American Undergraduates Undone: Social and Intellectual Dysfunction on Campus

The pivotal, formative years of typical undergraduates, ages 18-22, represent a time when students mold their distinctive identities, social personalities, and intellects more intensively than during any other period of their lives. Developmental theorists Arthur W. Chickering and Linda Reisser call this process “journeying toward individuation—the discovery and refinement of one’s unique way of being—and also toward communion with other individuals and groups, including the larger national and global society” (35). In today’s college climate, students flummox and astound parents, professors, and researchers due to their individual immaturity and disengagement with learning. Although these complaints identify nothing new in America, the fact that these issues remain, centuries after the formation of the country’s colleges, shows both their current and historical relevance. Within the undergraduate realm, the continuation of outmoded social and intellectual traditions has led to adverse outcomes for generations of students. Continual cultural nostalgia for four (or more) years of adolescent mischief and self-indulgence encourages class after class of college students to put peer activities as first priority and academics far behind their society bids, alcohol-fueled parties, and sexual conquests. Moreover, even after decades of pedagogical and learning studies, today’s classroom practices do little to amend ineffective curriculums or combat cheating epidemics, grade inflation, and the diminished value of a college degree. Patterns of dysfunctional behavior in the lifestyles of American undergraduates have been expressed throughout the past century in several important novels devoted to the college experience itself. These works reveal the sociocultural issues and educational flaws within the country’s destructive college environments. Inner turbulence of the typical college age individual fluctuates in accordance with the perceived successes and failures of his or her social interactions during this critical period of self-adjustment and identity formation, and writers who depict these struggles discerningly connect fact and fiction. As F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Amory Blaine observes in This Side of Paradise (1920), from city to city across America, college youths create “one vast juvenile intrigue”—a uniquely defined subculture of American life informed by the nature of its colleges (67)

The role of charge and proton transfer in fragmentation of hydrogen-bonded nanosystems: the breakup of ammonia clusters upon single photon multi-ionization

The charge and proton dynamics in hydrogen-bonded networks are investigated using ammonia as a model system. The fragmentation dynamics of medium-sized clusters (1-2 nm) upon single photon multi-ionization is studied, by analyzing the momenta of small ionic fragments. The observed fragmentation pattern of the doubly- and triply- charged clusters reveals a spatial anisotropy of emission between fragments (back-to-back). Protonated fragments exhibit a distinct kinematic correlation, indicating a delay between ionization and fragmentation (fission). The different kinematics observed for channels containing protonated and unprotonated species provides possible insights into the prime mechanisms of charge and proton transfer, as well as proton hopping, in such a nanoscale system.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure

Working Healthy Participants: Earning More & Costing Less

This Policy Brief summarizes research findings about the earnings, taxes paid, and Medicaid expenditures of people enrolled in Working Healthy using recently published data (Kurth, Fall, & Hall, 2008). In a nutshell, participants' earnings increased, as did the amounts of taxes and premiums they paid, while Medicaid costs per person decreased over tim

Trends and correlates of substance use disorders among probationers and parolees in the United States 2002–2014

BACKGROUND: Substance use and crime/recidivism are irrevocably linked. We explore the nuances of this association by highlighting the prevalence, trends, and correlates of substance use dsorders in a large group of probationers/parolees. METHODS: We examined SUDs among probationers and parolees in the United States using data from the National Study on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Logistic regression models were computed to examine eight distinct outcomes: alcohol abuse, illicit drug abuse, marijuana/hashish abuse, comorbid alcohol and illicit drug abuse, alcohol dependence, illicit drug dependence, marijuana/hashish dependence, and comorbid alcohol and illicit drug dependence. RESULTS: Probationers/parolees have high prevalence rates across all SUDs categories and these trends have been relatively constant. Prevalence rates for alcohol abuse and dependence are two to six times higher than for marijuana and other illicit drug abuse and dependence. Key correlates of substance abuse for probationers/parolees include: age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, income, risk propensity, crime/violence measures, and comorbid substance abuse. Similar correlates were found for substance dependence, in addition to employment and mental health treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that SUDs are higher among probationer/parolees as compared to their non-supervised counterparts − between four and nine times higher − and these levels have changed little in recent years. Effectively responding to SUDs in this population may enhance adherence to supervision requirements, prevent recidivism, and improve public safety. We may be better served using limited funds for further development of evidence-based policies and programs, such as drug courts, which demonstrate reductions in both drug use and recidivism

Understanding the Value Proposition as a Co-Created Claim

In this paper, the authors examine five cases of technology commercialization in terms of how entrepreneurs advance a specific kind of claim: the value proposition. The value proposition can describe the characteristics of the innovation itself (Goods-Dominant Logic) or propose how the innovation will cocreate value with stakeholders (Service-Dominant Logic); in the examined cases, the value proposition transitions between these two "logics," addressing different needs in the ongoing argument. We conclude by discussing the needs that each "logic" serves and the implications for better understanding entrepreneurship communication.IC2 Institut

Asset building: One way the ACA may improve health and employment outcomes for people with disabilities

Working-age individuals with disabilities are often forced to live in poverty to maintain Medicaid coverage. This study explored the relationship between having assets in excess of usual Medicaid limits and health and quality of life in a sample of Medicaid Buy-In participants. Using self-reported survey data, we compared groups with US$2,000 or less in cash assets (the usual Medicaid limit) and those with more than US$2,000. Participants with higher assets had significantly better health status and quality of life. Males, younger respondents, and respondents with intellectual disabilities were most likely to have higher assets. Although many Buy-Ins allow assets greater than US$2,000, assets are still capped for most individuals. The Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion does not limit assets in determining eligibility. Especially for younger individuals with disabilities, expansion coverage might allow greater asset accumulation and better health and quality of life, while avoiding lifelong dependence on disability programs.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The contents of this article were developed under a contract with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KHPA2007-055) and a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) Grant H133G100082

Transition to Medicare Part D: An Early Snapshot of Barriers Experienced by Younger Dual Eligibles With Disabilities

Transition to Medicare Part D affected not only 35.4 million elderly enrollees but also 6.4 million younger enrollees with disabilities, 2.5 million of whom have low incomes and previously obtained medications through Medicaid. Because Part D was conceived primarily as a benefit for elders, we sought to examine its effects on a dually eligible, younger group of beneficiaries who have significantly different, more expensive, and often unstable health conditions

Employment as a Health Determinant for Working-age, Dually-eligible People with Disabilities

Background: Individuals with disabilities are a health disparity population with high rates of risk factors, lower overall health status, and greater health care costs. The interacting effect of employment, health and disability has not been reported in the research. Objective: This study examined the relationship of employment to health and quality of life among people with disabilities. Methods: Self-reported survey data and secondary claims data analyses of 810 Kansans ages 18 to 64 with disabilities who were dually-eligible for Medicare and Medicaid; 49% were employed, with 94% working less than 40 hours per week. Statistical analyses included ANOVA for differences between the employed and unemployed groups’ health status, risk scores, and disease burdens; chi-square analyses for differences in prevalence of health risk behaviors and differences in quality of life by employment status; and logistic regression with health status measures to determine factors associated with higher than average physical and mental health status. Results: Findings indicated participants with any level of paid employment had significantly lower rates of smoking and better quality of life; self-reported health status was significantly higher, while per person per month Medicaid expenditures were less. Employment, even at low levels, was associated with better health and health behaviors as well as lower costs. Participants reported being discouraged from working by medical professionals and federal disability policies. Conclusions: Although cause-effect cannot be established from this study, findings strongly support changes to provider practices and federal disability policy to support employment at all levels for people with disabilities.Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KHPA2007-055), U.S. Department of Education, NIDRR grant number H133G10082-1

Short-lived and Long-lived Bone Marrow Plasma Cells Are Derived from a Novel Precursor Population

The contribution that long-lived bone marrow (BM) plasma cells (PCs) provide to enduring humoral immunity has been underscored by a number of recent studies. However, little is known about the immediate precursors that give rise to long-lived PCs in the BM of immune individuals. We have identified subsets of antigen-experienced B cells within the immune BM that are precursors to PCs. These PC precursors arise in the BM 14 days after immunization and persist for greater than 9 months. Phenotypically distinct subsets of PC precursors give rise to short-lived or long-lived PCs. The differentiation of PC precursors to PCs occurs in the absence of antigen and requires cell division. The functional significance of these newly identified PC precursors in the persistence and quality of the humoral immune response is discussed

Assessing factors associated with social connectedness in adults with mobility disabilities

Background People with mobility disabilities are likely to report limitations in community participation and social connectedness for a variety of reasons, including inaccessible physical environments, health issues, transportation barriers, and limited financial resources. Improving social connectedness is a public health issue and research shows its relation to overall health and life expectancy. Objective The purpose of this study was to (1) assess social activity, isolation, and loneliness among people with mobility disabilities compared to those with non-mobility disabilities and (2) understand factors associated with social connectedness among people with mobility disabilities. Methods An observational, cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from Wave 2 of the National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD) to test for differences between adults age 18–64 with mobility disabilities (n = 621) and those with other disabilities (n = 1535), in addition to tests within the mobility disability group. Results Adults with mobility disabilities were less likely than respondents from other disability groups to report feeling isolated (30.2% versus 35.2%), but these groups did not differ on measures of social activity or loneliness. Within the mobility disability group, being unemployed and in fair or poor health were predictive of greater loneliness, more isolation, and less satisfaction with social activity. Conclusions Social connectedness is an important public health issue. This research helps to inform service providers and medical professionals about the personal factors affecting social connectedness among people with mobility disabilities