To What Degree do Retail Electricity Prices Inform Residential Solar Energy Investment Decisions?

The relationship between electricity price and household solar photovoltaic (PV) adoption has not been thoroughly studied. How much would a carbon tax, and increase in electricity price, spur growth in residential solar? This paper adds to the literature with a utility-level panel analysis. Consumer choice theory provides the framework for the empirical models. I use electricity price and net metered solar PV capacity data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Through a variety of specifications, I control for both utility and state-year effects. My findings suggest that electricity price is significantly positively correlated with solar adoption, with an estimated price elasticity of 1.85. These results are limited by endogeneity and omitted variable bias

A New Era of Higher Education-Community Partnerships: The Role and Impact of Colleges and Universities in Greater Boston Today

Urges stronger partnerships among colleges and universities and businesses, government, and civic groups to enhance the area's competitiveness. Makes recommendations for workforce development and retention, increased housing, and higher education access

Climate variability and drought in the South Platte River Basin

The South Platte River Basin has been identified as an area experiencing water overuse, making conflicts and shortages likely during times of drought. This study used multiple sources of climate and water consumption data to better understand climate and water consumption changes during drought: North American regional Reanalyses (NARR), Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS), United States Geological Survey (USGS), and Colorado Decision Support System (CDSS). A water budget was constructed for the South Platte River Basin during 1979-2006 and for the sub-periods 1990-1999 (above-average precipitation) and 2000-2006 (below-average precipitation, drought). The main focus, the drought period, revealed above-average use for public consumption in surface and ground water and above-average agriculture groundwater consumption. Water-conserving responses during drought years were limited to municipal restrictions with little indication of improvements in irrigation methods and minimal switching to dry-land crops. The drought and lack of response to it had severe impacts on the economy,lowering harvests and decreasing revenue in the region. It was revealed that Colorado water law helps shape the response to drought of the water budget for the South Platte River Basin and needs to be taken into account in proposing better approaches to conserving water during drought

Perceptions of Care as a Determinant of Health Outcomes

The purpose of this paper is to examine the issues the lesbian population identify as barriers to primary care. The database utilized for this review was CINHAL and the search parameters included: lesbian, health, health care, preventative, cervical cancer screening, barrier and primary care. Based on the search criteria, three qualitative articles were selected. The study designs included in-depth interviews, open ended narrative inquiries, historical accounts of screening habits and focus groups. After analysis of the collected data, there were three major themes identified in the literature. Decreased awareness, perceived or demonstrated negative attitude and lack of health knowledge were identified as major determinants for the success of lesbian health care experiences. Based on the evidence gathered in this literature review, health care providers have a valuable opportunity to help dismantle this disparity through increased cultural competency of lesbian health care needs

Role of Snail1 in Breast Cancer Progression and Metastasis

From the Washington University Office of Undergraduate Research Digest (WUURD), Vol. 12, 05-01-2017. Published by the Office of Undergraduate Research. Joy Zalis Kiefer, Director of Undergraduate Research and Associate Dean in the College of Arts & Sciences; Lindsey Paunovich, Editor; Helen Human, Programs Manager and Assistant Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences Mentors: Audrey Brenot and Greg Longmor

Louis-Joseph Francois

The life and career of Louis-Joseph Francois is recounted. The article describes his many pamphlets against the oath required of the clergy during the French Revolution. These pamphlets were extremely influential and appeared in numerous editions. In September 1792, Francois was a victim of the massacre of priests in Saint-Firmin (better known as the College des Bons-Enfants), in part because of his writings. The massacre is also described

Humanness in a Saint

In order not to lose sight of the man behind the saint, illustrations of Vincent de Paul’s human qualities are provided with his own words. Most highlight his realism. He recognized that people sometimes joined the Congregation from self-interest. He knew who was not suited to be a confrere. Although devoted to the poor, he also set limits on charity where they were warranted. He understood that the Double Family needed to be self-supporting to succeed, and therefore had certain financial requirements of those who wished to join it. Other examples of his pragmatism are offered

The Cause for the Canonization of John Gabriel Perboyre

This article gives the chronology of John Gabriel Perboyre’s cause for canonization. John Gabriel was executed in 1840 and was beatified in 1889. The decree for his canonization came in 1995. The reason for this delay had to do with the miracles attributed to him, two nineteenth-century cures of Daughters of Charity. Two miracles were necessary for canonization until 1983, when only one was needed. There had been some doubt about whether the sisters’ illnesses were organic or whether they had a hysterical cause, in which case a cure would be natural, not miraculous. The cure of Sister Gabrielle Isore was better documented, so the process continued with that basis in 1993. Her diagnosis and the circumstances of the cure are explained in detail