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This paper, framed within the interpretivism theory, argued that government, stakeholders, and policymakers could foster and promote policy advocacy to address the challenges militating against the participation of physically challenged learners (PCLs) in practical physical education (PE) classes. Despite the noticeable need for physical activities in the lives of PCLs, there are growing concerns that learners in physical education classes still face many challenges in practical classes. The research was a systematic review of literature that identified studies that focused on the challenges that PCLs experience in practical physical education classes. Data was gathered from a collection of relevant articles as well as 20 publications that were critically reviewed. Only ten publications were found to meet the inclusion criteria. As a result, four main themes emerged from the data as thematic analysis was adopted. The findings revealed that PCLs frequently encounter challenges such as inaccessible equipment, poor social support, the PE curriculum/programme, and a lack of teachers training in practical physical education classes, which can limit their ability to engage and fully participate in PE practical classes. The study contributed to the body of physical education studies by providing a framework for a more integrated Physical Education for Physically Challenged Learners (PCLs), which could be implemented all around the world. It recommends, among others, that the members of the executive councils, school management teams and policymakers should work together by providing schools with accessible equipment and strong social support for PCLs to feel less isolated and more supported. This study concludes that exploring these challenges and developing coping strategies can help to ensure that PCLs can participate and benefit from PE practical classes.

Owing to the results of research in system science, artificial intelligence, and cognitive engineering, engineered systems are becoming more and more powered by knowledge. Complementing common-sense and scientific knowledge, system knowledge is maturing into a crucial productive asset. However, an overall theory of the knowledge of intellectualized systems does not exist. Some researchers suggest that time has come to establish a philosophically underpinned theoretical framework. This motion is seconded by the on-going intelligence revolution, in which artificial intelligence becomes a productive power, enabler of smart systems, and a strong transformer of the social life. The goal of this paper is to propose a skeleton of the needed generic theory of system knowledge (and a possible new branch of philosophical studies). The major assumption is that a significant part of the synthetic system knowledge (SSK) is “sympérasma”, that is, knowledge conjectured, inferred, constructed, or otherwise derived during the operation of systems. This part will become even more dominant in the future. Starting out from the above term, the paper suggests calling this theory “sympérasmology”. Some specific domains of “sympérasmological” studies, such as (i) manifestations of SSK, (ii) mechanisms of generating SSK, (iii) dependability of SSK, (iv) operational power of SSK, (v) composability of SSK, and (vi) advancement of SSK, are identified. It is understood that the essence and status of SSK cannot be investigated without considering the related cognitive processes and technological enablers. The paper presents a number of open questions relevant for follow-up discussions.

Background: Methods for reviewing and synthesising findings from quantitative research studies in health care are well established. Although there is recognition of the need for qualitative research to be brought into the evidence base, there is no consensus about how this should be done and the methods for synthesising qualitative research are at a relatively early stage of development. Objective: To evaluate meta-ethnography as a method for synthesising qualitative research studies in health and health care. Methods: Two full syntheses of qualitative research studies were conducted between April 2002 and September 2004 using meta-ethnography: (1) studies of medicine-taking and (2) studies exploring patients’ experiences of living with rheumatoid arthritis. Potentially relevant studies identified in multiple literature searches conducted in July and August 2002 (electronically and by hand) were appraised using a modified version of the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme questions for understanding qualitative research. Candidate papers were excluded on grounds of lack of relevance to the aims of the synthesis or because the work failed to employ qualitative methods of data collection and analysis. Results: Thirty-eight studies were entered into the medicine-taking synthesis, one of which did not contribute to the final synthesis. The synthesis revealed a general caution about taking medicine, and that the practice of lay testing of medicines was widespread. People were found to take their medicine passively or actively or to reject it outright. Some, in particular clinical areas, were coerced into taking it. Those who actively accepted their medicine often modified the regimen prescribed by a doctor, without the doctor’s knowledge. The synthesis concluded that people often do not take their medicines as prescribed because of concern about the medicines themselves. ‘Resistance’ emerged from the synthesis as a concept that best encapsulated the lay response to prescribed medicines. It was suggested that a policy focus should be on the problems associated with the medicines themselves and on evaluating the effectiveness of alternative treatments that some people use in preference to prescribed medicines. The synthesis of studies of lay experiences of living with rheumatoid arthritis began with 29 papers. Four could not be synthesised, leaving 25 papers (describing 22 studies) contributing to the final synthesis. Most of the papers were concerned with the everyday experience of living with rheumatoid arthritis. This synthesis did not produce significant new insights, probably because the early papers in the area were substantial and theoretically rich, and later papers were mostly confirmatory. In both topic areas, only a minority of the studies included in the syntheses were found to have referenced each other, suggesting that unnecessary replication had occurred. Limitations: We only evaluated meta-ethnography as a method for synthesising qualitative research, but there are other methods being employed. Further research is required to investigate how different methods of qualitative synthesis influence the outcome of the synthesis. Conclusions: Meta-ethnography is an effective method for synthesising qualitative research. The process of reciprocally translating the findings from each individual study into those from all the other studies in the synthesis, if applied rigorously, ensures that qualitative data can be combined. Following this essential process, the synthesis can then be expressed as a ‘line of argument’ that can be presented as text and in summary tables and diagrams or models. Meta-ethnography can produce significant new insights, but not all meta-ethnographic syntheses do so. Instead, some will identify fields in which saturation has been reached and in which no theoretical development has taken place for some time. Both outcomes are helpful in either moving research forward or avoiding wasted resources. Meta-ethnography is a highly interpretative method requiring considerable immersion in the individual studies to achieve a synthesis. It places substantial demands upon the synthesiser and requires a high degree of qualitative research skill. Meta-ethnography has great potential as a method of synthesis in qualitative health technology assessment but it is still evolving and cannot, at present, be regarded as a standardised approach capable of application in a routinised way. Funding: Funding for this study was provided by the Health Technology Assessment programme of the National Institute for Health Research.

As a clean and efficient energy, natural gas is the main driving force for China’s energy transformation and the realization of green energy development. Distributed natural gas combined cooling, heating and power (DNG-CCHP) is the main utilization method of distributed natural gas with many advantages. However, the economics of China’s DNG-CCHP system are poor, hindering the healthy and sustainable development of the system in China. Thus, this paper systematically analyzes the factors affecting the economics of DNG-CCHP system in China. Firstly, through the analysis of the development status and obstacles of China’s DNG-CCHP system, the economic impact factor set of DNG-CCHP systems involving 34 factors is constructed. Then, the integrated DEMTTEL-ISM method is used to construct the multi-level hierarchical structure of influencing factors, the influence mechanism of the factors on the economics of DNG-CCHP system is systematically and comprehensively analyzed, and the path of improving system economics is proposed accordingly. Finally, based on the research findings and the development of China’s DNG-CCHP, the coordinated development of DNG-CCHP and distributed renewable energy was discussed, and several policy suggestions are put forward to contribute to the integration of distributed natural gas and distributed renewable energy.