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Alternative Possibilities (alternative + possibility)
Selected AbstractsThe Dual Regress of Free Will and the Role of Alternative PossibilitiesNOUS, Issue 2000Robert Kane First page of article [source] Clinical education facilitators: a literature reviewJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 6 2005Veronica Lambert BNS Aims and objectives., The aim of this literature review, set within an Irish context, is to present a broad overview of former and existing clinical support personnel, explore the concept of facilitation and examine what is known about the role of the clinical education facilitator. Background., The importance of providing a supportive clinical environment to enhance clinical teaching and learning is strongly portrayed in the literature. While the past two decades have borne witness to various clinical support personnel, the literature identifies conflicting demands that these personnel face. No suggestions are advanced as to how to overcome these difficulties, which inevitably influence the quality and quantity of their clinical teaching role. An identifiable gap exists over who has prime responsibility for clinical teaching. It is timely that alternative possibilities for organizing clinical teaching are investigated. A new post emerging in practice settings is that of the clinical education facilitator who is meant to be the key linchpin in clinical areas for reducing the theory,practice gap. Method., Relevant literature for this review was sourced using the computerized databases CINAHL, Medline and Synergy. Manual searching of relevant nursing journals and sourcing of secondary references extended the search. Government reports and other relevant documents were obtained through pertinent websites. Results., Papers that explicitly examined the concept of facilitation and explored the posts of clinical education facilitators were included; six research papers were accessed and reviewed. In addition seven non-empirical papers were included. Conclusions., It is clear that considerable lack of role clarity resides over what constitutes clinical facilitation and the role of the clinical facilitator. Thus, it is paramount to strengthen this support role with Irish empirical evidence. Relevance to clinical practice., A major advantage in having a ward-based clinical education facilitator is the benefit of having access to someone who can concentrate solely on clinical education and support with attempts to narrow the theory,practice divide. [source] Beauty Spot, Blind Spot: Romantic WalesLITERATURE COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 3 2008Mary-Ann Constantine Romantic-period Wales was a fascinating place: part literary construct, part tourist destination, it appears in the work of many writers as a locus of alternative possibilities, both political and personal. Welsh landscape, language and literature attracted poets, artists, antiquarians and historians alike, and an energetic literary cultural revival within Wales produced a rich blend of texts, legends and fabrications which would inspire makers of both fiction and history on either side of the border. The questions of national and cultural allegiance at the heart of this revival are of profound importance to current discussions of ,British' identity, particularly in the light of so-called ,four nations' criticism. This article argues that the Welsh contribution to British Romanticism has been seriously neglected by Romantic studies in general. It suggests reasons for this neglect, surveys recent work in the field, and points to future possible directions for research. [source] DENNETT ON THE BASIC ARGUMENTMETAPHILOSOPHY, Issue 4 2005John Martin Fischer Abstract: I argue that Dennett does not adequately support his rejection of the "Basic Argument" for the incompatibility of causal determinism and the sort of free will that involves genuine access to alternative possibilities (sometimes referred to as the "Consequence Argument"). In addition, I seek to highlight the plausibility and importance of the incompatibilist's interpretation of this sort of free will. [source] Citizenship and The StatePHILOSOPHY COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 6 2009M. Victoria Costa This study surveys debates on citizenship, the state, and the bases of political stability. The survey begins by presenting the primary sense of ,citizenship' as a legal status and the question of the sorts of political communities people can belong to as citizens. (Multi)nation-states are suggested as the main site of citizenship in the contemporary world, without ignoring the existence of alternative possibilities. Turning to discussions of citizen identity, the study shows that some of the discussion is motivated by a perceived need for citizens to have a sense of political belonging, on the assumption that such a sense promotes political activity and has other personal and social benefits. But there are serious problems with the strategy of understanding the relevant sense of belonging in terms of identification with the nation-state. The study explores a more promising way to generate this sense of belonging. First, societies should function, to a sufficiently high degree, in accord with political principles of justice and democratic decision making. Second, there should be a general consensus on political principles among citizens, as well as high levels of engagement in democratic deliberation. [source] In the Quest for a Virtual Pseudo Receptor for Sandalwood-Like Odorants.CHEMISTRY & BIODIVERSITY, Issue 7 2004Based on similarities between naturally occurring (,)-(Z)- , - or (+)-(Z)- , -santalol ((,)- 1 or (+)- 2, resp.) and the reversed (E)-configured synthetic derivatives from campholenal (7a), a simple model A was developed. Besides reconciliation of this stereochemical aspect, this initial model also tentatively explained the enantiodiscriminations as well as the large spectra of distances separating the OH function from the lipophilic quaternary center(s) reported for different classes of substrates. Evolution, modifications, and refinement of this imperfect model allied with the research for alternative possibilities are illustrated, along with a historical guideline, in the light of olfactively challenging synthetic seco-substructures as well as literature reports. Despite evolution of the inadequate model A and a plausible interpretation of the lipophilic part, the topological positions of the OH function and its vicinal alkyl substituent could nevertheless not be fully ascertained by this approach. This apparently inconclusive empirical concept prompted us to turn our attention towards a computerized methodology, which will constitute the second and third part of this study. [source] Hippocampal granule cells opt for early retirementHIPPOCAMPUS, Issue 10 2010C.B. Alme Abstract Increased excitability and plasticity of adult-generated hippocampal granule cells during a critical period suggests that they may "orthogonalize" memories according to time. One version of this "temporal tag" hypothesis suggests that young granule cells are particularly responsive during a specific time period after their genesis, allowing them to play a significant role in sculpting CA3 representations, after which they become much less responsive to any input. An alternative possibility is that the granule cells active during their window of increased plasticity, and excitability become selectively tuned to events that occurred during that time and participate in later reinstatement of those experiences, to the exclusion of other cells. To discriminate between these possibilities, rats were exposed to different environments at different times over many weeks, and cell activation was subsequently assessed during a single session in which all environments were revisited. Dispersing the initial experiences in time did not lead to the increase in total recruitment at reinstatement time predicted by the selective tuning hypothesis. The data indicate that, during a given time frame, only a very small number of granule cells participate in many experiences, with most not participating significantly in any. Based on these and previous data, the small excitable population of granule cells probably correspond to the most recently generated cells. It appears that, rather than contributing to the recollection of long past events, most granule cells, possibly 90,95%, are effectively "retired." If granule cells indeed sculpt CA3 representations (which remains to be shown), then a possible consequence of having a new set of granule cells participate when old memories are reinstated is that new representations of these experiences might be generated in CA3. Whatever the case, the present data may be interpreted to undermine the standard "orthogonalizer" theory of the role of the dentate gyrus in memory. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Surface characterization of flax, hemp and cellulose fibers; Surface properties and the water uptake behaviorPOLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 5 2002Alexander Bismarck The surface characteristics of several natural fibers,flax, hemp and cellulose,were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, BET-surface area and zeta (,-) potential measurements. ,-Potential measurements using the streaming potential method were performed in order to study the water uptake behavior as well as the surface properties of several natural fibers. The influence of different flax-fiber separation methods and several modifications, like industrial purification, and such a treatment followed by alkaline purification as well as polypropylene grafting on the fiber surface morphology, surface area and time- and pH-depending ,-potentials were studied. The time-dependence of the ,-potential, measured in 1 mM KCl solution, offeres and alternative possibility to estimate the water uptake behavior for nearly all investigated natural fibers. The water uptake data derived from the ,-potential measurements (, = f(t)) were compared with data from conventional water adsorption studies for some chosen examples. [source] Are behavioral differences among wild chimpanzee communities genetic or cultural?AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 3 2010An assessment using tool-use data, phylogenetic methods Abstract Over the last 30 years it has become increasingly apparent that there are many behavioral differences among wild communities of Pan troglodytes. Some researchers argue these differences are a consequence of the behaviors being socially learned, and thus may be considered cultural. Others contend that the available evidence is too weak to discount the alternative possibility that the behaviors are genetically determined. Previous phylogenetic analyses of chimpanzee behavior have not supported the predictions of the genetic hypothesis. However, the results of these studies are potentially problematic because the behavioral sample employed did not include communities from central Africa. Here, we present the results of a study designed to address this shortcoming. We carried out cladistic analyses of presence/absence data pertaining to 19 tool-use behaviors in 10 different P. troglodytes communities plus an outgroup (P. paniscus). Genetic data indicate that chimpanzee communities in West Africa are well differentiated from those in eastern and central Africa, while the latter are not reciprocally monophyletic. Thus, we predicted that if the genetic hypothesis is correct, the tool-use data should mirror the genetic data in terms of structure. The three measures of phylogenetic structure we employed (the Retention Index, the bootstrap, and the Permutation Tail Probability Test) did not support the genetic hypothesis. They were all lower when all 10 communities were included than when the three western African communities are excluded. Hence, our study refutes the genetic hypothesis and provides further evidence that patterns of behavior in chimpanzees are the product of social learning and therefore meet the main condition for culture. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Spontaneous Ca2+ Waves in Rabbit Corpus Cavernosum: Modulation by Nitric Oxide and cGMPTHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 4 2009Gerard P. Sergeant PhD ABSTRACT Introduction., Detumescent tone and subsequent relaxation by nitric oxide (NO) are essential processes that determine the erectile state of the penis. Despite this, the mechanisms involved are incompletely understood. It is often assumed that the tone is associated with a sustained high cytosolic Ca2+ level in the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells, however, an alternative possibility is that oscillatory Ca2+ signals regulate tone, and erection occurs as a result of inhibition of Ca2+ oscillations by NO. Aims., The aim of this study is to determine if smooth muscle cells displayed spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations and, if so, whether these were regulated by NO. Methods., Male New Zealand white rabbits were euthanized and smooth muscle cells were isolated by enzymatic dispersal for confocal imaging of intracellular Ca2+ (using fluo-4AM) and patch clamp recording of spontaneous membrane currents. Thin tissue slices were also loaded with fluo-4AM for live imaging of Ca2+. Main Outcome Measure., Cytosolic Ca2+ was measured in isolated smooth muscle cells and tissue slices. Results., Isolated rabbit corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells developed spontaneous Ca2+ waves that spread at a mean velocity of 65 µm/s. Dual voltage clamp/confocal recordings revealed that each of the Ca2+ waves was associated with an inward current typical of the Ca2+ -activated Cl - currents developed by these cells. The waves depended on an intact sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ store, as they were blocked by cyclopiazonic acid (Calbiochem, San Diego, CA, USA) and agents that interfere with ryanodine receptors and IP3 -mediated Ca2+ release. The waves were also inhibited by an NO donor (diethylamine NO; Tocris Bioscience, Bristol, Avon, UK), 3-(5-hydroxymethyl-2-furyl)-1-benzyl indazole (YC-1) (Alexis Biochemicals, Bingham, Notts, UK), 8-bromo-cyclic guanosine mono-phosphate (Tocris), and sildenafil (Viagra, Pfizer, Sandwich, Kent, UK). Regular Ca2+ oscillations were also observed in whole tissue slices where they were clearly seen to precede contraction. This activity was also markedly inhibited by sildenafil, suggesting that it was under NO regulation. Conclusions., These results provide a new basis for understanding detumescent tone in the corpus cavernosum and its inhibition by NO. Sergeant GP, Craven M, Hollywood MA, McHale NG, and Thornbury KD. Spontaneous Ca2+ waves in rabbit corpus cavernosum: Modulation by nitric oxide and cGMP. J Sex Med **;**:**,**. [source] Children's Thinking About Counterfactuals and Future Hypotheticals as PossibilitiesCHILD DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2006Sarah R. Beck Two experiments explored whether children's correct answers to counterfactual and future hypothetical questions were based on an understanding of possibilities. Children played a game in which a toy mouse could run down either 1 of 2 slides. Children found it difficult to mark physically both possible outcomes, compared to reporting a single hypothetical future event, "What if next time he goes the other way ," (Experiment 1: 3,4-year-olds and 4,5-year-olds), or a single counterfactual event, "What if he had gone the other way ,?" (Experiment 2: 3,4-year-olds and 5,6-year-olds). An open counterfactual question, "Could he have gone anywhere else?," which required thinking about the counterfactual as an alternative possibility, was also relatively difficult. [source] | ||||||||||||||||