Local Preferences in Affordable Housing: Special Treatment for Those Who Live or Work in a Municipality

Local governments are increasingly granting preference to local residents and employees when selecting occupants for affordable housing set-asides. These preferences risk being invalidated for three reasons. First, courts could view the preferences as a penalty on nonresidents’ fundamental right to travel and migration. Second, preferences implemented with the intention of excluding protected classes of persons could violate the Equal Protection Clause. Finally, preferences could violate the Federal Fair Housing Act by creating or perpetuating discriminatory racial impacts. In order to avoid these legal risks, this Note proposes that local governments should structure their affordable housing selection programs as broadly and inclusively as possible. Specifically, local governments should: (1) offer multiple ways for an applicant to receive preference; (2) base the preferences on an expanded geographic area beyond the local government\u27s particular jurisdictional boundaries; and (3) limit the scope and duration of the preferences

HEDS Discussion Paper 09-15: Developing preference-based health measures: using Rasch analysis to generate health state values

Background/aims: Condition specific measures may not always have independent items, and existing techniques of developing health state values from these measures are inappropriate when items are not independent. This study develops methods for deriving and valuing health states for a preference-based measure. Methods: Three key stages are presented: Rasch analysis is used to develop a health state classification system and identify a set of health states for valuation. A valuation survey of the health states using time-trade-off (TTO) methods is conducted to elicit health state values. Finally, regression models are applied to map the relationship between mean TTO values and Rasch logit values. The model is then used to estimate health state values for all possible health states. Methods are illustrated using the Flushing Symptoms Questionnaire (FSQ). Results: Rasch models were fitted to 1270 responders to the FSQ and a series of 16 health states identified for the valuation exercise. An ordinary least squares model best described the relationship between mean TTO values and Rasch logit values. (R2 = 0.958; Root mean square error = 0.042). Conclusions: We have shown how the valuation of health states can be mapped onto the Rasch scale in order to value all states defined by the FSQ. This should significantly enhance work in this field

HEDS Discussion Paper 09-15: Developing preference-based health measures: using Rasch analysis to generate health state values

Background/aims: Condition specific measures may not always have independent items, and existing techniques of developing health state values from these measures are inappropriate when items are not independent. This study develops methods for deriving and valuing health states for a preference-based measure. Methods: Three key stages are presented: Rasch analysis is used to develop a health state classification system and identify a set of health states for valuation. A valuation survey of the health states using time-trade-off (TTO) methods is conducted to elicit health state values. Finally, regression models are applied to map the relationship between mean TTO values and Rasch logit values. The model is then used to estimate health state values for all possible health states. Methods are illustrated using the Flushing Symptoms Questionnaire (FSQ). Results: Rasch models were fitted to 1270 responders to the FSQ and a series of 16 health states identified for the valuation exercise. An ordinary least squares model best described the relationship between mean TTO values and Rasch logit values. (R2 = 0.958; Root mean square error = 0.042). Conclusions: We have shown how the valuation of health states can be mapped onto the Rasch scale in order to value all states defined by the FSQ. This should significantly enhance work in this field

Examining the Relationship Between Placental Extracellular Matrix and Trophoblast Differentiation

Includes bibliographical references (pages 22-23).Extracellular matrix is the biological scaffold which provides both structural support\ud as well as factors which support cellular differentiation and tissue/organ function.\ud Cytotrophoblasts (CTB) are the epithelial stem cells in the placenta which can give rise to both villous syncytiotrophoblast (STB) and invasive extravillous trophoblast (EVT).\ud Modified differentiation of CTBs resulting in too few EVTs underlies the abnormalities and symptoms observed in preeclamptic placentas. Studies investigating the plating of progenitor cells on their tissue-specific ECM demonstrated the effect of ECM on cellular processes such as differentiation, proliferation, survival, and adhesion. The results of the study presented here reveal for the first time that primary CTBs can be maintained in an undifferentiated state when cultured on human placental ECM. ECM was prepared from minced third trimester placental tissues following decellularization, detergent washes and nucleic acid treatment. The resulting matrix was dehydrated by a lyophilizer and reconstituted in 0.1M acetic acid before plating. Through the novel approach of decellularizing a human placenta, it was found that clinically normal placentas had 3.64 times higher ECM yield than preeclamptic placentas. Primary CTBs were isolated from term placental tissues per published protocols and cultured either on tissue culture plastic as a control, or 1 mg/mL placental ECM. Differentiation was monitored based on morphology, hCG production, and qPCR for lineagespecific markers. Primary CTBs were also monitored for ECM effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and adhesion. With isolated term CTBs, cells plated on placental ECM, both normal (nlECM) and preeclamptic (peECM) mostly remained mononuclear, produced significantly less hCG, and showed significantly lower expression of markers of STB differentiation, including hCG??, hCG??, Syncytin, and CSH-1 by qPCR. This study demonstrates that placental extracellular matrix can maintain the undifferentiated state of primary CTBs, while having little to no effect on proliferation, survival, and adhesion. This study also suggests that composition of the extracellular matrix does not play a substantial role in driving modified trophoblast differentiation observed in preeclamptic placenta

Promoting Student Faith Development Within Evangelical Higher Education Through Engaging People of Other Faiths

This qualitative study investigated the perceptions of students, administrators, and faculty at two universities within the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) regarding the extent, nature, and impact engagement with people of other faiths had on student faith development. The findings confirmed that constructive engagements with people of other faiths do indeed have a strong and positive impact on faith development. Significant barriers, however, were found that serve to impede the extent and quality of interactions with people of other faiths on the campus. At the same time, institutional leaders, including student development professionals, were found to play a pivotal role in promoting the extent and positive impact these interactions can have on student faith development by: a) modeling a posture of openness toward the “other;” b) preparing students how to respectfully engage people of other faiths prior to formal activities involving such encounters; and c) supporting students who feel like the other at these universities