Recommendations for Incorporating Postsecondary and Workforce Data into Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems

Outlines the need for data systems to assess educational transitions, completions, and labor market outcomes of adult students and workers in postsecondary, adult education, and skill development programs in order to strengthen policies and programs

Working Hard, Falling Short: America's Working Families and the Pursuit of Economic Security

Looks at the growing U.S. workforce segment encountering low wage earning jobs, without benefits. Explores options for providing worker preparation and support for advancing to higher paying jobs

Institutional analysis of energy provision in housing : a preliminary exploration

This paper, one of a series resulting from institutional analysis of photovoltaic (PV) acceptance, provides preliminary exploration of the energy industry in relation to energy provision in the residential sector. It is based on theoretical formulations and utilizes methods of institutional analysis developed in an earlier paper in this series. Seven institutional functions -- production, financing, regulation, political, research, service and socialization -- are reviewed as to the manner in which they are performed in the energy industry. The structure of the energy industry is described, as is the regulatory web within which its financial decisions are made and its operations conducted. The persistent and increasing activity of all levels of government in determining the practices of the energy industry is dis- cussed. The research section identifies recent efforts to develop alternative energy sources. The services section especially emphasizes the delivery of energy to residences, while the discussion of the social- ization function highlights the ways in which attitudes on energy availability and use are developed.Prepared under Dept. of Energy Contract no. EX-76-A-01-2295, Task order no.37

Oxidation of cellulose in pressurized carbon dioxide

This work presents first results upon oxidation of type II cellulose by nitrogen dioxide dissolved in carbon dioxide at high pressure. This reaction leads to oxidized cellulose, a natural-based bioresorbable fabric used for biomedical applications. The oxidation reaction takes place in a heterogeneous fluid–solid system. Kinetics of oxidation is presented here and effects of operating conditions such as pressure, temperature and initial moisture content of cellulose are investigated. Results are presented in terms of degree of oxidation of cellulose and quality of the final oxidized cellulose, which has been characterized using liquid-state and solid-state 13C NMR. The experimental results show the existence of possible secondary reactions which may lead to oxidized cellulose with insufficient mechanical strength. An attempt is made to evidence and understand the role of CO2 as a solvent in this system. Indeed, although supercritical CO2 appears to be a suitable candidate as a solvent for oxidation reactions, some inhibiting effect on nitrogen dioxide activity are observed in this case

Solar heating and cooling of housing : |b five institutional analysis case studies

This paper is one of a series resulting from institutional analysis of photovoltaic (PV) acceptance. The case studies reported here involve use of solar thermal technologies in various residential settings. All of the projects are part of the DOE-HUD Solar Heating and Cooling Demonstration Program. This program provides grants to developers to prompt them to use this innovation. Each of the five cases illustrates one or more institu- tional forces which influence the acceptance of solar energy in the resi- dential sector. Friends Community is an instance of developer involvement for reasons other than profit, and the way in which other factors (such as designers and consumers) react to such housing development. Reservoir Hills Solar Houses illustrates the process of entry by new development firms, the role of public agencies in encouraging various forms of housing and the problems of using product innovations without adequately developed industry support infrastructures. Project Solar for Indiana illustrates the import- ance of supporting institutional networks, in this case the homebuilders association, the state government and key individuals, who play mediating and legitimating roles in solar acceptance. Solar in California discusses public efforts at a city level -- Santa Clara, a county level -- San Diego, and the state level in what is generally regarded as the state most active in turning to forms of solar energy. Finally, PNM/AMREP illustrates the process of large development corporation decision making, and the manner in which an investor- owned utility is shifting its orientation of energy provision

Ovulatory and metabolic effects of D-chiro-inositol in the polycystic ovary syndrome

BACKGROUND Women with the polycystic ovary syndrome have insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia, possibly because of a deficiency of a d-chiro-inositol–containing phosphoglycan that mediates the action of insulin. We hypothesized that the administration of d-chiro-inositol would replenish stores of the mediator and improve insulin sensitivity. METHODS We measured steroids in serum and performed oral glucose-tolerance tests before and after the oral administration of 1200 mg of d-chiro-inositol or placebo once daily for six to eight weeks in 44 obese women with the polycystic ovary syndrome. The serum progesterone concentration was measured weekly to monitor for ovulation. RESULTS In the 22 women given d-chiro-inositol, the mean (±SD) area under the plasma insulin curve after the oral administration of glucose decreased from 13,417±11,572 to 5158±6714 μU per milliliter per minute (81±69 to 31±40 nmol per liter per minute) (P=0.007; P=0.07 for the comparison of this change with the change in the placebo group); glucose tolerance did not change significantly. The serum free testosterone concentration in these 22 women decreased from 1.1±0.8 to 0.5±0.5 ng per deciliter (38±28 to 17±17 pmol per liter) (P=0.006 for the comparison with the change in the placebo group). The women\u27s diastolic and systolic blood pressure decreased by 4 mm Hg (Pchiro-inositol ovulated, as compared with 6 of the 22 women in the placebo group (P\u3c0.001). CONCLUSIONS d-Chiro-inositol increases the action of insulin in patients with the polycystic ovary syndrome, thereby improving ovulatory function and decreasing serum androgen concentrations, blood pressure, and plasma triglyceride concentrations

Distal communication by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): evidence for common ground?

van der Goot et al. (2014) proposed that distal, deictic communication indexed the appreciation of the psychological state of a common ground between a signaler and a receiver. In their study, great apes did not signal distally, which they construed as evidence for the human uniqueness of a sense of common ground. This study exposed 166 chimpanzees to food and an experimenter, at an angular displacement, to ask, “Do chimpanzees display distal communication?” Apes were categorized as (a) proximal or (b) distal signalers on each of four trials. The number of chimpanzees who communicated proximally did not statistically differ from the number who signaled distally. Therefore, contrary to the claim by van der Goot et al., apes do communicate distally