Funding the Extraordinary: An Evaluation of The Kresge Foundation Arts and Culture Program's Institutional Capitalization Grantmaking

In undertaking an assessment of Kresge's Capitalization Program, NFF applied its own high-level framework to help answer Kresge's primary research questions and assess the progress of each grantee in meeting its stated capital targets. NFF has found that effective capitalization in the nonprofit sector requires attention to three key financial priorities: liquidity, adaptability and durability:1. Liquidity: Does the organization have adequate cash to meet its operating needs?2. Adaptability: Does the organization have flexible funds that allow it to make adjustments as circumstances change?3. Durability: Does the organization have sufficient resources to address the range of needs that it may face in future years?NFF's review of Kresge's grantees sought to assess capitalization by looking for evidence of organizational progress in building liquid funds for immediate operating needs, as well as longer-term balance sheet savings for adaptability and durability. NFF's evaluation of grantees involved a combination of data analysis and interviews

Research into display sharing techniques for distributed computing environments

The X-based Display Sharing solution for distributed computing environments is described. The Display Sharing prototype includes the base functionality for telecast and display copy requirements. Since the prototype implementation is modular and the system design provided flexibility for the Mission Control Center Upgrade (MCCU) operational consideration, the prototype implementation can be the baseline for a production Display Sharing implementation. To facilitate the process the following discussions are presented: Theory of operation; System of architecture; Using the prototype; Software description; Research tools; Prototype evaluation; and Outstanding issues. The prototype is based on the concept of a dedicated central host performing the majority of the Display Sharing processing, allowing minimal impact on each individual workstation. Each workstation participating in Display Sharing hosts programs to facilitate the user's access to Display Sharing as host machine

Meat Consumption Patterns and Intentions for Change Among Finnish Consumers

During the past few decades, meat has increasingly become a subject of controversies relating to health and safety, environment, and animal welfare. Even though these changes in perceptions of meat are not yet visible in aggregate consumption figures, they can be observed in individual consumption patterns and as intentions to change the consumption. In this study, we examine changes in meat consumption among the Finnish consumers taking into account both stated changes in the past and intended changes in the future. Based on these changes, we identify consumer segments and investigate in which ways these segments differ from each other socio-demographically and with respect to current meat consumption and the stated reasons for the change. The latent class analysis based on representative Internet survey data revealed nine consumer clusters that formed three cluster blocks. The results showed that a large number of people, over 40%, had stabile consumption patterns. A cluster block of 14% of consumers had already shifted their consumer patterns to contain more vegetables and less meat. One third of the consumers were identified to be in the middle of the change with a general tendency to decrease the use of meat and increase the use of vegetables. Although, environmental effects of meat and animal welfare issues were important reasons for change in some clusters, healthiness was the most salient stated reason for change in consumption habits.Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Livestock Production/Industries,

Building the content of CSR in the food chain with a stakeholder dialogue

The paper is concerned with the content of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the food supply chains. The objective is to build the content of CSR in the food chain with a stakeholder dialogue. The research project takes an action oriented approach and is based on case studies. The project draws on three different case food products and their supply chains: rye bread, broiler chicken products and margarine. The content of CSR is constructed in interaction between researchers, consumers, companies and their interest groups. The research project combines the compilation and analysis of extensive information sources, constructive technology assessment and stakeholder workshops. The paper presents how the research process is proceeding in a dialogue with researchers, representatives of case companies, consumers and other stakeholders and provides results on important CSR issues related to the case food products and their supply chains.Corporate social responsibility, supply chain, stakeholders, Agribusiness,

Consumers' choice of broiler meat in Finland: the effects of country of origin and production methods

Among consumers there is an increasing interest and concern about the ways food is produced. This calls for the poultry industry to differentiate their products and production methods to directions valued by the consumers. In this study we use choice experiment to analyse the importance of broiler production method and the country of origin for the Finnish consumers. In the experiment, we offer several alternatives for regular broiler, including products that have been produced using organic methods, as well as products produced by emphasising animal welfare or consumer health aspects. The conditional logit model of consumer preferences for broiler meat in Finland revealed the very strong positive perceptions of domestically produced broiler products. Although the effect of production method was minor it also had an impact on consumer choice behaviour, particularly emphasising animal welfare in production increased the choice probability. The latent class analysis revealed the heterogeneity of consumer preferences but did not facilitate profiling the consumer groups based on socioeconomic data.Choice experiment, latent class analysis, preference heterogenity, Demand and Price Analysis, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Finnish agriculture and rural industries 2007

The report consists of following topics: operating environment of agriculture, agricultural and food market, agricultural policy, economic situation of agriculture, agriculture and the environment, rural and regional policy, special topics: biogas etc

Redefining the European Union’s Position in the Emerging Multipolar World: Strong Global Leadership Potential, Restrained by Asymmetry of Power and Dissonant Voices

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HIP ADDUCTOR VS. HIP ABDUCTOR STRENGTH RATIO IN PATIENTS WITH LOW BACK PAIN

The objective of this study is to test for differences in hip abductor and hip adductor musculature in patients with and without low back pain (LBP). Concurrently, the researchers will produce a strength ratio measurement for the corresponding muscles in both healthy and LBP populations. No conclusions have been drawn between the difference in strength of the hip adductor and hip abductor muscles in those with and without LBP. In many studies, research has shown a decrease in strength of the hip abductors in patients with LBP. The hip abductors also have important roles is stabilizing the pelvis while walking. The hip adductors attach to the pubic symphysis and assist in stabilizing the pelvis. Due to the ability to activate and assist with hip and leg motions, the adductor muscles may have an effect on controlling hip motion to reduce LBP and sacroiliac dysfunction. However, it is unknown how the hip adductors respond in those with LBP. The participants in this study were allocated into either a control or experimental group based on the inclusion criteria. For the control group, the participant must have no pain, 0% on the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), 0 on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and be between the age of 18-40. For the experimental group, the participant must have at least a 3 on the VAS, 20-40% on the ODI, qualified 3 out of 4 of the clinical predictor rules for LBP, and between the age of 18-40. Those with previous surgeries, a specific diagnosis of LBP, or current pregnancy, were excluded from the study. Participants will perform a straight leg raise (SLR) for hip adduction and hip abduction of both legs. Participants are instructed to perform a SLR at maximal force 3 times in both directions on each leg. Data will be recorded using a hand-held dynamometer connected to a belt to enforce an immoveable object. The highest value of the 3 trails will be used, and strength values will be normalized to sex. The researchers hypothesize there will be observable differences between both groups in the hip adductors and hip abductors. We expect to see the hip adductors increase in strength in order to stabilize the femur in participants with LBP. This information will allow a calculated ratio measurement to be created and provide essential information in aiding future LBP rehabilitation and treatment

Basic design and simulation of a SPECT microscope for in vivo stem cell imaging

The need to understand the behavior of individual stem cells at the various stages of their differentiation and to assess the resulting reparative action in pre-clinical model systems, which typically involves laboratory animals, provides the motivation for imaging of stem cells in vivo at high resolution. Our initial focus is to image cells and cellular events at single cell resolution in vivo in shallow tissues (few mm of intervening tissue) in laboratory mice and rates. In order to accomplish this goal we are building a SPECT-based microscope. We based our design on earlier theoretical work with near-field coded apertures and have adjusted the components of the system to meet the real-world demands of instrument construction and of animal imaging. Our instrumental design possesses a reasonable trade-off between field-of-view, sensitivity, and contrast performance (photon penetration). A layered gold aperture containing 100 pinholes and intended for use in coded aperture imaging application has been designed and constructed. A silicon detector connected to a TimePix readout from the CERN collaborative group was selected for use in our prototype microscope because of its ultra-high spatial and energy resolution capabilities. The combination of the source, aperture, and detector has been modeled and the coded aperture reconstruction of simulated sources is presented in this work