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Selected AbstractsPHILOSOPHY AND OTHER DISCIPLINESMETAPHILOSOPHY, Issue 4-5 2008SVEN OVE HANSSON Abstract: This article offers a perspective on the role of philosophy in relation to other academic disciplines and to society in general. Among the issues treated are the delimitation of philosophy, whether it is a science, its role in the community of knowledge disciplines, its losses of subject matter to other disciplines, how it is influenced by social changes and by progress in other disciplines, and its role in interdisciplinary work. It is concluded that philosophy has an important mission in promoting clarity, precision, and open-mindedness in academic research and in society at large. [source] A Framework for Determining the Influence of the Corporate Board of Directors in Accounting StudiesCORPORATE GOVERNANCE, Issue 1 2001Karen Cravens Accounting, auditing, and tax professionals constantly evaluate the integrity, competence, and financial performance of clients as factors in practice that influence both client acceptance decisions and the manner in which professional services are rendered. Yet, from an accounting perspective, previous research investigating the corporate board of directors as a governance mechanism has focused only on the representational role of board members. Moreover, many of these studies resulted in conflicting findings according to these attributes. Other disciplines address the particular influence of the board with respect to overall corporate performance, but arrive at little agreement on either the effect of or the most critical of board attributes. This literature review synthesizes the existing research to provide a framework in which to evaluate the effect of the board of directors in accounting settings and, in particular, when conducting future research that employs elements of corporate governance as dependent or independent variables in accounting studies. [source] Flexibility: A Concept AnalysisNURSING FORUM, Issue 1 2000Michele August-Brady RN Flexibility is a quality that is deemed essential for nursing as the healthcare environment escalates into greater complexity. The word "flexibility" appears in nursing literature addressing the need to prepare for the next millenium, yet the concept of flexibility is rarely defined. Other disciplines, such as engineering, have struggled for years and continue to struggle to achieve conceptual clarity with regard to flexibility. A concept analysis using Rodgers' evolutionary method was undertaken to understand the meaning of flexibility. [source] Linear regression analysis for comparing two measurers or methods of measurement: But which regression?CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PHARMACOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 7 2010John Ludbrook Summary 1. There are two reasons for wanting to compare measurers or methods of measurement. One is to calibrate one method or measurer against another; the other is to detect bias. Fixed bias is present when one method gives higher (or lower) values across the whole range of measurement. Proportional bias is present when one method gives values that diverge progressively from those of the other. 2. Linear regression analysis is a popular method for comparing methods of measurement, but the familiar ordinary least squares (OLS) method is rarely acceptable. The OLS method requires that the x values are fixed by the design of the study, whereas it is usual that both y and x values are free to vary and are subject to error. In this case, special regression techniques must be used. 3. Clinical chemists favour techniques such as major axis regression (,Deming's method'), the Passing,Bablok method or the bivariate least median squares method. Other disciplines, such as allometry, astronomy, biology, econometrics, fisheries research, genetics, geology, physics and sports science, have their own preferences. 4. Many Monte Carlo simulations have been performed to try to decide which technique is best, but the results are almost uninterpretable. 5. I suggest that pharmacologists and physiologists should use ordinary least products regression analysis (geometric mean regression, reduced major axis regression): it is versatile, can be used for calibration or to detect bias and can be executed by hand-held calculator or by using the loss function in popular, general-purpose, statistical software. [source] The Role of Academic Discipline and Gender in High School Teachers' AIDS-Related Knowledge and AttitudesJOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, Issue 1 2001Lori J. Dawson ABSTRACT Adolescents represent the fastest growing segment of HIV+ individuals in the United States. Therefore, high school teachers should be both knowledgeable of and comfortable with issues related to HIV/AIDS. This study examined high school teachers' AIDS-related knowledge and attitudes. One hundred forty-one high school teachers from nine central Massachusetts high schools participated. Participants completed the "HIV/AIDS Knowledge and Attitudes Scales for Teachers," as well as questions regarding their teaching experience and academic disciplines. Results indicated a direct relationship between teachers' knowledge of HIV/AIDS and positive or supportive attitudes toward HIV/AIDS. Significant differences were found based on academic discipline, with allied health teachers scoring significantly higher on the knowledge scale than teachers in any other discipline. Specific examples are discussed, as is the need for increased teacher training and comprehensive AIDS education. [source] Clinical supervision in the alcohol and other drugs field: an imperative or an option?DRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 3 2007ANN M. ROCHE Abstract There is a growing interest in Clinical Supervision (CS) as a central workforce development (WFD) strategy. This paper provides a definition of and rationale for CS, characterises its various forms, identifies selection and training issues, and advises on policy and implementation issues central to redressing shortcomings in supervision practice within the alcohol and other drugs (AOD) field. Relevant selective literature is reviewed. Key conceptual issues were identified, and strategies developed to address implementation barriers and facilitate relevant policy. There is a common conceptual confusion between administrative supervision and CS. Clarification of the role, function and implementation of CS is required. Priority issues for the AOD field include: enhancing belief in CS; ensuring adequate resource allocation; developing evaluation protocols; and addressing specific arrangements under which supervision should occur. CS has been underutilised to date but holds considerable potential as a WFD strategy. It is fundamental to workers' professional development, can contribute to worker satisfaction and retention, and may improve client outcomes. Critical next steps are to establish the generalisability to the AOD field of the benefits observed from CS in other disciplines, and evaluate longer-term gains of CS programs. [source] What economics can contribute to the addiction sciencesADDICTION, Issue 7 2010Jonathan P. Caulkins ABSTRACT Aims The addiction sciences are intrinsically multi-disciplinary, and economics is among the disciplines that offer useful perspectives on the complex behaviors surrounding substance abuse. This paper summarizes contributions economics has made in the past and could make in the future towards understanding how illegal markets operate, how prices affect use, how use generates various consequences, and how policy shapes all three. Methods Review of literature, concentrating on illegal drugs as insights concerning markets are particularly salient, although we also mention relevant studies from the alcohol and tobacco fields. Findings and Conclusions Economics offers tools and topical expertise that usefully complement other disciplines associated traditionally with the addiction sciences. Its value goes far beyond the ability to monetize non-monetary outcomes or to calculate a cost-benefit ratio. [source] Application of the Levenshtein Distance Metric for the Construction of Longitudinal Data FilesEDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT: ISSUES AND PRACTICE, Issue 2 2010Harold C. Doran The analysis of longitudinal data in education is becoming more prevalent given the nature of testing systems constructed for No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). However, constructing the longitudinal data files remains a significant challenge. Students move into new schools, but in many cases the unique identifiers (ID) that should remain constant for each student change. As a result, different students frequently share the same ID, and merging records for an ID that is erroneously assigned to different students clearly becomes problematic. In small data sets, quality assurance of the merge can proceed through human reviews of the data to ensure all merged records are properly joined. However, in data sets with hundreds of thousands of cases, quality assurance via human review is impossible. While the record linkage literature has many applications in other disciplines, the educational measurement literature lacks details of formal protocols that can be used for quality assurance procedures for longitudinal data files. This article presents an empirical quality assurance procedure that may be used to verify the integrity of the merges performed for longitudinal analysis. We also discuss possible extensions that would permit merges to occur even when unique identifiers are not available. [source] Perceived need for emergency medicine training in Pakistan: A survey of medical education leadershipEMERGENCY MEDICINE AUSTRALASIA, Issue 2 2009Junaid A Razzak Abstract Objective: To assess the perception of leaders of the academic medical institutions regarding the need for specialty training in emergency medicine. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in all medical colleges of Pakistan in September 2005. Our sample included all academic leaders of recognized medical colleges in Pakistan. A questionnaire was designed and sent (mailed and faxed) to vice chancellors, deans, principals or medical directors of the institutions. Reminders were sent through faxes and emails wherever available, followed by phone calls if responses were not available after several attempts. Results: At the time of study, there were 39 medical colleges recognized by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council. Of these, responses were received from 26 teaching institutions in the country. A majority of the respondents (85%) were not satisfied with the care provided in the ED of their primary teaching hospital, and three-fourth (74%) thought that doctors specialized in other disciplines, like internal medicine and family medicine, cannot adequately manage all emergencies. When asked if Pakistan should have a separate residency training programme in emergency medicine, 96% responded in affirmative, and many (85%) thought that they will start a residency programme in emergency medicine if it was approved as a separate specialty. Conclusion: This survey shows significant support for a separate local training programme for emergency medicine in the country. [source] Diagnosis Clusters for Emergency MedicineACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 12 2003Debbie A. Travers RN Objectives: Aggregated emergency department (ED) data are useful for research, ED operations, and public health surveillance. Diagnosis data are widely available as The International Classification of Diseases, version, 9, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes; however, there are over 24,000 ICD-9-CM code-descriptor pairs. Standardized groupings (clusters) of ICD-9-CM codes have been developed by other disciplines, including family medicine (FM), internal medicine (IM), inpatient care (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ]), and vital statistics (NCHS). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the coverage of four existing ICD-9-CM cluster systems for emergency medicine. Methods: In this descriptive study, four cluster systems were used to group ICD-9-CM final diagnosis data from a southeastern university tertiary referral center. Included were diagnoses for all ED visits in July 2000 and January 2001. In the comparative analysis, the authors determined the coverage in the four cluster systems, defined as the proportion of final diagnosis codes that were placed into clusters and the frequencies of diagnosis codes in each cluster. Results: The final sample included 7,543 visits with 19,530 diagnoses. Coverage of the ICD-9-CM codes in the ED sample was: AHRQ, 99%; NCHS, 88%; FM, 71%; IM, 68%. Seventy-six percent of the AHRQ clusters were small, defined as grouping <1% of the diagnosis codes in the sample. Conclusions: The AHRQ system provided the best coverage of ED ICD-9-CM codes. However, most of the clusters were small and not significantly different from the raw data. [source] An Approach to Interdisciplinary Training in Postgraduate EducationEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION, Issue 2 2006P Brodin Aims, A primary goal for clinical graduate training is to provide the student with the expertise required for specialist treatment in the actual discipline. At the same time there is an increasing need for a broader perspective on specialist care and the students should be aware of the limitations inherent in own specialty. In order to plan treatment in the best interest of the patient, and to be prepared to take part in treatments involving other specialties, the students should be exposed to interdisciplinary cooperation throughout the training. An approach to joint academic and clinical training with the purpose of providing graduate students with a broader perspective on specialist care is described and discussed. Material and methods, During their first year graduate students in the 7 different disciplines complete a joint Core Curriculum consisting of 8 different courses to stimulate a scientific approach to their profession and understanding of basic biologic mechanisms. To create a learning environment focusing on the development of interdisciplinary competence, a joint clinic has been established. Teams of students from different disciplines have been organized in order to establish ,partnership' for the treatment of patients with complex problems. The students also take part in the sessions held by a faculty Team of experts for assessment and treatment planning of referred patients with complex problems. Furthermore, faculty members conduct courses and seminars for students from other disciplines and students also participate in selected parts of the regular program in other disciplines. Results, Formal evaluation has so far been conducted for the Core Curriculum. Most students respond that they are satisfied with the courses, and the curriculum has also been adjusted based on the comments. The students report that treatment of patients in need of interdisciplinary treatment has been facilitated by having ,partners' in other disciplines. Participation in the Team of expert's sessions has been appreciated, and the attendance at interdisciplinary courses and seminars has been good. Conclusions, Based on the experience over the last 5 years, the interdisciplinary aspects of graduate training should be expanded to stimulate a holistic approach also to specialist treatment. [source] A cost-effective simulation curriculum for preclinical endodonticsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION, Issue 1 2004Roberta Pileggi A challenge in contemporary dental education is to achieve a smooth transition from preclinical teaching environments to patient-care clinics in a cost-effective manner. The preclinical endodontic courses at The University of Texas, Dental Branch at Houston provide a unique learning environment that enables the student to perform endodontic treatment on extracted teeth in a typodont, and be involved in diagnosis and treatment-planning discussions. The specially designed stone typodont used has built-in radiographic capability, and is mounted at each chair in the clinic. During each preclinical session, students are assigned clinical cubicles and proper aseptic protocol is followed. Students are required to wear gloves, masks and eyewear, and place a rubber dam during treatment. Written self-assessment evaluations based upon prescribed criteria are utilised; feedback is given by faculty composed of both full-time endodontists and graduate students who periodically rotate and are calibrated on a regular basis. In the lecture phase, clinical case scenarios are presented to reinforce concepts of diagnosis and emergency care and to help integrate endodontics with other disciplines; a Socratic-like teaching style is established by the faculty facilitator to create an environment for developing critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. The overall feedback from graduating students has been very positive. Advantages of this format are an easier transition to patient management, a more keen interest in specialsation and a perceived increase in levels of confidence. [source] Prolegomenon to a history of paleoanthropology: The study of human origins as a scientific enterprise.EVOLUTIONARY ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 5 2004Part 1. Interest in the history of paleoanthropology and the other disciplines related to human origins studies has grown considerably over the last several decades. Some very informative historical surveys have been written by prominent scientists reflecting on the major developments in their fields. Some well-known early examples include Glyn Daniel's The Idea of Prehistory (1962) and The Origins and Growth of Archaeology (1967), which focus primarily on the history of archaeology, Kenneth Oakley's "The problem of man's antiquity: an historical survey" published in the Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) [Geology] (1964), and L. S. B. Leakey's Unveiling Man's Origins; Ten Decades of Thought about Human Evolution (1969), with the latter two focusing on the contributions of geology, paleontology, and biology to the problem of human evolution. [source] BUILDING A MULTIDISCIPLINARY, COLLABORATIVE CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEMFAMILY COURT REVIEW, Issue 4 2003The Challenge to Law Schools The process of preparing lawyers and other professionals to work for the benefit of troubled children requires an understanding of concepts that extend far beyond the traditional course structure currently employed in American law schools. It is clear that mental health problems of children and families, compounded by substance abuse, influence behavior, resulting in children entering family and juvenile courts as victims of abuse or neglect and committing criminal acts. It is incumbent on law schools to incorporate training in fields far different from the traditional didactic experience in legal curricula if they are to address the current needs of children and familes who are ensnared in the nation's juvenile justice system. The beginning point of this process is within the legal training apparatus of America. Law schools must expand their curriculum to incorporate other disciplines to produce an advocate capable of serving the interest of children and society. [source] Model uncertainty in the ecosystem approach to fisheriesFISH AND FISHERIES, Issue 4 2007Simeon L. Hill Abstract Fisheries scientists habitually consider uncertainty in parameter values, but often neglect uncertainty about model structure, an issue of increasing importance as ecosystem models are devised to support the move to an ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF). This paper sets out pragmatic approaches with which to account for uncertainties in model structure and we review current ways of dealing with this issue in fisheries and other disciplines. All involve considering a set of alternative models representing different structural assumptions, but differ in how those models are used. The models can be asked to identify bounds on possible outcomes, find management actions that will perform adequately irrespective of the true model, find management actions that best achieve one or more objectives given weights assigned to each model, or formalize hypotheses for evaluation through experimentation. Data availability is likely to limit the use of approaches that involve weighting alternative models in an ecosystem setting, and the cost of experimentation is likely to limit its use. Practical implementation of an EAF should therefore be based on management approaches that acknowledge the uncertainty inherent in model predictions and are robust to it. Model results must be presented in ways that represent the risks and trade-offs associated with alternative actions and the degree of uncertainty in predictions. This presentation should not disguise the fact that, in many cases, estimates of model uncertainty may be based on subjective criteria. The problem of model uncertainty is far from unique to fisheries, and a dialogue among fisheries modellers and modellers from other scientific communities will therefore be helpful. [source] Current status of malaria chemotherapy and the role of pharmacology in antimalarial drug research and developmentFUNDAMENTAL & CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Kesara Na-Bangchang Abstract Antimalarial drugs have played a mainstream role in controlling the spread of malaria through the treatment of patients infected with the plasmodial parasites and controlling its transmissibility. The inadequate armory of drugs in widespread use for the treatment of malaria, development of strains resistant to currently used antimalarials, and the lack of affordable new drugs are the limiting factors in the fight against malaria. In addition, other problems with some existing agents include unfavorable pharmacokinetic properties and adverse effects/toxicity. These factors underscore the continuing need of research for new classes of antimalarial agents, and a re-examination of the existing antimalarial drugs that may be effective against resistant strains. In recent years, major advances have been made in the pharmacology of several antimalarial drugs both in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics aspects. These include the design, development, and optimization of appropriate dosage regimens of antimalarials, basic knowledge in metabolic pathways of key antimalarials, as well as the elucidation of mechanisms of action and resistance of antimalarials. Pharmacologists have been working in close collaboration with scientists in other disciplines of science/biomedical sciences for more understanding on the biology of the parasite, host, in order to exploit rational design of drugs. Multiple general approaches to the identification of new antimalarials are being pursued at this time. All should be implemented in parallel with focus on the rational development of new agents directed against newly identified parasite targets. With major advances in our understanding of malaria parasite biology coupled with the completion of the malaria genome, has presented exciting opportunities for target-based antimalarial drug discovery. [source] Geography's Emerging Cross-Disciplinary Links: Process, Causes, Outcomes and ChallengesGEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2002J.H. Holmes In Australian universities the discipline of Geography has been the pace-setter in forging cross-disciplinary links to create multidisciplinary departments and schools, well ahead of other disciplines in humanities, social sciences and sciences, and also to a greater extent than in comparable overseas university systems. Details on all cross-disciplinary links and on immediate outcomes have been obtained by surveys of all heads of departments/schools with undergraduate Geography programs. These programs have traced their own distinctive trajectories, with ramifying links to cognate fields of enquiry, achieved through mergers, transfers, internal initiatives and, more recently, faculty-wide restructuring to create supradisciplinary schools. Geography's ,exceptionalism' has proved short-lived. Disciplinary flux is now extending more widely within Australian universities, driven by a variety of internal and external forces, including: intellectual questioning and new ways of constituting knowledge; technological change and the information revolution; the growth of instrumentalism and credentialism, and managerialism and entre-preneurial imperatives; reinforced by a powerful budgetary squeeze. Geographers are proving highly adaptive in pursuit of cross-disciplinary connections, offering analytical tools and selected disciplinary insights useful to non-geographers. However, this may be at cost to undergraduate programs focussing on Geography's intellectual core. Whereas formerly Geography had high reproductive capacity but low instrumental value it may now be in a phase of enhanced utility but perilously low reproductive capacity. [source] Developing evidence-based librarianship: practical steps for implementation,HEALTH INFORMATION & LIBRARIES JOURNAL, Issue 2 2002Ellen Crumley Evidence-based librarianship (EBL) is a relatively new concept for librarians. This paper lays out a practical framework for the implementation of EBL. A new way of thinking about research in librarianship is introduced using the well-built question process and the assignment of librarian research questions to one of six domains specific to librarianship. As a profession, librarianship tends to reflect more qualitative, social sciences/humanities in its research methods and study types which tend to be less rigorous and more prone to bias. Randomised controlled trials (RCT) do not have to be placed at the top of an evidence ,hierarchy' for librarianship. Instead, a more encompassing model reflecting librarianship as a whole and the kind of research likely to be done by librarians is proposed. ,Evidence' from a number of disciplines including health sciences, business and education can be utilized by librarians and applied to their practice. However, access to and availability of librarianship literature needs to be further studied. While using other disciplines (e.g. EBHC) as a model for EBL has been explored in the literature, the authors develop models unique to librarianship. While research has always been a minor focus in the profession, moving research into practice is becoming more important and librarians need to consider the issues surrounding research in order to move EBL forward. [source] Knowledge and Language: History, the Humanities, the SciencesHISTORY, Issue 285 2002Arthur Marwick Knowledge is not, as Marxisant post-modernists insist, mere ideology or expression of bourgeois power. The high standards enjoyed in the developed countries are fundamentally due to the expansion in human knowledge over the centuries. Decent living conditions, freedom and empowerment for the deprived millions everywhere depend upon the continuing expansion, and, above all, diffusion of knowledge. History is but one domain of knowledge among many, with its own autonomous methods and principles; though very different in detail, these are in spirit similar to those governing the natural sciences. There is a fundamental distinction between the domains of knowledge and the creative arts. ,Language' has a number of significations. In the most fundamental one, it is a human faculty which enables us to communicate, but which raises many problems for historians; none the less language does not control us: we can control language. Usages in foreign languages can often be revealing, while scientists have to master a special language, mathematics. Historians should be aware of other disciplines, and ready to borrow from them. There are many fascinating interdisciplinary problems to which historians can contribute, but these do not call for abstruse cultural theory; what they do call for is an extra-cool application of historical methodology. A case in point is that of the possible relationship between total war and the arts. Does total war affect artistic language or just content and philosophy? [source] When Does World History Begin? (And Why Should We Care?)HISTORY COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 1 2003David Northrup Advances in evidence and understanding challenge the conventional view that history begins with written records. Nonliterate societies and unlettered social classes, not just the literate élite, are now standard subjects of historical inquiry. Moreover, advances in archaeology and other disciplines have made ,prehistory' knowable. Advocates of ,Big History' start history with the Big Bang, but a less radical beginning is the point at which humans first began to display modern esthetic and intellectual traits , a point that now seems to coincide with the evolution of biologically modern humans. [source] Design spaces, measures and metrics for evaluating quality of time operators and consequences leading to improved algorithms by design,illustration to structural dynamicsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, Issue 14 2005X. Zhou Abstract For the first time, for time discretized operators, we describe and articulate the importance and notion of design spaces and algorithmic measures that not only can provide new avenues for improved algorithms by design, but also can distinguish in general, the quality of computational algorithms for time-dependent problems; the particular emphasis is on structural dynamics applications for the purpose of illustration and demonstration of the basic concepts (the underlying concepts can be extended to other disciplines as well). For further developments in time discretized operators and/or for evaluating existing methods, from the established measures for computational algorithms, the conclusion that the most effective (in the sense of convergence, namely, the stability and accuracy, and complexity, namely, the algorithmic formulation and algorithmic structure) computational algorithm should appear in a certain algorithmic structure of the design space amongst comparable algorithms is drawn. With this conclusion, and also with the notion of providing new avenues leading to improved algorithms by design, as an illustration, a novel computational algorithm which departs from the traditional paradigm (in the sense of LMS methods with which we are mostly familiar with and widely used in commercial software) is particularly designed into the perspective design space representation of comparable algorithms, and is termed here as the forward displacement non-linearly explicit L-stable (FDEL) algorithm which is unconditionally consistent and does not require non-linear iterations within each time step. From the established measures for comparable algorithms, simply for illustration purposes, the resulting design of the FDEL formulation is then compared with the commonly advocated explicit central difference method and the implicit Newmark average acceleration method (alternately, the same conclusion holds true against controllable numerically dissipative algorithms) which pertain to the class of linear multi-step (LMS) methods for assessing both linear and non-linear dynamic cases. The conclusions that the proposed new design of the FDEL algorithm which is a direct consequence of the present notion of design spaces and measures, is the most effective algorithm to-date to our knowledge in comparison to the class of second-order accurate algorithms pertaining to LMS methods for routine and general non-linear dynamic situations is finally drawn through rigorous numerical experiments. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Art and Science: The Aesthetic Education of the Emotions and ReasonINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ART & DESIGN EDUCATION, Issue 2 2001Angelo Caranfa This paper explores the link between science and art in Charles Darwin (1809,1882) and Paul Gauguin (1848,1903). More specifically, its aim is to clarify the relations between science as the investigation of ,truths' that people hold at a particular time, on the one hand, and art as carrier of these truths into the ,emotional' realm of the people, on the other. The goal is simple; as is the method. The goal is to provide a way of teaching the humanities based on the aesthetic.[1] The method uses the figures chosen to act as a foil to each other, so that what seems to be a parallel of contrasts between Darwin and Gauguin, is, in fact, an equilibrium of the sensual and the rational. [2] The specific point that the paper argues is this: if teaching the humanities is tied pedagogically to art, then science, as well as the other disciplines, will join the curriculum in an integral way so as to contribute to the complete education of the student: physical, intellectual, moral, and spiritual. The first section of the paper develops the education of reason or mind in the life and thoughts of Charles Darwin. My remarks here will be limited primarily, but not exclusively, to his autobiography. The second part clarifies the education of the senses in the thoughts of Paul Gauguin. [source] The biology of vernix caseosaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE, Issue 5 2006S. B. Hoath Synopsis The biology and physical properties of the uniquely human skin cream ,vernix caseosa' are discussed. This material coats the foetal skin surface during the last trimester of gestation and provides multiple beneficial functions for the foetus and newborn infant. Vernix has a complex structure similar to stratum corneum but lacks lipid lamellae and is more plastic due to the absence of desmosomal constraints. In utero, vernix is made in part by foetal sebaceous glands, interacts with pulmonary surfactant, detaches into the amniotic fluid, and is swallowed by the foetus. At the time of birth, vernix has a remarkably constant water content approximating 80%. Postnatally, vernix is simultaneously a cleanser, a moisturizer, an anti-infective, and an anti-oxidant. Vernix facilitates acid mantle development and supports normal bacterial colonization. Its hydrated cellular structure and unusual lipid composition provide a ,best' solution for the needs of the foetus and newborn, not least of which is the attraction of caregivers. Vernix is an important natural biomaterial of potential interest to cosmetic scientists, and other disciplines involved in product development and therapies targeting the complex interface between the stratum corneum and a changing terrestrial environment. Résumé La biologie et les propriétés physiques de la crème de peau exclusivement humaine ,Vernix caseosa « sont discutées. Ce matériau couvre la surface de la peau foetale pendant le dernier trimestre de gestation et remplit des fonctions avantageuses multiples pour le foetus et le nouveau-né. Le Vernix a une structure complexe semblable au stratum corneum, mais manque de lamelles lipidiques et est plus plastique en raison de l'absence de contraintes desmosomales. In utero, le Vernix est constitué en partie par des glandes sébacées foetales, il interagit avec le surfactant pulmonaire, il se détache dans le liquide amniotique et est avalé par le foetus. Au moment de la naissance, le Vernix a une teneur remarquablement constante en eau de l'ordre de 80%. Après la naissance, le Vernix devient simultanément un produit de lavage, un produit hydratant, un anti-infectieux et un anti-oxydant. Le Vernix facilite le développement du manteau acide et soutient la colonisation bactérienne normale. Sa structure cellulaire hydratée et sa composition en lipide inhabituelle en font ,une des meilleures » solutions pour les besoins du foetus et du nouveau-né, à laquelle le personnel soignant n'attache pas la moindre importance. Le Vernix est un biomatériau naturel important potentiellement intéressant pour les scientifiques cosméticiens et pour les autres disciplines impliquées dans le développement de produits et de thérapies visant l'interface complexe entre le stratum corneum et un environnement terrestre changeant. [source] A pilot study of research utilization practices and critical thinking dispositions of Alberta dental hygienistsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DENTAL HYGIENE, Issue 3 2008SJ Cobban Abstract:, In order to test interventions for increasing uptake of research findings into dental hygiene practice, we must first identify factors that influence research use. There has been little work on this topic in dental hygiene, but much in other disciplines that can provide exemplars of how others have approached the study of this phenomenon. Objectives:, A pilot study was conducted to determine if protocols used to study research utilization (RU) behaviours and critical thinking dispositions (CTD) in nursing could also be applied to dental hygiene. Methods:, A cross-sectional survey design was used with a random sample of 640 practicing dental hygienists in Alberta, Canada. Three questionnaires were included: one to capture measures of RU including direct, indirect and symbolic RU; the California Critical Thinking Dispositions Inventory (CCTDI) and a demographics questionnaire. Results:, Mean responses for the three types of RU were highest for indirect at 3.52 (SD 0.720), followed by direct at 3.13 (SD 0.903) and symbolic 2.86 (SD 0.959). The majority (74.8%) scored between 280 and 350 on the CCTDI (maximum 420). Cronbach's alpha reliability for the RU measures and four of the seven sub-scales were over .7, indicating internal consistency reliability. Conclusions:, The instruments proved reliable for this population, but other challenges, including a low response rate, were identified during the process of using the RU questionnaire in the context of dental hygiene practice. Pilot testing identified the need for improvements to the presentation of scales to reduce cognitive load and improve the response rate. [source] Scoping practice issues in the Australian mental health nursing workforceINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 3 2000Michael Clinton ABSTRACT This is the third of four articles on the scoping study of the Australian mental health nursing workforce conducted on behalf of the Australian and New Zealand College of Mental Health Nurses (ANZCMHN) for the Australian Health Ministers Advisory Council (AHMAC) National Working Group on Mental Health (NWGMH). Its purpose is to focus on factors that significantly affect mental health nursing practice. The issues of advanced practice, regulation of nursing, accreditation, credentialling and demarcation with other disciplines are addressed. [source] Prevalence of frailty on clinical wards: Description and implicationsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NURSING PRACTICE, Issue 1 2010Richt M Andela PhD RN Andela RM, Dijkstra A, Slaets JPJ, Sanderman R. International Journal of Nursing Practice 2010; 16: 14,19 Prevalence of frailty on clinical wards: Description and implications This paper describes the prevalence and frailty level of patients aged , 75 years upon admission to various clinical wards. The data collection took place on five clinical wards of different clinical specialisms: Geriatric Centre, traumatology, pulmonology/rheumatology, internal medicine and surgical medicine. The Groningen Frailty Indicator was used to assess the frailty of newly admitted patients. The presence of number and kind of the various frailty indicators was different for the clinical wards, because of clinical diagnose, age and gender. On the Geriatric Centre, almost all patients were indicated as frail. On the other wards, 50,80% of the patients were indicated as frail with most frailty indicators on the scale ,psychosocial'. The study show a high prevalence of frail elderly on some wards and gives an indication of the various needs for other disciplines within the framework of the care for frail elderly people. [source] Gender Matters: Ethnographers Bring Gender from the Periphery toward the Core of Migration StudiesINTERNATIONAL MIGRATION REVIEW, Issue 1 2006Sarah J. Mahler Ethnographers from anthropology, sociology, and other disciplines have been at the forefront of efforts to bring gender into scholarship on international and transnational migration. This article traces the long and often arduous history of these scholars' efforts, arguing that though gender is now less rarely treated merely as a variable in social science writing on migration, it is still not viewed by most researchers in the field as a key constitutive element of migrations. The article highlights critical advances in the labor to engender migration studies, identifies under-researched topics, and argues that there have been opportunities when, had gender been construed as a critical force shaping migrations, the course of research likely would have shifted. The main example developed is the inattention paid to how gendered recruitment practices structure migrations , the fact that gender sways recruiters' conceptions of appropriate employment niches for men versus women. [source] Geographies of Gender and Migration: Spatializing Social Difference1INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION REVIEW, Issue 1 2006Rachel Silvey This article provides a review of the contributions that the discipline of geography is making to gender and migration research. In geographic analyses of migration, gender differences are examined most centrally in relation to specific spatialities of power. In particular, feminist geographers have developed insight into the gender dimensions of the social construction of scale, the politics of interlinkages between place and identity, and the socio-spatial production of borders. Supplementing recent reviews of the gender and migration literature in geography, this article examines the potential for continued cross-fertilization between feminist geography and migration research in other disciplines. The advances made by feminist geographers to migration studies are illustrated through analysis of the findings and debates tied to the subfield's central recent conceptual interventions. [source] Updating Geographic Distribution of Artemia urmiana Günther, 1890 (Branchiopoda: Anostraca) in Europe: An Integrated and Interdisciplinary ApproachINTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF HYDROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2009Theodore J. Abatzopoulos Abstract Artemia urmiana (a species previously considered endemic of Lake Urmia, NW Iran) has been found in Lake Koyashskoe, a hypersaline lake on the Black Sea coast of the Crimean peninsula (Ukraine). Therefore, this is the first record of A. urmiana in Europe which updates its distribution. The species identification was based on an integrated and interdisciplinary approach using discriminant analysis of the morphometric characters, scanning electron microscopy, and molecular profile analysis. The data derived from the above mentioned approaches converge to significant similarity of the population under investigation with A. urmiana. The updated geographic distribution of the species, deriving from the present report, asks for additional contribution of other disciplines (e.g., avian dispersal of cysts, history of salt trade) to be finally clarified. At present we suggest that the punctuated geographic distribution of A. urmiana is probably linked to its low dispersal capability, and we suppose that its presence in two distant sites could be explained by historical human salt trade between Lake Urmia and the ancient port of Kimmerik, whose remains have been found in the present Lake Koyashskoe. (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Formalism, Behavioral Realism and the Interdisciplinary Challenge in Sociological TheoryJOURNAL FOR THE THEORY OF SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR, Issue 1 2009OMAR LIZARDO In this paper, I argue that recent sociological theory has become increasingly bifurcated into two mutually incompatible styles of theorizing that I label formalist and behavioral-realist. Formalism favors mathematization and proposes an instrumentalist ontology of abstract processes while behavioral-realist theory takes at its basis the "real" physical individual endowed with concrete biological, cognitive and neurophysiological capacities and constraints and attempts to derive the proper conceptualization of social behavior from that basis. Formalism tends to lead toward a conceptually independent sociology that in principle requires only minimal reference to the empirical and ontological storehouse of other disciplines, while behavioral-realist theory leads to an interdisciplinary sociology that can be located within a hierarchy of behavioral sciences, leading to questions regarding the relationship between sociology and other disciplines as well as issues of transdisciplinary unification and possible interdisciplinary reduction. I explore the consequences of this split for the project of explanatory sociological theory within the context of how it has manifested itself in sociological network theory and social psychology. I close with a critique and assessment of formalist tendencies in sociological theorizing. [source] |