Timing of poverty in childhood and adolescent health: Evidence from the US and UK

Childhood poverty is associated with poorer adolescent health and health behaviours, but the importance of the timing of poverty remains unclear. There may be critical or sensitive periods in early life or early adolescence, or poverty may have cumulative effects throughout childhood. Understanding when poverty is most important can support efficient timing of interventions to raise family income or buffer against the effects of low income, but answers may vary across social contexts. The US and the UK are a useful comparison with similar liberal approaches to cash transfers, but very different approaches to healthcare provision. Utilising data from large population studies in the US (n = 9408; born 1979–1996) and UK (n = 1204; born 1991–1997), this study employs a structured life course approach to compare competing hypotheses about the importance of the timing or pattern of childhood exposure to poverty in predicting adolescent health limitations, symptoms of psychiatric distress, and smoking at age 16 (age 15/16 in US). Household income histories identified experience of poverty (measured as <60% of the national median equivalised income for a given year) in early life (ages 0–5), mid-childhood (ages 6–10) and early adolescence (ages 11–15). The Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) compared fit across models with variables representing different life course patterns of exposure to poverty. Adolescent distress was not associated with poverty in either country. In both countries, however, variables representing cumulative or persistent experiences of poverty exhibited optimal fit of all poverty exposure variables in predicting adolescent smoking and health limitations. There was also evidence of an early life sensitive period for smoking in the US. Poverty was more persistent in the US, but associations between poverty and outcomes were consistent across countries. Although poverty can have cumulative effects on health and behaviour, early interventions may offer the best long-term protection

You can make a positive return by investing in residential solar systems: An Arizona case study: Working paper series--09-04

The new federal tax credit on a solar panel system makes an investment financially worthwhile. The actual 14 month production history of a 2919 watt solar system is used to calculate the net present value of the savings on APS electricity bills over the 25 year lifespan of the system. The NPV is estimated at $1,625 with an internal rate of return of 8.3$1,000 the IRR changes substantially as smaller systems are analyzed. An Addendum to WPS 09-04: April 5, 2010. This is an important addendum to our March 2009 paper. In the original paper we treated the APS buyback payment as independent of the Federal tax credit and the Arizona tax credit as being subtracted from the allowable costs for the federal tax credit. Recent rulings have made both of these calculations incorrect. The federal tax credit is independent of the $1,000 state tax credit, so the 30$300. However, section 136 of the IRS code for Energy Conservation subsidies provided by public utilities stipulates that, pursuant to the Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act of 1978, the rebate from the public utility is considered as gross income. Using an estimated marginal tax rate of 28% (head of household, income $117k to$190k) the additional income tax is $2,446. Modifying our previous calculations, the total out of pocket expenditures by the homeowner is$8,385 instead of the $6,239. The increased income tax, however unrelated to the intent of Congress in passing the energy bill, changes the financial viability of any investment. The return of investment drops to 5.04$521 as opposed to the original positive $1,625. (The assumed interest rate is 5.7%). PDF file reflects this Addendum on its cover page

Energy Inefficiency in Industrial Agriculture: You Are What You Eat: Working Paper Series--09-09

Modern industrial farming technologies for growing fruits, vegetables and grains have changed substantially in recent decades. In many locations such as Arizona, these industries are highly energy and water-intensive operations. As such, the sustainability of these operations is called into question. The economic, social and climate implications of energy use in agriculture are worth further discussion. Based on the idea of a sustainable energy budget, the production processes of various foods are analyzed which prove to be very energy inefficient. Various primary and secondary sources are used to evaluate a series of industrial production methods to produce food. The conclusions are presented in a series of calculations based on the direct fossil fuel inputs used in production. Fossil fuel based industrial agriculture raises numerous issues requiring more advanced analysis. The environmental, ecological and social justice issues of modern industrial agriculture require a reassessment form myriad perspectives: farm subsidies, consumer demand and preferences, engineering technologies and water policy

Prototype of a new Engineering Masters project model: Working with marketing and software faculties to commercially kickstart university research

We describe a Master of Engineering (500-level) project modelled on the real-world arrangement where engineers work with marketing and software groups to prepare a product for commercialisation. A 4-member software team to develop and test embedded firmware and support applications on a mobile platform was provided through a final-year undergraduate software-engineering project course based outside the engineering school, in a separate faculty. A marketing team consisting of interns prepared logos, product names, and advertising materials, with input from a creative 200-level class. This team also considered possible exit strategies based on analysis of the market size and activity. This marketing effort was organised through the management communications group in the management school. The masters student acts as project manager and it is their remit to guide the product towards release on the crowd-sourced venture-capital site kickstarter.com. A small but original product idea is required to provide a viable vehicle for the project. Financial commitment to manufacture, even on a small scale, represents a novel outcome for a university project

The Morphology of IRC +10420's Circumstellar Ejecta

Images of the circumstellar ejecta associated with the post-red supergiant IRC +10420 show a complex ejecta with visual evidence for episodic mass loss. In this paper we describe the transverse motions of numerous knots, arcs and condensations in the inner ejecta measured from second epoch {\it HST/WFPC2} images. When combined with the radial motions for several of the features, the total space motion and direction of the outflows show that they were ejected at different times, in different directions, and presumably from separate regions on the surface of the star. These discrete structures in the ejecta are kinematically distinct from the general expansion of the nebula and their motions are dominated by their transverse velocities. They are apparently all moving within a few degrees of the plane of the sky. We are thus viewing IRC +10420 nearly pole-on and looking nearly directly down onto its equatorial plane. We also discuss the role of surface activity and magnetic fields on IRC +10420's recent mass loss history.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figure

Energy and water use in Arizona agriculture: Working paper series--08-08

Increasing energy and water concerns in Arizona are the driving forces to improve the efficiency of agricultural production within the state. In this article we address the energy and water uses in growing a variety of crops in Arizona. The goal of the research project is to identify and quantify all energy and water uses from the production of the initial seed, through the treatments of the soil and various chemical introductions, all the way until the crop is harvested in the field. Thus, the analysis is "from seed to the edge of the field." Using a series of secondary data sources, the paper provides ranges for the energy and water consumption for the predominant crops grown in the major agriculture areas of the state

Do Open Access Electronic Theses and Dissertations Diminish Publishing Opportunities in the Sciences?

In academia, there is a growing acceptance of sharing the final electronic version of graduate work, such as a thesis or dissertation, in an online university repository. Though previous studies have shown that journal editors are willing to consider manuscripts derived from electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs), faculty advisors and graduate students continue to raise concerns that online discoverability of ETDs negatively impact future opportunities to publish those findings. The current study investigated science journal policies on open access ETDs and found that more than half of the science journals responding (51.4%) reported that manuscripts derived from openly accessible ETDs are welcome for submission and an additional 29.1 percent would accept revised ETDs under certain conditions

Assessing Bullying Behaviors and the Efficacy of Bullying Prevention in Fourth Grade Classrooms

Introduction: Bullying has recently gained notoriety as a serious concern across all countries. Bullying is generally acknowledged to be a repeated pattern of abuse communicated to a victim by physical, verbal, or written means which results in bodily harm or emotional injury. Victims of bullying have been shown to be at increased risk for suicide, depression, anxiety, headaches, or difficulty sleeping. Puppets in Education (PiE) is a non-profit organization that uses interactive puppet shows and workshops to educate more than 8,000 children per year about disabilities, cultural diversity, and a wide variety of other issues. By performing its shows in classrooms throughout the state, PiE works to model realistic, challenging situations for children and to provide simple and practical strategies for dealing with them. Focusing our attention on the effects of bullying behaviors in schools, our team worked with PiE and several local fourth grade classes to determine the amount of information children retain from the organization’s bullying prevention program, the effectiveness of the program in addressing and preventing bullying behaviors, and the students’ overall perception of the program.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/1074/thumbnail.jp

Heart Rate Response during Treadmill Running in Adidas _1 DLX Computerized Running Shoes at Various Shoe Settings

Advisor: David S. SenchinaBACKGROUND: Runners encounter a wide variety of terrains of varying hardness which can be modified by midsole cushioning. Cushioned shoes are recommended for athletes to decrease impact forces. The adidas_1 DLXTM shoe is advertised as being able to provide appropriate cushioning levels for different athletes on different terrains. PURPOSE: The purpose of the experiment was to investigate the effects of a commercially available computerized running shoe (adidas_l DLXTM) on heart rate and feelings of foot comfort. The data collected will be used to validate or refute some of the manufacturer's claims, and make recommendations to consumers about these types of shoes. HYPOTHESES: We hypothesized that the different settings on the adidas_l DLXTM shoe would influence heart rate and subjective foot comfort ratings. METHODS: Nine males (23 ± 3.6 yrs) ran 4 10-minute trials on a treadmill at a fixed speed, once in their own self-selected shoes and three times in the adidas_1 DLXTM shoes at automatic, manual hard, or manual soft settings. Heart rate was measured at 5, 7.5, and 10 minutes. Foot comfort was measured immediately after each trial. RESULTS: Shoe comfort ratings for all adidas_1 DLXTM settings were approximately 30% lower compared to self-selected shoes. There was no statistically-significant difference in heart rate between the trials. CONCLUSIONS: Mid-sole cushioning influences the comfort felt by runners. The data showed no significant relationship between mid-sole cushioning and heart rate, but did show that runners felt more comfortable in their own self-selected shoes versus the adidas_1 DLXTM shoes at any setting.Drake University, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biology and Biology Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Progra

Resource Recovery Plan: \u3cem\u3eBidens bidentoides\u3c/em\u3e, A Rare Pennsylvania Plant

The purpose of this Resource Recovery Plan was to uncover information about a rare tidal marsh species in Pennsylvania, Bidens bidentoides. After compiling and determining its classification, description, ecology, conservation status, and historical populations, the plan shows what needs to be known and done about this species in terms of further research that should be conducted to prevent this species’ extirpation. In addition to compiling the plan that will be submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, three sites where Bidens bidentoides has been found in the past were visited to get a better understanding of its present populations. Also, the 120 specimens of Bidens bidentoides in the PH Herbarium at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University were imaged and databased. This historical population information will be made available to the public in the near future