Strong Argument Research Articles

Nice but not necessary? Reflections on the role of the arts in Kitcher's The Main Enterprise of the World

Abstract The manifesto presented in Philip Kitcher's exhaustive appraisal of contemporary American education—and the case for its potential reform—is so wide-ranging that it is not possible to do justice to its every component. Instead, I will speak to one of its parts in an attempt to recognize what I take to be the value of the whole. My aim is to address the section on the role of the arts in formal education, and the nature of aesthetic experience within that, to test whether we can take the arts from their current state of being subject to Adam Smith's model of market utility, to being appreciated for their necessary and organic vitality. Kitcher provides strong arguments for exposure to the arts as leading to invaluable aesthetic experiences for young people. By extension—and at times by contrast—I will explore the possibility that the ‘aesthetic’ in aesthetic education does not just come into force with the student's encounter with art works or creative activity in the classroom, but should be integral also to the development of a particular sensibility amongst educators (i.e. the aesthetic education of the educators) for the shape and form of a ‘good’ education, according to its context and circumstance. It is through this sensibility that we might rediscover the necessity of the arts in schools at a time when their importance has been significantly devalued.

A review of complex in vitro cell culture stressing the importance of fluid flow and illustrated by organ on a chip liver models.

The translation of new technology from development into widespread commercial use is a complex and time-consuming process that requires significant investment. This review looks at some important market needs for more complex in vitro models, the technical difficulties that must be overcome, particularly those connected with introducing fluid flow using microfluidics, and also illustrates the economic benefits of more accurate models for drug toxicity. Beyond the strong ethical arguments for replacing the use of animals in drug safety testing and medical research, the author believes that financial benefits of adopting the new in vitro technology are becoming clear and will drive the adoption by industry.

Social influence and external feedback control in humans

This article aims to describe social influence by elucidating the cognitive, affective, and motivational processes that occur when an individual experiences an attempt at being influenced. We hypothesized that these processes are part of a feedback loop system in an individual. This loop involves the situation (input), a goal state (reference), a comparator, a selection mechanism, a feedback predictor, and an action (output). Each element can become the target of social influence, and different types of social influence can be classified and explained by how these elements are targeted. For instance, attempting to persuade another person with strong arguments targets the goal state of the affected individual, while coercion targets the selection mechanism, and violence targets the action. In summary, this article aims to categorize, order, and explain phenomena in social influence research using a feedback loop framework focusing on the influenced individual.

Effects of pulsed dye laser treatment in psoriasis: A nerve-wrecking process?

Pulsed dye laser (PDL) therapy can be effective in treating psoriasis, with a long duration of remission. Although PDL therapy, albeit on a modest scale, is being used for decades now, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the long-term remission of psoriasis remain poorly understood. The selective and rapid absorption of energy by the blood causes heating of the vascular wall and surrounding structures, like perivascular nerves. Several studies indicate the importance of nerves in psoriatic inflammation. Interestingly, denervation leads to a spontaneous remission of the psoriatic lesion. Among all dermal nerves, the perivascular nerves are the most likely to be affected during PDL treatment, possibly impairing the neuro-inflammatory processes that promote T-cell activation, expression of adhesion molecules, leukocyte infiltration and cytokine production. Repeated PDL therapy could cause a prolonged loss of innervation through nerve damage, or result in a 'reset' of neurogenic inflammation after temporary denervation. The current hypothesis provides strong arguments that PDL treatment affects nerve fibres in the skin and thereby abrogates the persistent and exaggerated inflammatory process underlying psoriasis, causing a long-term remission of psoriasis.

Working With AI to Persuade: Examining a Large Language Model's Ability to Generate Pro-Vaccination Messages

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a transformative force in communication and messaging strategy, with potential to disrupt traditional approaches. Large language models (LLMs), a form of AI, are capable of generating high-quality, humanlike text. We investigate the persuasive quality of AI-generated messages to understand how AI could impact public health messaging. Specifically, through a series of studies designed to characterize and evaluate generative AI in developing public health messages, we analyze COVID-19 pro-vaccination messages generated by GPT-3, a state-of-the-art instantiation of a large language model. Study 1 is a systematic evaluation of GPT-3's ability to generate pro-vaccination messages. Study 2 then observed peoples' perceptions of curated GPT-3-generated messages compared to human-authored messages released by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), finding that GPT-3 messages were perceived as more effective, stronger arguments, and evoked more positive attitudes than CDC messages. Finally, Study 3 assessed the role of source labels on perceived quality, finding that while participants preferred AI-generated messages, they expressed dispreference for messages that were labeled as AI-generated. The results suggest that, with human supervision, AI can be used to create effective public health messages, but that individuals prefer their public health messages to come from human institutions rather than AI sources. We propose best practices for assessing generative outputs of large language models in future social science research and ways health professionals can use AI systems to augment public health messaging.

Getting a load of linguistic reasoning: How L1 student teachers process rules of thumb and linguistic manipulations in discussions about grammar

Abstract An important skill for L1 language teachers when teaching grammar is the ability to produce and quickly evaluate arguments that underpin a grammatical analysis. Previous research has revealed that the strongest arguments in favour of a particular grammatical analysis are based on linguistic manipulations (LM) rather than on rules of thumb (RoT). This makes it critical for teachers to be able to handle arguments based on LM. If LM are considered too difficult to process compared to RoT, however, (student) teachers may avoid grammatical argumentation based on LM altogether, and they might struggle to evaluate their pupils’ LM-based grammatical argumentation. The current study has therefore examined whether LM impose a higher cognitive load on Dutch student teachers than RoT, using grammatical discussion tasks in which participants (N = 298) evaluated arguments based on RoT and on LM. Multilevel analyses indicate that LM are indeed more difficult to process than RoT, as measured by response times, correct classifications, and perceived difficulty ratings. This effect is partly influenced by student teachers’ need for cognition and their willingness to engage in grammar.

Should Liberal Feminists Support Hijab Ban in the West?

French law 2004-228 and Quebec’s Bill 21 has prohibited wearing conspicuous religious symbols while discharging public duty, especially as teachers in public school. This has aroused robust public debate because it disproportionately affects Muslim women wearing hijabs. This paper investigates the philosophical/ethical argument on both sides of the debate. The key research question is whether liberal feminists have the justification to support the hijab ban. The paper outlines different types of liberal feminism and their views on just social arrangements. The paper uses Gheaus’s concept of gender justice and Kabeer’s definition of gender empowerment to structure the debate, stating that feminists will support the ban if it enhances empowerment and makes society more gender-just or internal working of social arrangements, at least procedurally just. The paper draws on the utilitarian argument, Nussbaum’s and Sen’s articulation of the Capability Approach and the importance of identity, and Bourdieu’s concept of Habitus, Doxa, and Symbolic Violence. The paper argues that there are strong arguments on both sides. Still, liberal feminists concerned about structural inequalities, economic empowerment, and individual freedom may not be convinced that the Hijab ban makes society more gender-just or improves individual empowerment.

Wood dust exposure and small cell lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Occupational exposure role on small cell lung cancer (SCLC) onset has been little studied. Wood dust has been recognized as a human carcinogen, and many occupations have high wood-dust exposure. The aim of this study was therefore to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the scientific literature to summarize and analyse the risks of wood dust-related occupations on development of SCLC, taking tobacco use into account. We conducted a literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane using a predefined strategy and including case-control and cohort studies assessing occupational exposure to wood dust or wood dust-related occupations. To perform the meta-analysis, the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of each of the studies were extracted. A random-effects model was fitted using the DerSimonian Laird method. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed. Quality was assessed using the Office and Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) for human and animal studies instrument. Eleven studies with a total of 2,368 SCLC cases and 357,179 controls were included. Overall, exposure to wood dust significantly increases risk of SCLC (RR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.11-1.80), with low heterogeneity between studies (I2 = 40%). The association was maintained in studies conducted on males (RR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.12-1.78) but not in those conducted on females/both sexes (RR = 1.37, 95% CI 0.35-3.44). Sensitivity analysis showed that none of the studies significantly modified the results. Our results support that exposure to wood-dust can increase the risk of SCLC. Although the level of evidence is low, there are strong arguments to recommend the implementation of effective control measures to reduce exposure in occupational settings, as a means of preventing SCLC. The results of this study support that exposure to wood-dust can increase the risk of developing small cell lung cancer. Determining the impact of occupational exposure on workers is essential to improve their individual protection and prevention. There is a strong case for recommending the implementation of control measures to reduce occupational exposure to wood dust, specifically for highly exposed occupations such as carpenters and sawmills, in order to prevent small cell lung cancer.

Modifying the Environment or Human Nature? What is the Right Choice for Space Travel and Mars Colonisation?

As space travel and intentions to colonise other planets are becoming the norm in public debate and scholarship, we must also confront the technical and survival challenges that emerge from these hostile environments. This paper aims to evaluate the various arguments proposed to meet the challenges of human space travel and extraterrestrial planetary colonisation. In particular, two primary solutions have been present in the literature as the most straightforward solutions to the rigours of extraterrestrial survival and flourishing: (1) geoengineering, where the environment is modified to become hospitable to its inhabitants, and (2) human (bio)enhancement where the genetic heritage of humans is modified to make them more resilient to the difficulties they may encounter as well as to permit them to thrive in non-terrestrial environments. Both positions have strong arguments supporting them but also severe philosophical and practical drawbacks when exposed to different circumstances. This paper aims to show that a principled stance where one position is accepted wholesale necessarily comes at the opportunity cost of the other where the other might be better suited, practically and morally. This paper concludes that case-by-case evaluations of the solutions to space travel and extraterrestrial colonisation are necessary to ensure moral congruency and the survival and flourishing of astronauts now and into the future.

MP25-05 PROGRAM DIRECTORS' PERSPECTIVES ON THE ASSESSMENT OF RESIDENCY APPLICANTS IN THE POST-USMLE STEP 1 ERA: A STRONG CASE FOR STANDARDIZED LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION?

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023MP25-05 PROGRAM DIRECTORS' PERSPECTIVES ON THE ASSESSMENT OF RESIDENCY APPLICANTS IN THE POST-USMLE STEP 1 ERA: A STRONG CASE FOR STANDARDIZED LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION? Angeline Johny, Patrick J. Shenot, Charles Green, Leah Chisholm, Steve Riggs, Stephen V. Jackman, Aqsa A. Khan, Peter N. Kolettis, Brian K. McNeil, and Wesley A. Mayer Angeline JohnyAngeline Johny More articles by this author , Patrick J. ShenotPatrick J. Shenot More articles by this author , Charles GreenCharles Green More articles by this author , Leah ChisholmLeah Chisholm More articles by this author , Steve RiggsSteve Riggs More articles by this author , Stephen V. JackmanStephen V. Jackman More articles by this author , Aqsa A. KhanAqsa A. Khan More articles by this author , Peter N. KolettisPeter N. Kolettis More articles by this author , Brian K. McNeilBrian K. McNeil More articles by this author , and Wesley A. MayerWesley A. Mayer More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003253.05AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: The USMLE Step 1 exam evolved into a key metric utilized by program directors (PDs) in assessing candidates for residency. The transition to a USMLE Step 1 binary pass/fail scoring system has resulted in a loss of an important objective assessment. With national movements towards pass/fail systems for clerkship grading and trends towards abandonment of class ranking, assessing residency applications is becoming increasingly challenging. METHODS: The Society for Academic Urologists (SAU) convened a task force to, in part, assess the perspectives of urology PDs regarding the importance of various aspects of a residency application for predicting clinical performance. An anonymous survey was disseminated to all urology program directors in the United States. Perspectives on 11 potential application predictors of clinical performance and demographics were recorded. Descriptive statistics characterized PD responses. Friedman’s Test and pairwise Wilcoxon tests were used to evaluate the relative ranks assigned to application elements by PD’s. RESULTS: There was a 60.5% response rate (89/147). Letters of recommendation (LOR) was ranked as the most important predictor, with a mean of 2.39, median of 2 (IQR range 1- 3). Clerkship grades and USMLE Step 1 were comparable and ranked second with mean scores of 4.3, and 4.62 respectively. Medical school reputation ranked the lowest with a mean score of 8.47. There was significant heterogeneity among categories, however this was less so for LORs which predominated as the most important factor among application elements (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the largest sample size assessing program director perspectives on application factors that predict clinical performance. The second (clerkship grades) and third (USLME Step 1) most important factors moving to binary pass/fail systems creates an opportunity for actionable change to improve assessment objectivity. Our data demonstrate LOR to be the most important factor of residency applications. Thus, there may be a strong argument for moving towards a standardized LOR to maximize this tool, mitigate bias, and improve inter-reviewer reliability. Source of Funding: N/A © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e344 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Angeline Johny More articles by this author Patrick J. Shenot More articles by this author Charles Green More articles by this author Leah Chisholm More articles by this author Steve Riggs More articles by this author Stephen V. Jackman More articles by this author Aqsa A. Khan More articles by this author Peter N. Kolettis More articles by this author Brian K. McNeil More articles by this author Wesley A. Mayer More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

The effect of co-patenting as a form of knowledge meta-integration on technological differentiation at Siemens

PurposeThe paper proposes an answer to one of the most important questions in corporate innovation management: what mechanisms of technological diversification exist within multinational companies? It is ascertained that research and development (R&amp;D) intra-firm co-invention or co-patenting is one of those mechanisms. Co-invention implies knowledge-sharing, which should lead to unique combinations of knowledge and expertise and hence technological diversification of patent applications.Design/methodology/approachThis paper offers a novel conceptual framework exploring the relationship between patents’ technological diversification and a detailed classification of different forms of international co-invention. Based on the case of Siemens’ Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications, the revealed technological advantage (RTA) index is utilized to measure the extent of the technological diversification of patent output.FindingsThe results show that patent applications generated by subsidiaries in advanced economies in cooperation with other subsidiaries feature unique technological areas that deviate from the company's overall technological specializations. These results provide a strong argument in favor of inter-subsidiary or horizontal co-patenting as a mechanism of new knowledge creation.Research limitations/implicationsOn the conceptual level, the results accentuate inter-subsidiary patenting being an important mechanism of knowledge meta-integration boosting technological diversification. The obvious limitation of this paper lies in exploring a single company case, which restricts the generalizability of our findings. Due to the dynamic nature of technological change, the author’s dataset also suffers from a lack of temporal external validity. Future research can expand the scope in both regards in applying our co-invention mode typology.Practical implicationsBased on the results, to diversify knowledge portfolio, companies should strengthen the co-patenting effort and reinforce horizontal (inter-subsidiary) R&amp;D collaborations.Originality/valueTo the author’s knowledge, this is the first time when such a nuanced typology of co-invention modes is being utilized to understand the effect of different co-invention categories on knowledge diversification.

Academic Writing of Saudi Graduate Students: Issues and Improvements

This study investigates research writing difficulties encountered by Saudi graduate students at a Saudi university and seeks to offer interventional guidelines accordingly. A fuller understanding of these difficulties will contribute to the development of instruction aimed at improving students’ research writing skills. The main question this study addresses is this: What are the major academic writing problems facing Saudi graduate students? The investigation used an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach involving 87 participants at the University of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The data were collected through a 20-item Likert scale questionnaire completed online by 85 Saudi graduate students (37 males, 48 females; 69 majoring in English, 16 majoring in other subjects) and semi-structured interviews conducted with two faculty members. The quantitative data were analyzed statistically using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), and the qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Results revealed that most students experienced difficulties related to language, argumentation, and research-article genre when composing research reports in English. Both the participating students and teachers thought the most serious academic writing challenges for Saudi graduate students were presenting complex information in clear sentences and building strong arguments. In contrast, the least problematic task was finding and documenting sources. Regarding evaluating sources, writing Literature reviews, and using technical vocabulary, most students were unsure of their abilities. Besides, English majors and other majors had similar perceptions of difficulties in three out of four significant aspects of research writing. As far as documenting sources is concerned, the perception varied significantly between the English-major and other-major students. The findings of the present study can assist stakeholders in identifying instructional needs in research writing in the Saudi Arabian context, and our guidelines will make research writing less difficult for Saudi students.

Critical thinking during science investigations: what do practicing teachers value and observe?

ABSTRACT This paper examines how practicing teachers approach and evaluate students’ critical thinking processes in science, using the implementation of an online, inquiry-based investigation in middle school classrooms as the context for teachers’ observations. Feedback and ratings from three samples of science teachers were analysed to determine how they valued and evaluated component processes of students’ critical thinking and how such processes were related to their instructional approaches and student outcomes. Drawing from an integrated view of teacher practice, results suggested that practicing science teachers readily observed and valued critical thinking processes that aligned to goal intentions focused on domain content and successful student thinking. These processes often manifested as components of effective scientific reasoning—for example, gathering evidence, analysing data, evaluating ideas, and developing strong arguments. However, teachers also expressed avoidance intentions related to student confusion and uncertainty before and after inquiry-based investigations designed for critical thinking. These findings highlight a potential disconnect between the benefits of productive student struggle for critical thinking as endorsed in the research on learning and science education and the meaning that teachers ascribe to such struggle as they seek to align their instructional practices to classroom challenges.

Harmful Impacts of Gas Flares in Niger Delta: Case Study, Oporoma

The term “gas flaring” is referred as a combustion system that burns associated, or liquids and gases that are being released in excess during unplanned or normal operations that are over pressuring in numerous industrial procedures, including landfills, refineries, coal industry, chemical companies, and gas extraction. Gas flaring contributes greatly to greenhouse gas emissions. It generates heat, noise, and makes the environment uninhabitable. Oporoma Community is the administrative center of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (SILGA), Bayelsa State, Niger Delta region. One of the Communities in the region of Niger Delta that produce oil is Oporoma, and its being used as a case study. The primary data was obtained through an interview with about one hundred and fifty (150) persons (both men and women) between the age of 18 - 90 years. 50 persons from the age groups of 18 – 30, 31 – 50, and 51 – 90 years which focused mainly on harmful impact of gas flaring on human health, and its environment. Every investigation and data that were gotten from Oporoma community has negative human health and environmental effect, because of burning of gas. This gas flaring practice has caused poverty to many people in the community with health, environmental, and economic challenges. The government and policy makers in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria are also contributing to the negative impacts of gas flaring on local communities and the environment. The challenges faced by people living in areas where gas is being flared, such as air pollution, water contamination, and soil degradation, are strong arguments for ending this practice. Companies that are failing to properly process the gases produced during oil extraction should be heavily fined. Instead of being wasted through flaring, these gases could be used to produce cooking and domestic gas, as well as electricity. It is time for gas flaring to be brought to an end, particularly in the Oporoma community of the Niger Delta.

Conspiracy Theories, Scepticism, and Non-Liberal Politics

ABSTRACT There has been much interest in conspiracy theories (CTs) amongst philosophers in recent years. The aim of this paper will be to apply some of the philosophical research to issues in political theory. I will first provide an overview of some of the philosophical discussions about CTs. While acknowledging that particularism is currently the dominant position in the literature, I will contend that the ‘undue scepticism problem’, a modified version of an argument put forward by Brian Keeley, is an important general objection to many CTs. This in turn leads to some substantial conclusions for liberal political philosophy, as the undue scepticism problem sets up a strong argument against non-liberal alternatives to liberal thought. I shall argue that we are justified in having far more doubt about the reliability of official sources in non-liberal societies, and it is legitimate to be more sceptical about claims designed to bolster non-liberal politics. Moreover, because scepticism is often more warranted in non-liberal societies, this may provide the possibility for the state to be stable, even if it is highly tyrannical or ineffective. These considerations are not intended to be decisive, but raise unresolved questions about the viability of non-liberal politics.

SPECIALISED ANTI-CORRUPTION COURTS: A MEANS OF PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE TRANSFORMATION IN AFRICA?

Corruption is inimical to Africa’s quest for socio-economic transformation. Available empirical evidence highlights a sustained increase of corruption globally, with an equal emphasis on interdisciplinary interventions. There are also strong arguments for institutional specialisation in the judicature to buttress anti-corruption initiatives. As a result, specialised anti-corruption courts (SACCs) quickly are gaining traction in Africa, at the expense of conventional courts. This paper examines the rationale for SACCs and the variegated institutional SACC design choices by providing an overview of selected African countries. It highlights the position of these courts within the criminal justice system, their size and composition, their jurisdiction and, where relevant, synergies with other complementary institutions. In the main, SACCs provide much needed efficiency, integrity and expertise in the criminal justice system. The paper also examines challenges which SACCs encounter in Africa. Lastly, it provides a brief discussion of calls for an International Anti-Corruption Court.

Mesopotamian fallow deer and the chase in later Neolithic Cyprus: insights from upper Mesopotamia, the Levant and badia

This article compares and contrasts the role of hunting in Cypriot and mainland faunal economies of the 8th to 6th millennia cal. BC. It is well known that during this period Cyprus was characterised by the persistence of low-intensity adaptations based primarily on hunting of Mesopotamian fallow deer. Although this period witnessed a revitalisation of hunting in some mainland economies, especially in or on the margins of the greater Syrian desert, what might superficially appear to be an adaptive convergence between island and mainland was nothing of the sort. Strong arguments can be made that post-domestication revitalisations of hunting on the mainland stem either from intensification generally and the commodification of prey in particular, or from risk-buffering attempts to mitigate against perceptions of scarcity. On Cyprus, however, the paradigmatic predation of Mesopotamian fallow deer that endured into the mid Holocene appears to have been a relict of Pleistocene-style ‘controlled predation’, facilitated by low occupation intensity at island - if not always site - level and the likely survival of unhunted game reservoirs between catchments.

How Protons Move in Enzymes─The Case of Nitrogenase.

When moving protons in enzymes, water molecules are often used as intermediates. The water molecules used are not necessarily seen in the crystal structures if they move around at high rates. In a different situation, for metal containing cofactors in enzymes, it is sometimes necessary to move protons on the cofactor from the position they enter the cofactor to another position where the energy is lower. That is, for example, the situation in nitrogenase. In recent studies on that enzyme, prohibitively high barriers were sometimes found for transferring protons, and that was used as a strong argument against mechanisms where a sulfide is lost in the mechanism. A high barrier could be due to nonoptimal distances and angles at the transition state. In the present study, possibilities are investigated to use water molecules to reduce these barriers. The study is very general and could have been done for many other enzymes. The effect of water was found to be very large in the case of nitrogenase with a lowering of one barrier from 15.6 kcal/mol down to essentially zero. It is concluded that the effect of water molecules must be taken into account for meaningful results.

Close, but No Cigar

Close, but No Cigar

Missio politica on Coalition Governance: ‘better devils’ in SA Coalition Politics

Missio Dei has both total salvation and the attainment of the all-encompassing kingdom of God as central objectives, meriting the participation of all sectors of human society. However, as the resulting circumstances of several African developing countries can attest, the unsustainably disruptive nature of Governments of National Unity (GNUs) or coalition governments contradicts such unifying divine mandate. Using South Africa's coalition politics, where the likelihood of forming coalition governments depends on who is the ‘‘better devil’’, this paper draws on the literature to make a strong argument against the coalition government model. Accordingly, using the framework of missio politica to test the mandate of democratic politics in fulfilling the objectives of missio Dei, it is argued that coalition government models are usually at odds with missio Dei or the mandated objectives thereof.