (McInerney & McKlindon, 2014). In trauma-informed classrooms, teachers do not assume the presence of trauma among the pupils; rather, the teachers utilize additional classroom resources so as to provide a welcoming and stable environment for all students. About one half to two-thirds of children experience trauma (McInerney & McKlindon, 2014). Yet, neglecting this problem has detrimental effects on the ability of children to cope and learn in school. It became apparent that the effects of traumatic events in the lives of children had a huge impact on academic performance, social-emotional development and behavior. As such, it is critical to include trauma-informed practices in classrooms to meet the needs of such pupils. Although research has been done in the domain of trauma-informed classroom practices, little has been done with regard to special education. The aim of this project is to help middle-school teachers to understand the role of trauma and its impact on middle-school children. Additionally, the research will show how trauma-informed strategies can be integrated in K-12 classrooms. Their research was concluded by offering concrete suggestions on how to best implement trauma-informed care in K-12 learning environments including students receiving special education services. Dohlen et al. (2019) proposed a methodology for assisting students who have experienced traumatic events and challenging them to ensure that they develop resilience. School-wide multi-tiered systems of supports were shown to be particularly effective according to the findings. Synthesizing the findings by these studies helped me devise robust and evidence-based approaches for addressing trauma among middle-school children

Exposing Artemia Salina to Chattonella Subsalsa: A General Toxicity Test

The raphidophyte Chattonella subsalsa has been reported to cause harmful algal blooms in every major ocean. In South Carolina, C. subsalsa blooms have been observed in brackish stormwater detention ponds as well as estuarine waters neighboring urbanized areas. Blooms frequently cause fish kills although the fish kill mechanism of C. subsalsa is currently unknown. In many harmful species, the lethality of algal cells is thought to correspond with algal growth phase. Algal growth is known to progress through five distinct phases; lag, early exponential, late exponential, stationary, and decline. In nature, harmful algal blooms commonly occur in the late exponential or stationary growth phases; however, in vitro studies of Chattonella have identified the early exponential phase as most lethal. The strain of C. subsalsa used for this study was found to progress through the five growth phases in a period of twenty days. To examine the lethality of C. subsalsa at various growth phases, the zooplankton species Artemia salina was exposed to C. subsalsa culture at two-day intervals for twenty days. Deaths fluctuated among the growth phases of C. subsalsa with the highest mortalities observed in the late exponential and stationary growth phases. The late exponential and stationary growth phases were found to have significantly greater percent mortalities than the early exponential, lag phase, and control groups (Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test, p=0.05)

Ahmedabad City App

The Ahmedabad City App is a city guide app that provides information on the city\u27s accessible resources. The project\u27s goal is to provide a concrete, one-stop platform for finding information on all of Ahmedabad\u27s accessible resources. The main goal is to simplify the railway\u27s schedule and make it easier for customers to get from one point to another swiftly and safely. Emergency connections such as the blood bank, fire department, police station, and hospitals will be included in the app. Restaurants and picnic areas are also included in the rejuvenation process. The proposed system uses SQLite as the database and uses Android SDK and XML to build the frontend of the app. It exploits the MVC Design Pattern as an architectural pattern to foster separation of concerns in the app. The Ahmedabad City App will foster a sense of belonging and connection among the city\u27s residents, bridging the divide

THE ASSESSMENT AND UTILIZATION OF PATIENTS’ SELF-EFFICACY FOR EXERCISE DURING REHABILITATION

Patient adherence to in-clinic rehabilitation is between 30-70% and even lower for home exercise programs (HEPs). Barriers to patient adherence have been identified and include but are not limited to anxiety, depression, lack of positive feedback, lack of social support, lack of time, low levels of physical activity at baseline, pain during exercise, and low self-efficacy. As clinicians prescribing rehabilitation may not be able to influence all of the identified barriers, they may positively influence others. Self-efficacy, or an individual’s belief in his/her ability to successfully complete a task, is a patient barrier that may be addressed by a clinician when aware of low self-efficacy and have tools to improve this barrier. Interventions to overcome this specific barrier have demonstrated an increase in not only self-efficacy but patient adherence as well. Although interventions have proven to be successful, patient adherence has yet to increase according to the literature. At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that clinicians are assessing an individual’s level of self-efficacy prior to prescribing HEPs. In addition, there is no known metric to measure self-efficacy for HEPs in patients rehabilitating musculoskeletal conditions. Assessment of patient barriers, specifically self-efficacy, needs to be a standard of care in order to increase adherence, in turn, improve patient outcomes and to reduce the cost to our healthcare system. The first purpose of this dissertation was to determine in patients with musculoskeletal conditions what scales have been developed and evaluated for assessing self-efficacy in conjunction with adherence. In addition, to determine if a tool exists specifically to assess self-efficacy for HEPs. Due to the task and situation-specific nature of self-efficacy, it is important that this construct is reflected in the assessments utilized by clinicians. The second purpose was to determine the importance and utilization of patients’ self-efficacy to physical therapists when addressing patient barriers. This included determining how physical therapists assess patient self-efficacy and barriers to assessment. The third purpose was to develop the Self-Efficacy for Home Exercise Programs Scale and determine the psychometric properties of the instrument. This also allowed for the examination of how self-efficacy relates to patient adherence in a musculoskeletal patient population. The results of the first study suggest that within the musculoskeletal literature, a number of scales are being used to assess patient self-efficacy. These scales are either task, situation, or condition specific. No scale was found to assess self-efficacy for HEPs. This finding indicates the need to develop a scale to assess self-efficacy for HEPs. In the second study, 71% (n = 329/464) of physical therapists, disclosed assessing self-efficacy prior to prescribing HEPs and rated self-efficacy as very to extremely important when it comes to their patients’ adherence. Verbal discussion is the most common method of self-efficacy assessment (50%), followed by observation of the patient (38%), then patient self-report questionnaires (10%). Commonly, physical therapists report using verbal discussion and observation in combination. Of the 29% of the physical therapists that do not assess self-efficacy, 40% report not knowing how to assess self-efficacy, 19% are not sure what to do with the information once self-efficacy is assessed, 16% claim there are other barriers to assessment, 15% claim that assessing self-efficacy will not change their practice, another 9% claim assessing self-efficacy takes too much time, and the last 1% do not know what self-efficacy is. These results further suggest the need for a scale to assess self-efficacy for HEPs. The purpose of the final study was to developed a Self-Efficacy for Home Exercise Programs Scale. The scale was found to have high internal consistency (α = 0.96), acceptable test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.8, SEM = 5, MDC = 7), and strong convergent validity with the Self-Efficacy for Exercise scale (rho(ρ) = 0.83, p \u3c 0.01). Unique to this scale, a cutoff score was determined to be 59 points with a positive likelihood ratio of 2.0 (95% CI 1.1 – 2.5) indicating those who score below 59 points on the SEHEPS would be 2 times more likely to be non-adherent than adherent to their HEP. A weak to moderate, positive relationship was detected between the patients’ initial level of self-efficacy for their HEP and adherence (rho(ρ) = 0.38, p = 0.03). These results suggest that the Self-Efficacy for Home Exercise Programs Scale may be utilized by rehabilitation clinicians to assess self-efficacy for HEPs. Clinically, this scale may provide clinicians the ability to decipher patients who are not likely to adhere to their prescribed HEP, allowing clinicians to intervene immediately. Early intervention to improve self-efficacy may increase adherence to HEPs and eventually patient outcomes

Planning for safety in public spaces : efforts and outcomes regarding the use, perceptions, and safety of women in plazas in Viña del Mar, Chile

Although many studies have been conducted on public spaces, safety, and gender worldwide, little has been published on Latin America, much less Viña del Mar, Chile. Additionally, the plaza has played a central role in Latin American societies for centuries, yet few contemporary studies exist. This work examines the use and perceptions of plazas and safety in two main plazas in Viña del Mar: Plaza Vergara and Plaza O’Higgins. I uncover the feelings, motivations, and perceptions underpinning the uses manifested in these plazas with a focus on the differences between men and women. Fear of violence is a common theme among women and is manifested in the ways in which women use plazas, particularly as compared to men. In addition to gaining a fuller understanding of the social life of plazas, my study synthesizes recommendations expressed by female residents of Viña del Mar for improving plazas and other public spaces. My hope is that this study will encourage greater consideration of gender when planning public spaces in Viña del Mar and beyond.Community and Regional Plannin

Tissue response to peritoneal implants

Peritoneal implants were fabricated from poly 2-OH, ethyl methacrylate (HEMA), polyetherurethane (polytetramethylene glycol 1000 MW, 1,4 methylene disocynate, and ethyl diamine), and untreated and sputter treated polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The sputter treated PTFE implants were produced by an 8 cm diameter argon ion source. The treated samples consisted of ion beam sputter polished samples, sputter etched samples (to produce a microscopic surface cone texture) and surface pitted samples (produced by ion beam sputtering to result in 50 microns wide by 100 microns deep square pits). These materials were implanted in rats for periods ranging from 30 minutes to 14 days. The results were evaluated with regard to cell type and attachment kinetics onto the different materials. Scanning electron microscopy and histological sections were also evaluated. In general the smooth hydrophobic surfaces attracted less cells than the ion etched PTFE or the HEMA samples. The ion etching was observed to enhance cell attachment, multinucleated giant cell (MNGC) formation, cell to cell contact, and fibrous capsule formation. The cell responsed in the case of ion etched PTFE to an altered surface morphology. However, equally interesting was the similar attachment kinetics of HEMA verses the ion etched PTFE. However, HEMA resulted in a markedly different response with no MNGC's formation, minimal to no capsule formation, and sample coverage by a uniform cell layer

Уровни нитратов/нитритов в сыворотке крови у больных артериальной гипертензией, перенесших грипп

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