Returning Home on Parole: Former Prisoners' Experiences in Illinois, Ohio, and Texas

Compares the expectations and experiences in reintegration and recidivism of parolees and of those released without supervision. Analyzes how parolees' experiences with supervision affect outcomes and which former prisoners benefit more from supervision

The Unattainable Ideal: Walter Lippmann and the Limits of the Press and Public Opinion

Walter Lippmann’s classic work, Public Opinion, crystallized thinking about the dynamic relationship between the press and public opinion, and clarified the role of each in democracy. Evaluations of that book, however, tend to be one-dimensional. Public Opinion captured just one iteration of his thinking on the subject, not his final statement on the matter. A comprehensive survey of his writing reveals Lippmann’s views on the press and public opinion were not static, yet the attention Public Opinion receives continues to overshadow his other works; his evolving views on the press and public opinion are rarely mentioned. Although his views shifted in significant ways over the decades, those changes hewed to a familiar set of issues and oscillated between a fairly narrow set of differences. Lippmann’s primary concern was always the functioning of democracy. He wanted it to work. His views on the press and public opinion revolved around a central tenet of progressive thinking – that an informed public would reach reasoned conclusions. But Lippmann always wrestled with doubts about the capacity of the electorate; his elitist attitudes conflicted with his reformist sympathies. Could the public really govern itself intelligently? How could the press, with its own limitations, facilitate that process? Lippmann puzzled over the answers to those questions throughout his career. Ultimately, his experiences with the manufacture of consent during World War I undermined his confidence in public opinion; his stature as a member of the press coincided with greater hope in that institution

Oak Foundation Environment Programme Evaluation: Executive Summary

This is an Executive Summary of a full evaluation conducted for the Oak Foundation in 2015. The evaluation provided an external assessment of the impact of the Oak Foundation's climate and marine philanthropy from 2009 to 2014, and the effectiveness of the strategies, internal structures, and approaches deployed. The lessons learned are also intended to guide the formation of a new strategic framework to guide grant-making to 2020. Thus, this review was intended to not only reflect on past programming and the Oak Foundation's role in environmental philanthropy, but also to update the understanding of baseline conditions, highlight important trends, needs, and opportunities, and identify ways to increase impact. The evaluation method was centered on interviews, desktop research, and a document review. The scope was not comprehensive; it focused on grants and initiatives that were of most interest to Oak leadership, and that had not been subject to a recent in-depth project evaluation. This Executive Summary is intended for external audiences, and does not include the sections covering the Foundation's internal processes and operations

Diesel exhaust and asthma: hypotheses and molecular mechanisms of action.

Several components of air pollution have been linked to asthma. In addition to the well-studied critera air pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and ozone, diesel exhaust and diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) also appear to play a role in respiratory and allergic diseases. Diesel exhaust is composed of vapors, gases, and fine particles emitted by diesel-fueled compression-ignition engines. DEPs can act as nonspecific airway irritants at relatively high levels. At lower levels, DEPs promote release of specific cytokines, chemokines, immunoglobulins, and oxidants in the upper and lower airway. Release of these mediators of the allergic and inflammatory response initiates a cascade that can culminate in airway inflammation, mucus secretion, serum leakage into the airways, and bronchial smooth muscle contraction. DEPs also may promote expression of the T(subscript)H(/subscript)2 immunologic response phenotype that has been associated with asthma and allergic disease. DEPs appear to have greater immunologic effects in the presence of environmental allergens than they do alone. This immunologic evidence may help explain the epidemiologic studies indicating that children living along major trucking thoroughfares are at increased risk for asthmatic and allergic symptoms and are more likely to have objective evidence of respiratory dysfunction

The role of large-scale eddies in the nonlinear equilibration of a multi-level model of the mid-latitude troposphere

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, 1998.Includes bibliographical references (p. 230-234).by Amy Beth Solomon.Ph.D

Improving the identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in mainstream general practice

The project aim was to identify promising strategies to improve identification processes in mainstream general practice. To achieve this aim, the project explored three primary research questions. • What strategies to improve the identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in mainstream general practice have been trialled before and what is worth trialling (feasible and acceptable) in the future? • How can mainstream general practice be encouraged to improve identification processes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people? • What are the links between improved identification and quality of care?The research reported in this paper is a project of the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute, which is supported by a grant from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing under the Primary Health Care Research, Evaluation and Development Strategy