Training Critically Conscious Educators: Bolivian Women in Popular Education

This study examines how the Education Office of the Oficina Jurídica Para la Mujer [Women’s Legal Office] (OJM), a community-based popular education organization in Cochabamba, Bolivia, works with women to address personal, legal and policy issues through local leadership training and popular education methodology, demonstrating a powerful model for achieving individual, family, community and societal change

The Role Of Women In Popular Education In Bolivia

In the face of poverty and long-term political instability in Bolivia, many adult educators are working towards social justice, focusing students on economic opportunities and maintaining their indigenous culture. The process is complex and often compounded by the sociocultural context in which the learning takes place, particularly when examining education and justice for women and minorities. However, in cases when the educational model takes daily life within local cultures into account (popular education), true learning and change can be seen

A Pilot Study of Methylphenidate Preference Assessment in Children Diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective: The use of methylphenidate (MPH) in the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is widely accepted; however, there is increased concern regarding its abuse potential. Few studies have examined the reinforcing effects of drugs in individuals receiving them for clinical purposes. This study attempts to assess MPH preference in children with ADHD using a choice procedure in order to explore the relationship among drug preference, clinical efficacy, and abuse potential. Methods: Participants were 5 children (10–14 years of age) receiving MPH for the treatment of ADHD. Reinforcing effects were assessed using a double-blind choice procedure, with six sampling sessions and six choice sessions. Participant-rated effects were measured using self-report questionnaires. Clinical effects were measured using direct observations and behavior ratings. Results: Differences between the number of MPH, Placebo, and Neither choices across participants were significant (X 2 = 9.6; p < 0.01). Three of five participants reliably chose MPH more often than placebo. MPH produced idiosyncratic patterns of participant-rated effects but failed to produce significant clinical effects. Conclusions: These findings add to the literature on the reinforcing effects of MPH and are the first reported in a clinical sample of children. Further research exploring the role of clinical efficacy in MPH preference is warranted.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/63388/1/cap.2005.15.729.pd

Dendrites differ from axons in patterns of microtubule stability and polymerization during development

BACKGROUND: Dendrites differ from axons in patterns of growth and development, as well as in morphology. Given that microtubules are key structural elements in cells, we assessed patterns of microtubule stability and polymerization during hippocampal neuron development in vitro to determine if these aspects of microtubule organization could distinguish axons from dendrites. RESULTS: Quantitative ratiometric immunocytochemistry identified significant differences in microtubule stability between axons and dendrites. Most notably, regardless of developmental stage, there were high levels of dynamic microtubules throughout the dendritic arbor, whereas dynamic microtubules were predominantly concentrated in the distal end of axons. Analysis of microtubule polymerization using green fluorescent protein-tagged EB1 showed both developmental and regional differences in microtubule polymerization between axons and dendrites. Early in development (for example, 1 to 2 days in vitro), polymerization events were distributed equally in both the anterograde and retrograde directions throughout the length of both axons and dendrites. As development progressed, however, polymerization became biased, with a greater number of polymerization events in distal than in proximal and middle regions. While polymerization occurred almost exclusively in the anterograde direction for axons, both anterograde and retrograde polymerization was observed in dendrites. This is in agreement with predicted differences in microtubule polarity within these compartments, although fewer retrograde events were observed in dendrites than expected. CONCLUSION: Both immunocytochemical and live imaging analyses showed that newly formed microtubules predominated at the distal end of axons and dendrites, suggesting a common mechanism that incorporates increased microtubule polymerization at growing process tips. Dendrites had more immature, dynamic microtubules throughout the entire arbor than did axons, however. Identifying these differences in microtubule stability and polymerization is a necessary first step toward understanding how they are developmentally regulated, and may reveal novel mechanisms underlying neuron maturation and dendritic plasticity that extend beyond the initial specification of polarity

Solar PV Project Financing: Regulatory and Legislative Challenges for Third-Party PPA System Owners

Residential and commercial end users of electricity who want to generate electricity using on-site solar photovoltaic (PV) systems face challenging initial and O&M costs. The third-party ownership power purchase agreement (PPA) finance model addresses these and other challenges. It allows developers to build and own PV systems on customers? properties and sell power back to customers. However, third-party electricity sales commonly face five regulatory challenges. The first three challenges involve legislative or regulatory definitions of electric utilities, power generation equipment, and providers of electric services. These definitions may compel third-party owners of solar PV systems to comply with regulations that may be cost prohibitive. Third-party owners face an additional challenge if they may not net meter, a practice that provides significant financial incentive to owning solar PV systems. Finally, municipalities and cooperatives worry about the regulatory implications of allowing an entity to sell electricity within their service territories. This paper summarizes these challenges, when they occur, and how they have been addressed in five states. This paper also presents alternative to the third-party ownership PPA finance model, including solar leases, contractual intermediaries, standardized contract language, federal investment tax credits, clean renewable energy bonds, and waived monopoly powers

Assessing methylphenidate preference in ADHD patients using a choice procedure

Methylphenidate (MPH) is widely used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and is associated with positive clinical effects across a wide range of domains. Despite the clinical effectiveness of MPH, concern has arisen with respect to its abuse potential.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46361/1/213_2004_Article_1838.pd