Colorado: Round 1 - State-Level Field Network Study of the Implementation of the Affordable Care Act

This report is part of a series of 21 state and regional studies examining the rollout of the ACA. The national network -- with 36 states and 61 researchers -- is led by the Rockefeller Institute of Government, the public policy research arm of the State University of New York, the Brookings Institution, and the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania.Colorado is one of fourteen states and the District of Columbia that elected to operate a state-based health insurance exchange and to expand Medicaid in 2014 as part of the rollout of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). These decisions are consistent with Colorado's approach to health care reform. Before the ACA was signed into law in 2010, the state had made incremental expansions in Medicaid eligibility and laid the groundwork for an insurance marketplace

Additive and synergistic relations of early mother-child and caregiver-child interactions for predicting later achievement.

This study examines associations between stimulating-responsive social interactions with mothers and nonparental childcare providers during the first 3 years of life and children's vocabulary and mathematics skills through age 15 (N = 1,364). Additive relations were found in which more stimulating-responsive interactions with mothers and with caregivers were linked to higher mathematics achievement in childhood and adolescence. More stimulating-responsive early interactions with mothers were also associated with larger child vocabularies through age 15. Synergistic relations, consistent with the dual-risk hypothesis, also were found. Children whose early interactions with both mothers and caregivers were low in stimulation and responsivity had substantially lower mathematics skills. Implications for early childhood interventions and policies are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)

Molecular Studies On The Anti-Tumor Effects Of Metal-Based Complexes: Involvement Of The Ubiquitin-Proteasome And Apoptotic Pathways

The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is crucial to normal cellular function, and as such, has been extensively investigated as a potential target for cancer therapeutics. Many compounds have been tested for their proteasome inhibitory ability, including various small peptide aldehydes, and, following the success of cisplatin, several metal-containing complexes. The efficacy of these compounds in preclinical studies ultimately resulted in the development and approval of the first-in-class proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, the use of which, unfortunately, has been hindered by toxicity and resistance. These limitations have led to a massive push toward designing and developing new, less toxic proteasome inhibitors for clinical use. The discovery more than twenty years ago that the heme-synthesis enzyme ä-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) possesses proteasome inhibitory activity revealed another potential approach for targeting the UPP in cancer. However, this discovery predated the initial investigation into proteasome inhibition as a therapeutic strategy, so a surprising lack of research into the relationship between ALAD and the proteasome exists. Therefore, further investigation into this relationship is necessary. Taken together, these observations validate the proteasome as a viable chemotherapeutic target. Additionally, novel agents that target not only the proteasomal core, but also other factors involved in the pathway, including E3s like XIAP which are also critical components of the apoptotic cascade, as well as potential endogenous inhibitors like ALAD. The data presented in this dissertation suggest a novel interaction between the 20S proteasomal core and ALAD, which results in proteasome inhibition and tumor cell growth suppression, suggesting that targeting this relationship is a promising approach for cancer treatment. Additionally, a series of new metal-based complexes with various metal centers, including cobalt, gold, gallium and the copper chelator nitroxoline were shown to be potent inhibitors of the proteasome in several cancer cell lines and tumor xenograft models. Furthermore, proteasome inhibition was also revealed as a secondary mechanism of cell death for mercury-containing species. Finally, zinc chelation was explored as a strategy for inducing apoptosis via degradation of the E3 ligase X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP). Collectively, these data confirm the potential of the UPP as an anticancer target and substantiate several factors within the pathway as viable druggable targets

The Potentiality of Space Enterprise Force Reconstitution: Nationalizing Civilian Satellites during Kinetic Conflicts

This article will discuss the possibility of employing a policy of civilian satellite nationalization during a space war as a means of US Space Enterprise force re- constitution to ensure continued access to space capabilities necessary for the execution of the national strategy, as well as deterring potential adversaries from initiating counterspace hostilities. In terms of structure, the authors will examine the thesis by answering these questions. First, what historical precedent exists for the rapid military acquisition of civilian assets via nationalization? Second (given the unique nature of space as an operational environment), can that historical precedent be applied to space acquisitions? And, finally, could the nationalization of civilian space assets be used as a deterrent against potential adversaries? This article will answer these questions by utilizing a combination of historical investigation, space environment analysis, and scenario-­driven deterrence theory

Use of proteasome inhibitors in anticancer therapy

The importance of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway to cellular function has brought it to the forefront in the search for new anticancer therapies. The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway has proven promising in targeting various human cancers. The approval of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib for clinical treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma has validated the ubiquitin-proteasome as a rational target. Bortezomib has shown positive results in clinical use but some toxicity and side effects, as well as resistance, have been observed, indicating that further development of novel, less toxic drugs is necessary. Because less toxic drugs are necessary and drug development can be expensive and time-consuming, using existing drugs that can target the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in new applications, such as cancer therapy, may be effective in expediting the regulatory process and bringing new drugs to the clinic. Toward this goal, previously approved drugs, such as disulfiram, as well as natural compounds found in common foods, such as green tea polyphenol (-)-EGCG and the flavonoid apigenin, have been investigated for their possible proteasome inhibitory and cell death inducing abilities. These compounds proved quite promising in preclinical studies and have now moved into clinical trials, with preliminary results that are encouraging. In addition to targeting the catalytic activity of the proteasome pathway, upstream regulators, such as the 19S regulatory cap, as well as E1, E2, and E3, are now being investigated as potential drug targets. This review outlines the development of novel proteasome inhibitors from preclinical to clinical studies, highlighting their abilities to inhibit the tumor proteasome and induce apoptosis in several human cancers

Effect of classroom intervention on student food selection and plate waste: Evidence from a randomized control trial

peer-reviewedBackground U.S. children are failing to meet the recommended daily 4 cups of fruits and vegetables. New federal guidelines were implemented for healthier school lunches for the National School Lunch Programs (NSLP). Consequently, students waste large amounts of fruits and vegetables. Several organizations advocate implementation of classroom nutrition education programs as a school nutrition policy. Methods We conducted a randomized control trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a classroom nutrition education on food consumption behavior of public elementary school students. Our intervention was designed to improve students’ preferences for fruits and vegetables. We collected data using digital-photography, and estimated the amount of fruits and vegetables selected and wasted using ordinary least squares. Results The nutrition education program had no impact on the amount of fruits and vegetables selected by the students in the treatment group. We also find no significant difference in the amount of fruits and vegetables wasted by students in the treatment and control group. Conclusion Nutrition education did not change students’ consumption behavior, implying the proposed policy might not be optimal. Inducing a behavioral change in elementary school students is an intricate process and might require more than classroom lessons to change their dietary habits

The Brexit deterrent? How member state exit shapes public support for the European Union

What are the effects on public support for the European Union (EU) when a member state exits? We examine this question in the context of Britain's momentous decision to leave the EU. Combining analyses of the European Election Study 2019 and a unique survey-embedded experiment conducted in all member states, we analyse the effect of Brexit on support for membership among citizens in the EU-27. The experimental evidence shows that while information about the negative economic consequences of Brexit had no significant effect, positive information about Britain's sovereignty significantly increased optimism about leaving the EU. Our findings suggest that Brexit acts as a benchmark for citizens’ evaluations of EU membership across EU-27, and that it may not continue to act as a deterrent in the future

Strengthening school readiness for children at risk : evaluating self-regulation measures and an intervention using classroom games

In recent years, self-regulation has emerged as a foundational skill for academic success and well-being. Unfortunately, many children enter kindergarten without the self-regulation skills necessary to succeed. Children from high-risk backgrounds (e.g., low-income) are particularly vulnerable for difficulties in self-regulation development. Given these documented gaps in self-regulation, it has become critical to first identify children at risk for poor self-regulation and then work to improve these critical skills prior to school entry. This dissertation includes two studies that focus on strengthening self-regulation and school readiness for children at risk. The first study addressed measurement inconsistencies in the field by investigating the predictive utility among teacher-rated, observed, and directly assessed self-regulation skills to academic achievement in preschoolers. Results indicated significant, positive relationships for teacher-rated and directly assessed self-regulation for early math and literacy skills. Domain specific patterns emerged in our measurement comparisons in that teacher ratings were the strongest predictors of literacy, and the direct assessment was the strongest predictor of math. Observed behavioral self-regulation was not significantly related to either academic domain. Study 2 examined if children who participated in an 8-week intervention demonstrated greater gains in self-regulation and academic achievement over the preschool year compared to children in a control group. In addition, indirect intervention effects on achievement outcomes through self-regulation were explored. Finally, differential intervention effects for English language learners within a sample of children from low-income families were tested. Results indicated that children in the intervention group demonstrated greater gains in self-regulation over the preschool year compared to the control group. In addition, although there were no significant direct effects of the intervention on academic skills in the full sample, significant indirect intervention effects emerged on spring achievement through self-regulation. Finally, group comparisons revealed that the intervention was related to significant gains in math for children who were English language learners. Taken together, findings from the studies in this dissertation inform our understanding of self-regulation measurement and intervention, which is critical for helping children at risk for poor school readiness