9,653 research outputs found
Illusions of gunk
The possibility of gunk has been used to argue against mereological nihilism. This paper explores two responses on the part of the microphysical mereological nihilist: (1) the contingency defence, which maintains that nihilism is true of the actual world; but that at other worlds, composition occurs; (2) the impossibility defence, which maintains that nihilism is necessary true, and so gunk worlds are impossible. The former is argued to be ultimately unstable; the latter faces the explanatorily burden of explaining the illusion that gunk is possible. It is argued that we can discharge this burden by focussing on the contingency of the microphysicalist aspect of microphysical mereological nihilism. The upshot is that gunk-based arguments against microphysical mereological nihilism can be resisted
Quiescent X-Ray/Optical Counterparts of the Black Hole Transient H 1705-250
We report the result of a new Chandra observation of the black hole X-ray
transient H 1705-250 in quiescence. H 1705-250 was barely detected in the new
50 ks Chandra observation. With 5 detected counts, we estimate the source
quiescent luminosity to be Lx~9.1e30 erg/s in the 0.5-10 keV band (adopting a
distance of 8.6 kpc). This value is in line with the quiescent luminosities
found among other black hole X-ray binaries with similar orbital periods. By
using images taken with the Faulkes Telescope North, we derive a refined
position of H 1705-250. We also present the long-term lightcurve of the optical
counterpart from 2006 to 2012, and show evidence for variability in quiescence.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures; Accepted for publication in MNRA
A High-Level Disinfection Standard for Land-Applied Sewage Sludges (Biosolids)
associated with land-applied sewage sludges primarily involve irritation of the skin, mucous membranes, and the respiratory tract accompanied by opportunistic infections. Volatile emissions and organic dusts appear to be the main source of irritation. Occasionally, chronic gastrointestinal problems are reported by affected residents who have private wells. To prevent acute health effects, we recommend that the current system of classifying sludges based on indicator pathogen levels (Class A and Class B) be replaced with a single high-level disinfection standard and that methods used to treat sludges be improved to reduce levels of irritant chemicals, especially endotoxins. A national opinion survey of individuals impacted by or concerned about the safety of land-application practices indicated that most did not consider the practice inherently unsafe but that they lacked confidence in research supported by federal and state agencie
A Case Study of Preservice Physical Education Teachers’ Attitudes toward and Perceived Barriers to Quality Physical Education
The purposes of this study were 1) to assess preservice physical education teacher’s beliefs in the four domains representing important outcomes for physical education as identified and measured by Kulinna et al. (2010) along with nutrition as an additional domain and 2) to identify barriers to quality physical education given by PETE candidates and identify barriers by pertinent demographic characteristics. Eighty-six PETE candidates completed a demographics survey, the PETE Students’/Physical Educator’s Attitudes toward Curricular Outcomes in Physical Education questionnaire and the Perceived Barriers to the Delivery of Quality Physical Education questionnaire. Participants’ attitudes and priority of curricular outcomes in were similar to Kulinna et al. (2010). The newly included nutrition domain was ranked as the third priority for PE outcomes. Institution-related barriers were identified as preservice teachers’ major barrier to quality physical education in K-12 schools. Also, gender had a significant effect on participants’ perception of barriers for 14 of the 20 questionnaire items where female PETE students anticipate these barriers as having greater influence on their ability at provide quality physical education than male participants. Recommendations for PETE programs to assist at minimizing the main barriers to quality PE anticipated by preservice students are discussed. Keywords: quality physical education, preservice students, attitudes, beliefs, barrier
On the Substitution of Identicals in Counterfactual Reasoning
It is widely held that counterfactuals, unlike attitude ascriptions, preserve the referential transparency of their constituents, i.e., that counterfactuals validate the substitution of identicals when their constituents do. The only putative counterexamples in the literature come from counterpossibles, i.e., counterfactuals with impossible antecedents. Advocates of counterpossibilism, i.e., the view that counterpossibles are not all vacuous, argue that counterpossibles can generate referential opacity. But in order to explain why most substitution inferences into counterfactuals seem valid, counterpossibilists also often maintain that counterfactuals with possible antecedents are transparency‐preserving. I argue that if counterpossibles can generate opacity, then so can ordinary counterfactuals with possible antecedents. Utilizing an analogy between counterfactuals and attitude ascriptions, I provide a counterpossibilist‐friendly explanation for the apparent validity of substitution inferences into counterfactuals. I conclude by suggesting that the debate over counterpossibles is closely tied to questions concerning the extent to which counterfactuals are more like attitude ascriptions and epistemic operators than previously recognized
Development and validation of the guideline for reporting evidence-based practice educational interventions and teaching (GREET)
Abstract
Background
The majority of reporting guidelines assist researchers to report consistent information concerning study design, however, they contain limited information for describing study interventions. Using a three-stage development process, the Guideline for Reporting Evidence-based practice Educational interventions and Teaching (GREET) checklist and accompanying explanatory paper were developed to provide guidance for the reporting of educational interventions for evidence-based practice (EBP). The aim of this study was to complete the final development for the GREET checklist, incorporating psychometric testing to determine inter-rater reliability and criterion validity.
Methods
The final development for the GREET checklist incorporated the results of a prior systematic review and Delphi survey. Thirty-nine items, including all items from the prior systematic review, were proposed for inclusion in the GREET checklist. These 39 items were considered over a series of consensus discussions to determine the inclusion of items in the GREET checklist. The GREET checklist and explanatory paper were then developed and underwent psychometric testing with tertiary health professional students who evaluated the completeness of the reporting in a published study using the GREET checklist. For each GREET checklist item, consistency (%) of agreement both between participants and the consensus criterion reference measure were calculated. Criterion validity and inter-rater reliability were analysed using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC).
Results
Three consensus discussions were undertaken, with 14 items identified for inclusion in the GREET checklist. Following further expert review by the Delphi panelists, three items were added and minor wording changes were completed, resulting in 17 checklist items. Psychometric testing for the updated GREET checklist was completed by 31 participants (n = 11 undergraduate, n = 20 postgraduate). The consistency of agreement between the participant ratings for completeness of reporting with the consensus criterion ratings ranged from 19 % for item 4 Steps of EBP, to 94 % for item 16 Planned delivery. The overall consistency of agreement, for criterion validity (ICC 0.73) and inter-rater reliability (ICC 0.96), was good to almost perfect.
Conclusion
The final GREET checklist comprises 17 items which are recommended for reporting EBP educational interventions. Further validation of the GREET checklist with experts in EBP research and education is recommended
- …