Jobs from Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

According to research by Roger Bezdek for the American Solar Energy Society (ASES), the renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) industries created a total of 8.5 million jobs (direct and indirect) in 2006; 450,000 jobs in RE and 8 million jobs in EE throughout the United States. As many as 1 out of 4 workers in the United States will be working in RE or EE industries by 2030. The 40 million jobs are not just engineering?related, but also include millions of new jobs in manufacturing, construction, accounting, and management.  

The Relationship of Infant Feeding and Self-Regulation in Pediatric Obesity

Pediatric overweight and obesity is a growing national epidemic with 15 percent of children ages 6-19 considered obese and at least 22 percent considered overweight. Although there are many suggested causes, treatments, and preventions for this epidemic, a construct that is showing promise in the current literature as a preventive factor against obesity is breastfeeding in infancy. However, the mechanisms by which breastfeeding may impact later childhood weight are unknown. Some of the literature posits the possibility of self-regulation as a key mechanism in the role of breastfeeding in pediatric overweight/obesity. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in Body Mass Index in children ages 7-18 who were either breastfed or bottlefed during infancy, as well as a potential dose-dependent effect of duration of breastfeeding on decreased BMI. Further the relationship between self-regulation, operationally defined as emotional eating in later childhood, and as measured by the emotional eating scale of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) and BMI was investigated. Lastly, group differences between children who were breastfed or bottlefed in early childhood on the DEBQ were also evaluated. Data from 45 children and their caregivers was gathered from Pediatrics clinics at Loma Linda University. The hypotheses that children who were breastfed would have lower BMIs, and that duration of breastfeeding would be associated with lower BMIs were unsupported. Further, results indicated no significant relationship between emotional eating and BMI or a significant difference in emotional eating between children who were either breastfed or bottlefed. These findings are generally inconsistent with previous research and are reflective of a number of limitations in the study. As such, the need for additional research with improved methodologies is discussed

WHY WOMEN GIVE TO WOMEN: A PORTRAIT OF GENDER-BASED PHILANTHROPY

Abstract WHY WOMEN GIVE TO WOMEN: A PORTRAIT OF GENDER-BASED PHILANTHROPY AT A PUBLIC COLLEGE IN VIRGINIA By Amy Gray Beck, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2019 Chair: Katherine Cumings Mansfield, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Educational Leadership and Cultural Foundations, School of Education, UNC Greensboro The cost of public higher education is steadily increasing, with state and federal government cutting its support year after year. Students are having to pay more out of pocket for classes and tuition, and institutions rely on private funding support to provide educational opportunities to students in need. Historically, fundraising operations in higher education have focused on a traditional solicitation model, focusing on fundraising from men in households, but savvy institutions have begun to focus on philanthropy from specific populations, including women, to increase dollars raised. Research shows women are more philanthropically generous than their male counterparts, especially when giving to education. The main purpose of this qualitative case study was to highlight the successes of a women and philanthropy program at William and Mary, a public college in Virginia, as it is the first and only women and philanthropy program in the country where the funds donated are given back to benefit women, as well as add to the growing body of literature on women and philanthropy, and the lack of literature that exists on women giving to women in higher education. The alumnae initiatives endowment funded by the Society of 1918 offers alumnae leadership development, networking opportunities, continuing education, empowerment, and more. Private funding in this case is enabling a social justice program to exist that otherwise would not be funded through tuition and state and federal funding. Interviews, observations, and document analysis were utilized to examine contextual factors contributing to the development of the Society of 1918 and motivations for members joining the Society at a $10,000 level. A feminist standpoint theoretical framework helped to develop meaning-making of alumnae’s motivations for joining the Society of 1918. Utilizing portraiture as a qualitative method, findings showed how gender and timely social justice movements played a role in influencing alumnae motivations to join the Society of 1918. Finally, best practices are shared for institutions considering a comprehensive women and philanthropy program whose private gifts benefit women

Quality initiatives in hospice Quality initiatives in hospice

The hospice industry requires public health policy in regards to quality of healthcare to improve the value of patient care. The first quality measures for hospices nationally were mandated by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 and implemented in later years. This thesis will review the Hospice Item Set (HIS-7), Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), and Service Intensity Add-On (SIA) focusing specifically on the Service Intensity Add-On. The history of policy development, scope of each policy, and compliance measures are discussed in this paper in detail. History in this case is over the past fives years and foreshadows the future quality indicators in hospice. This Master’s Essay heavily focuses on the first incentive policy in hospice quality, the Service Intensity Add-On, as well as its future usefulness, importance in relation to quality, and potential economic impact among hospices in the United States. The goal of this Master’s Essay is to emphasize the importance of national quality measures among medical professionals to increase the value of patient care and contain costs for treatment at end of life. Public Health Relevance Hospice began in 1965 and did not have any mandated quality measures until the Affordable Care Act of 2010. Quality measures could reduce disparities in end of life care utilization. Many people in the aging community have mistrusted the healthcare system and chosen not to access hospice. Quality measures that will be available to the public (CAHPS) could encourage future use of services. Since a majority of the care is given in patient homes, there could be resistance in allowing hospice professionals into their private lives. On the other hand, this population could be fearful of receiving insufficient care. Also, a study demonstrated that the use of quality indicators increases performance among medical professionals in hospitals. Quality measures drive internal organization improvement strategies in delivering optimal care to patients. The hospice industry needs to instill the same standard of care similar to hospitals that have been accountable for quality care for over a decade

Avoiding ‘starburst’: The need to identify common metrics of evaluating strengths-based programmes in prison

The notions of strengths-based working in health and justice are not new and areas as diverse as positive psychology and criminology, mental health and addictions recovery, and therapeutic jurisprudence and restorative approaches in the justice field all share a common set of principles and values that may offer some insights into questions of evaluation, effectiveness and measurement. The first part of this paper will examine the shared foundations of strengths- based approaches and this will inform a second section examining common principles in these models. Part Three will then provide three illustrative examples of strengths-based programmes in prisons in the United Kingdom (UK), before the final section, Part Four, outlines a two-tier model of strengths-measurement that will help to avoid 'starburst', that is, where the benefit is so short-lived that it has no lasting impact on the wellbeing of the prison or its constituents

Augmentative and Alternative Communication in the Intensive Care Unit: A Service Delivery Model

Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) often find it difficult or impossible to verbally communicate due to mechanical ventilation, tracheostomy tubes or increased fatigue and delirium. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) can provide ICU patients with a way to communicate during their ICU admittance. However, few hospitals currently have a systematic service delivery model in place for providing AAC tools and supports to ICU patients. This resource manual provides an outline for creating and implementing an AAC service delivery model along with AAC materials and resources appropriate for an ICU. Explanations of how each material is used, who they are appropriate for and how they can modify are provided for each AAC method discussed. Providing a detailed and systematic AAC service delivery model, such as the one outlined in this resource manual, allows ICU patients to effectively and efficiently communicate during a frightening and anxiety-provoking time

Mainstream Tablets as Speech Generating Devices: Considerations in Decision Making

In the last several years, the field of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) has seen significant technological advances that are both innovative and exciting. One of the main advances in technology comes in AAC applications on mainstream tablet devices like iPads. Tablet devices with AAC applications are being explored as an alternative to dedicated speech generating devices due to cost and convenience. But, before choosing between a mainstream tablet AAC device and a dedicated AAC device, there are several foundational elements of AAC to be understood. All of the AAC basics and considerations should be part of the assessment process that determines the most appropriate device for an individual in need of an AAC device because not all devices work for everyone. Language representation method, vocabulary organization, and hardware differences are some of the main foundational elements of AAC that should be considered in the assessment process. Once the basics are established, considerations such as cost, insurance coverage, available accessories, and social factors must be explored before choosing between the devices. Overall, it is important to consider all aspects of AAC when choosing an appropriate device for an individual

New Services for Families in the DC Superior Court

Until recently, because of concerns about safety and parties’ abilities to make good decisions in cases with a history of high intimate partner violence or abuse (IPV/A), in the District of Columbia’s Superior Court such cases were screened out of mediation and sent back to the family court. But two big program additions — videoconferencing and shuttle mediation — have allowed parties in these cases to consider mediation. The Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division of the DC Superior Court (Multi-Door) implemented this change after several years of preparation: its administrators added safety measures, provided in-depth training for staff and mediators, and consulted with experts to design a research study to compare videoconference, shuttle mediation, and the prior practice of returning these cases to court

Domestic Violence: The Use of Pro-Arrest Policies and Mandatory Prosecutions

Domestic violence is a crime that affects millions of American families. Traditionally,domestic violence was recognized by the general population and the courts as being aprivate issue that should be handled within the boundaries of the family. Lawenforcement and the judicial system played a minimal role and generally maintained ahands off policy in relation to domestic violence cases. Adding to this mentality ofprivacy, the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution prohibits entering a residence withoutprobable cause. The Minneapolis domestic violence experiment attempted to measurewhich police response was most beneficial. In order to empower victims and bringabusers to justice, state governments should adopt a pro-arrest policy alongside amandatory prosecution policy