Extent Of Disagreement Research Articles

Predictors of knowledge about HIV/AIDS among young people: Lessons from Botswana

This study sought to identify factors that can predict knowledge about HIV/AIDS among adolescents in Botswana. The data were collected through a self administered questionnaire from a sample of 1294 students from schools around the capital city of Botswana, Gaborone. The research instrument consisted of 76 items that solicited information on background characteristics of respondents, indicators of family cohesiveness and bonding of children with their parents, indicators of personal adjustment, evidence of sex life, and knowledge about HIV/AIDS. Most respondents (63.1%) displayed adequate knowledge about HIV/AIDS. The ‘type of job that mothers did’ was the most important single factor that distinguished between students who had “adequate knowledge” from those who did not. Other factors, which could be used to predict knowledge about HIV/AIDS, were, in order of importance: type of family of socialisation, level of education, extent of common residence among parents, level of conflict in the family of socialisation, extent of disagreement with mother and extent to which sexual issues were discussed with members of the family. The study concludes that intervention policies should target students whose mothers do jobs of a low status and should promote family bonding and cohesion. Key words: Botswana, adolescence, discussion of sexual issues, family cohesion, HIV/AIDS, knowledge, mothers’ occupation, socio-economic status.

Assessing the Practicum in teacher education – Do we want candidates and mentors to agree?

One of the most important components of teacher education is the practical part, the Practicum, and assessment of the candidates’ performance plays a major part in forming the future generation of teachers. Little is known about the extent of agreement between the two main actors in the Practicum, the candidates and the school-based teacher educators. The aim of this paper is to add information about a rather blurred area of assessment in teacher education. The findings indicate there is a considerably extent of disagreement about assessment in the Practicum between the mentors and the candidates. It is suggested that instead of seeing the disagreements merely as obstacles to valid assessment, they can be exploited to initiate professional learning for the candidates.

A Third Way in Metaethics

AbstractWhat does it take to count as competent with the meaning of a thin evaluative predicate like ‘is the right thing to do’? According to minimalists like Allan Gibbard and Ralph Wedgwood, competent speakers must simply use the predicate to express their own motivational states. According to analytic descriptivists like Frank Jackson, Philip Pettit and Christopher Peacocke, competent speakers must grasp a particular criterion for identifying the property picked out by the term. Both approaches face serious difficulties. We suggest that these difficulties derive from a shared background assumption that competence conditions must be explained in terms of a determinate conceptual role. We propose a new way of characterizing competence with evaluative terms: what's required for competence is participation in a shared epistemic practice with a term. Our approach, we argue, better explains the nature of evaluative inquiry and the extent of disagreement about evaluative questions.

Failure Prediction Models: Performance, Disagreements, and Internal Rating Systems

We address a number of comparative issues relating to the performance of failure prediction models for small, private firms. We use two models provided by vendors, a model developed by the National Bank of Belgium, and the Altman Z-score model to investigate model power, the extent of disagreement between models in the ranking of firms, and the design of internal rating systems. We also examine the potential gains from combining the output of multiple models. We find that the power of all four models in predicting bankruptcies is very good at the one-year horizon, even though not all of the models were developed using bankruptcy data and the models use different statistical methodologies. Disagreements in firm rankings are nevertheless significant across models, and model choice will have an impact on loan pricing and origination decisions. We find that it is possible to realize important gains from combining models with similar power. In addition, we show that it can also be beneficial to combine a weaker model with a stronger one if disagreements across models with respect to failing firms are high enough. Finally, the number of classes in an internal rating system appears to be more important than the distribution of borrowers across classes.

Inter-identity amnesia in dissociative identity disorder: a simulated memory impairment?

Although included in the current edition of the DSM, there does not seem to be consensus among mental health professionals regarding the diagnostic status and scientific validity of dissociative identity disorder (DID). This study was aimed at the detection of simulation of inter-identity amnesia in DID. A sample of 22 DID patients was included, together with a matched control sample of subjects instructed to simulate inter-identity amnesia, a guessor group that had no knowledge of the stimulus material and a normal control group. A multiple-choice recognition test was included. The rate of incorrect answers was determined. Moreover, the specific simulation strategy used was examined by providing subjects with a range of choices that varied in extent of disagreement with the correct answer and determining whether plausible or implausible answer alternatives were selected. On the recognition test DID patients selected incorrect answers above chance like simulators. Patients thus seem to use their knowledge of the correct answer in determining their given answer. They were not characterized by a well-thought-out simulating behaviour style, as indicated by the differences in selection of specific answer alternatives found between patients and simulators. DID patients were found not to be characterized by an actual memory retrieval inability, in contrast to their subjective reports. Instead, it is suggested that DID may more accurately be considered a disorder characterized by meta-memory problems, holding incorrect beliefs about their own memory functioning.

Comparison of Large Versus Smaller Randomized Trials for Mental Health-Related Interventions

The extent of disagreement between large and smaller randomized, controlled trials on mental health issues is unknown. The authors aimed to compare the results of large versus smaller trials on mental health-related interventions. The authors screened 161 Cochrane and 254 Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness systematic reviews on mental health-related interventions. They identified 16 meta-analyses with at least one "large" randomized trial with sample size >800 and at least one "smaller" trial. Effect sizes were calculated separately for large and smaller trials. Heterogeneity was assessed between all studies, within each group (large and smaller studies), and between large and smaller studies. Significant between-study heterogeneity was seen in five meta-analyses. By random-effects calculations, the results of large and smaller trials differed beyond chance in four meta-analyses (25%). In three of these disagreements (effect of day care on IQ, discontinuation of antidepressants, risperidone versus typical antipsychotics for schizophrenia), the smaller trials showed greater effect sizes than the large trials. The inverse was seen in one case (olanzapine versus typical antipsychotics for schizophrenia). With fixed-effects models, disagreements beyond chance occurred in five cases (31%). In four meta-analyses, the effect size differed over twofold between large and smaller trials. Various quality and design parameters were identified as potential explanations for some disagreements. Large trials are uncommon in mental health. Their results are usually comparable with the results of smaller studies, but major disagreements do occur. Both large and smaller trials should be scrutinized as they offer a continuum of randomized evidence.

Governance And Fiscal Federalism In Nigeria

The issue of Fiscal federalism has remained a thorny issue on the Nigerian political scene. The extent of disagreement about what should be an acceptable formula is evidenced in the number of revenue allocation commissions set up since 1946. This paper is of the view that the principle of derivation should he given more prominence in the sharing formula. Secondly, the Federal Government should be more sincere and honest by adhering strictly to the agreed formula in the disbursement of revenue to the various tiers of government and also among the various states. Global Journal of Social Sciences Vol.3(1&2) 2004: 29-36

Critical Swimming Speed Does not Represent the Speed at Maximal Lactate Steady State

Critical power and critical swimming speed (CSS) are mathematically defined as intensities that could theoretically be maintained indefinitely without exhaustion. Several investigations have been conducted to attribute a physiological meaning to these variables, but results in swimming remain equivocal. Thus, the purpose of this study was to compare CSS with direct determination of the speed at maximal lactate steady state (S (MLSS)). Eight well-trained swimmers (aged 18.6 +/- 1.9 years) performed four tests to exhaustion (95, 100, 105, and 110 % of maximal aerobic speed [MAS]) in order to determine CSS from the distance-time relationship. S (MLSS) was determined from four sub-maximal 30-min constant intensity tests (ranging from 75 % to 90 % MAS). CSS (92.7 +/- 2.6 % MAS) was significantly higher than S (MLSS) (88.3 +/- 2.9 % of MAS) and the bias +/- 95 % limits of agreement for comparisons between CSS and S (MLSS) (0.07 +/- 0.13 m x s(-1)) indicated that the extent of disagreement was too great to use these two variables interchangeably. However, CSS and S (MLSS) were strongly correlated (r = 0.87; SEE = 0.033 m x s(-1); p < 0.01). Results from the present study demonstrate that in swimming, CSS does not represent the maximal speed that can be maintained without a continuous rise of blood lactate concentration and direct determination of S (MLSS) is necessary if precision is required in experimental studies.

The public and effective risk communication

Public perceptions of risk have often been dismissed on the basis of “irrationality”, and have tended to be excluded from policy processes by risk assessors and managers. People’s responses to different risks are determined by psychological factors. The technical risk estimates traditionally provided by experts do not influence people’s behaviours and responses in the same way as their risk perceptions. Some concerns are very specific to particular hazard. It is also important to communicate the difference between probability and variability associated with risk estimates. Risk communication must take account of the actual concerns of the public (for example, potential for negative environmental impact, unintended human health effects, or vulnerable groups within the population). When the public want information about a risk, they prefer a clear message regarding risks and associated uncertainties, including the nature and extent of disagreements between different experts. Furthermore, societal priorities for risk mitigation activities may not align with those identified by expert groups. Dismissing the former as irrelevant may result increased distrust in the motives of regulators and industry, with consequences for public confidence in regulatory activities linked to public protection. Awareness and understanding of public concerns must be the basis of an effective risk management strategy.

Heightening Tension in Relations between Trade Unions and the Labour Government in 2002

AbstractDuring 2002 tension between trade unions and the Labour government reached a level not seen before in their relationship. This review examines the source of the tension and its manifestations. It shows that during the year a range of issues emerged that divided the government and unions. New Labour ‘modernizers’ cited these differences as reasons to further distance the Party from trade unions. The article argues that relations between trade unionism and the government are at low ebb, and that the extent of disagreement between the two is now more pronounced than at any other time since 1997.

Disparate Results in Adverse Impact Tests: The 4/5ths Rule and the Chi Square Test

The Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures suggests the “4/5ths rule” for testing the outcome of selection procedures for adverse impact. The appropriate statistical test is a Chi Square testing for a significant difference between the selection ratios of the minority and majority applicants. However, the 4/5ths rule and Chi Square test do not agree 10–40% of the time depending on sample size, making it difficult for personnel managers to monitor their organization's Equal Employment Opportunity compliance. The extent of disagreement between the two tests is described, and recommendations are given for how personnel managers should use the 4/5ths rule and the Chi Square test to determine whether a selection procedure has adverse impact.

The relationship between critical velocity, maximal lactate steady-state velocity and lactate turnpoint velocity in runners.

In cycle exercise, it has been suggested that critical power, maximal lactate steady state, and lactate turnpoint all demarcate the transition between the heavy exercise domain (in which blood lactate is elevated above resting values but remains stable over time) and the very heavy exercise domain (in which blood lactate increases continuously throughout constant-intensity exercise). The purpose of the present study was to assess the level of agreement between critical velocity (CV), maximal lactate steady-state velocity (MLSSV), and lactate turnpoint velocity (LTPV) during treadmill running. Eight male subjects [mean (SD) age 28 (5) years, body mass 71.2 (8.0) kg, maximum oxygen uptake 54.9 (3.2) ml.kg(-1).min(-1)) performed an incremental treadmill test for the determination of LTPV (defined as a sudden and sustained increase in blood lactate concentration ([La]) at approximately equals 2.0-5.0 mM). The subjects returned to the laboratory on eight or nine occasions for the determination of CV and MLSSV. The CV was determined from four treadmill runs at velocities that were chosen to result in exhaustion within 2-12 min. The MLSSV was determined from four or five treadmill runs of up to 30 min duration and defined as the highest velocity at which blood [La] increased by no more than 1.0 mM after between 10 and 30 min of exercise. Analysis of variance revealed no significant differences between [mean (SD)] CV [14.4 (1.1) km.h(-1)], MLSSV [13.8 (1.1) km.h(-1)] and LTPV [13.7 (0.6) km.h(-1)]. However, the bias +/-95% limits of agreement for comparisons between CV and MLSSV [0.6 (2.2) km.h(-1)], CV and LTPV [0.7 (2.7) km.h(-1)], and MLSSV and LTPV [0.1 (1.8) km.h(-1)] suggest that the extent of disagreement is too great to allow one variable to be estimated accurately from another in individual subjects. Direct determination of MLSSV is necessary if precision is required in experimental studies.

In Search of ‘Cultures’ for Multicultural Education

Various patently incompatible explications of culture are presented, in order to demonstrate the range of understandings and extent of disagreement surrounding this concept within the field of cultural studies. There is clearly absence of consensus among experts on what this elusive concept is or what it entails. Social constructions of culture are then presented in order to create an understanding of the way in which distorted conceptualisations of culture have come to be sedimented in and permeative of the social consciousness. A consequence of this process is that social groups have developed and retained limited understandings of the cultures of others, because these cultures are apprehended and represented in abstracted forms, which are associated with a limited range of cultural signifiers. The actual relationships of disparity that exist between people positioned at the opposite ends of the cultural scale are then confronted within the political dimension of multiculturalism, in order to argue that multiculturalism is tainted by its concealment of its political agenda, which is the homogenisation of what are assumed to be inferior cultural forms, through the processes of assimilation and acculturation. It is concluded that multicultural education, as it is currently practiced, has conceptual, political and practical barriers that it cannot traverse. Its consequences are more deleterious than beneficial to society and it should therefore be discontinued as an educational enterprise.

10.1023/A:1026443618400

Norman Kretzmann's recent analysis of the natural lawslogan ``lex iniusta non est lex'' (an unjust law is nota law) demonstrates the coherence of the slogan andmakes a case for its practical value, but I shallargue that it also ends up showing that the sloganfails to mark any interesting conceptual or practicaldivision between natural law and legal positivistviews about the nature of law. I argue that this is ahappy result. The non-est-lex slogan has been used toexaggerate the extent of disagreement about the natureof law and has diverted critics of natural law theoryfrom recognizing that the main disagreement betweennatural lawyers and legal positivists centres ontheories of practical reason and how they affect ourunderstanding of the relationship between law andmorality. This extends the debate about the nature oflaw somewhat beyond the traditional boundaries ofphilosophy of law, but these boundaries are due inpart to the diversion created by debate over thenon-est-lex slogan. Recognizing that the non-est-lexslogan fails on its own to mark any interestingpractical or conceptual division between natural lawtheories and legal positivism should therefore focusand encourage debate on matters of genuine substancebetween these outlooks. The disagreement, however, mayturn out to be primarily metaphysical and explanatoryand not normative in nature.

Profile of antigen-specific antibody response detectable by Western blot in relation to diagnostic criteria for human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) infection

Background: Variability in the profile of antigen-reactive bands in Western blot for serodiagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection may result in disagreement regarding interpretation of positive result, due to lack of consensus in the interpretive criteria laid down by various organisations. Objectives: The objectives of this study were (i) to find out the extent of disagreement over various criteria regarding interpretation of positivity in Western blot and (ii) to review the discordance by retesting the discordant specimens using recombinant antigens as well as by performing repeat Western blot in follow-up specimens. Study design: A total of 467 specimens from high-risk groups, diagnosed positive for HIV type-1 (HIV-1) infection by the criteria of at least one of the five organisations, viz. Association of State and Public Health Laboratories Directors (ASTPHLD), Consortium for Retrovirus Serology (CRSS), American Red Cross (ARC) and World Health Organisation (WHO), were analysed to find out the extent of discordance between various criteria for interpretation of Western blot positivity. The discordant specimens were subjected to line immunoassay (LIA) using recombinant antigens. Also, follow-up Western blots were performed in case of discordant specimens at 6, 12 and 24 weeks intervals. Results: We observed that criteria laid down by ASTPHLD, CDC and CRSS scored all the specimens as positive while ARC and WHO criteria scored 13 (2.8%) and 18 (3.8%) of specimens, respectively, as negatives which were detected as positives by other criteria (discordant specimens). The gp41 reactive band was the most frequently missing band, being undetectable in 11.6% of specimens while bands reactive to p24, p31, gp120 and gp160 could not be recorded in 1.9%, 9.4% and 3.2% and 1.5% of specimens, respectively. Testing of the discordant specimens with recombinant antigen preparation and with repeat Western blot in follow-up specimens collected at 6, 12 and 24 weeks demonstrated all bands undetectable in initial Western blot, except 25% of gp41 reactive bands. Conclusions: It is felt that before selecting any criterion for Western blot positivity, it should be evaluated in the local population at risk for HIV-1 infection with additional or follow-up tests.

A comparison of perceptions of aggression and violence by psychiatric nurses

The current study was designed to obtain an initial understanding of the questions, “How consistent are the perceptions of psychiatric nurses regarding the seriousness of violent behavior” and “Are their perceptions consistent with those of nurses who do not have extensive psychiatric experience?”. An exploratory study was conducted using items to measure Violence to Self, Other (Verbal and Physical) and Property. The items were formatted using Thurstone's method of paired comparisons and judgments regarding the seriousness of each type of violent behavior for the categories of doing grievous harm to self, others or property. Final weights were obtained using procedures outlined by Thurstone (1959) ( The Measurement of Values. University of Chicago Press, Chicago). The sample included doctoral students in nursing ( n = 35) and psychiatric nurses ( n = 34) currently working in the inpatient psychiatric setting. The most noteworthy finding was the extent of disagreement within the psychiatric nurse group regarding the seriousness of the behaviors.

Algorithm for assisting medical diagnosis

An algorithm for medical diagnosis assistance is described. In this algorithm, the patient is identified following the simultaneous evaluation of its degree of similarity with a given disease, as well as the extent of disagreement with the rest of diseases considered in the differential diagnosis. In an example the algorithm is applied to the diagnosis assistance of some neuropathies.

A Comparison of Methods to Determine Benzene in Gasoline Boiling Range Material

Several chromatographic methods are compared for the determination of benzene in a set of 200 samples containing gasoline boiling range material. These methods included ASTM D 3606, a liquid chromatographic method, and a multicolumn PIONA (paraffins, isoparaffins, aromatics, naphthalenes, and olefins) method. In addition, a coupled capillary method is evaluated for a smaller set of samples. Although a small bias is detected among these methods, the extent of disagreement among methods is not large. For example, a least-squares fit of D 3606 results (x-axis) against LC results (y-axis) gives a slope of 0.99 and an intercept of -0.03 wt% benzene. In this evaluation, the repeatability of D 3606 is approximately three times better than that of the LC method.

A Comparison of Patient/Nurse Perceptions about Current and Future Recovery Status

Research comparing patient and caregiver perceptions suggests that caregivers tend to be negatively biased in their assessment of patients. That is, they are more likely to judge the patients' status more negatively than the patients themselves. The data analyses, however, have not always been as informative about the extent of disagreement. Our data on the extent to which patients who had a myocardial infarction and their nurses' assessments differed suggest that, in the case of the patients' current status, there were no differences in the aggregate between patients' and nurses' assessments. Examination of the discrepancies between the pairs, however, suggests that in some cases nurses are more negative in their assessments than their patients. In the case of beliefs about the future, nurses were significantly more negative, in the aggregate, than patients, and the extent of this difference is further elaborated in the examination of the discrepancies. Nevertheless, with respect to both current and future status, the correlations between patients and nurses were low, indicating little, if any, shared variation. Because this study did not examine the relationship between either patients' or nurses' perceptions of recovery status, and the patients' actual recovery status, further research is needed to further determine the implications of this work. The meaning of these results for clinical nurse specialists (CNS) is discussed.

Ventilation-Perfusion Lung Scanning and the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Embolism: Improvement of Observer Agreement by the Use of a Lung Segment Reference Chart

To test the hypothesis that the systematic use of a lung segment reference chart can improve the inter- and intra-observer agreement for the interpretation of ventilation-perfusion lung scans. A randomized trial. Ventilation-perfusion lung scans were obtained in a series of 220 consecutive patients with clinically suspected pulmonary embolism. Ventilation-perfusion scans were randomly allocated to one of two series each consisting of 110 ventilation-perfusion lung scans. The first series of lung scans was interpreted according to the routine diagnostic approach, and the second series was interpreted with the mandatory use of a lung segment reference chart on which observed ventilation and perfusion defects were drawn. The two nuclear medicine physicians agreed a priori on the diagnostic criteria of the classification scheme. Lung scans were classified as normal, non-high probability, or high probability for pulmonary embolism. The extent of disagreement between the nuclear medicine physicians (inter-observer disagreement) and the lack of internal consistency of each nuclear medicine physician (intra-observer disagreement) was assessed by the percentage disagreement and by kappa statistic. Inter-observer disagreement which was 20% in the first series, decreased significantly in the second series to 7%; P = 0.003. Intra-observer disagreement for the first series was 10% and 22% for the nuclear medicine physicians, respectively. Intra-observer disagreement for the second series of lung scans decreased significantly for one nuclear medicine physician (intra-observer disagreement, 0%; P less than 0.01), whereas intra-observer disagreement was reduced to 10% for the other nuclear medicine physician (P = 0.09). Inter- and intra-observer disagreement were significantly reduced when two nuclear medicine specialists interpreted ventilation-perfusion lung scans according to the routine diagnostic approach plus the use of a lung segment reference chart. The use of the lung segment reference chart for the interpretation of lung scans is likely to improve the management of patients with clinically suspected pulmonary embolism.