Critical issues in library management : organizing for leadership and decision-making

Papers from the thirty-fifth Allerton Institute. [October 24-26, 1993]Includes bibliographical references

International housing partnership exchange

Housing

Introduction to Occasional Paper no. 198/199

published or submitted for publicatio

The economic crisis and community development finance: an industry assessment

For thirty years, the community development finance industry—banks, credit unions, loan funds, community development corporations, venture funds, microfinance institutions—has quietly provided responsible, well-designed and well priced credit to lower-income people and communities. These entities have provided this credit with the support of the federal government, through the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, the Low Income Housing and New Markets Tax Credits, the Small Business Association, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and various housing and facilities development programs. The industry has also been supported in its efforts by mainstream institutions such as banks and insurance companies, most frequently motivated by the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) or by concern that CRA-like obligations would be imposed. Philanthropic foundations and supporters and state and local governments have also played their parts. The result: a community development finance industry that has survived and even prospered during recessions and political downdrafts. But the field, and the communities, businesses, and individuals it serves, are hurting now, and fearing bigger hurt. This paper examines this situation and focuses attention on what needs to be done.

Equivalency and Reciprocity of Qualifications for LIS Professionals in a Web 2.0 Environment

In the age of Web 2.0 and globalization of information, the challenge of information professionals included the determination of equivalent educational experiences as professionals move more freely in the international information environment. Reciprocity of degrees among recognized LIS education program is one possible solution, but the establishment of an international program of reciprocity has been difficult up to this time. The authors discuss the background of efforts over a 30 year period to develop acceptable guidelines for international equivalency and reciprocity of qualifications for LIS professionals by IFLA and other library interests. The challenges of the latest IFLA effort our detailed and options provided in a 2.0 web environment are explored. The possibility that applying the principles of interactivity of the web in the 21st Century to provide a solution to the equivalency and reciprocity problem are analyzed and specific proposal are presented for discussion. The results of surveys of library education professionals are presented and specific proposal for the future are outlined

Ten years later: Has the blurring of the roles of cultural institutions helped or hurt libraries?

One of the most radical changes of the Digital Revolution has been the redefinition of libraries, museums and archives as cultural heritage institutions that serve a common function. This notion of a shared functionality is particularly apparent in the IMLS grant-funding guidelines, crucially important since the IMLS is a major funder of U.S. library and museums projects. The speakers ask whether these cultural institutions really have that much in common and whether the traditional mission of a library is being helped or hurt by this new approach.Ope

Meal fatty acids have differential effects on postprandial blood pressure and biomarkers of endothelial function but not vascular reactivity in postmenopausal women in the Randomized Controlled Dietary Intervention and VAScular function (DIVAS)-2 Study

Background: Elevated postprandial triacylglycerol concentrations, impaired vascular function and hypertension are important independent cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in women. However, the effects of meal fat composition on postprandial lipemia and vascular function in postmenopausal women are unknown. Objective: This study investigated the impact of sequential meals rich in saturated (SFAs), monounsaturated (MUFAs) or n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on postprandial flow-mediated dilatation (FMD, primary outcome measure), vascular function and associated CVD risk biomarkers (secondary outcomes) in postmenopausal women. Methods: A double-blind, randomized, cross-over, postprandial study was conducted with 32 postmenopausal women (58 ± 1 years, BMI 25.9 ± 0.7 kg/m2). After fasting overnight, participants consumed high-fat meals at breakfast (0 min; 50 g fat, containing 33-36 g SFAs, MUFAs or n-6 PUFAs) and lunch (330 min; 30 g fat, containing 19-20 g SFAs, MUFAs or n-6 PUFAs), on separate occasions. Blood samples were collected before breakfast and regularly after the meals for 480 min, with specific time points selected for measuring vascular function and blood pressure. Results: Postprandial FMD, laser Doppler imaging and digital volume pulse responses were not different after consuming the test fats. The incremental AUC (IAUC) for diastolic blood pressure was lower (-0.5-fold) after the MUFA than SFA-rich meals (P=0.009), with a similar trend for systolic blood pressure (-0.4-fold; P=0.012). This corresponded with a lower IAUC (-6.4-fold) for the plasma nitrite response after the SFA than MUFA-rich meals (P=0.010). The soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) time course profile, AUC and IAUC were lower after the n-6 PUFA than SFA and MUFA-rich meals (P≤0.001). Lipids, glucose and markers of insulin sensitivity did not differ between the test fats. Conclusions: Our study revealed a differential impact of meal fat composition on blood pressure, plasma nitrite and sICAM-1, but no effect on postprandial FMD or lipemia in postmenopausal women

Replacement of saturated with unsaturated fats had no impact on vascular function but beneficial effects on lipid biomarkers, E-selectin and blood pressure: results from the randomized, controlled Dietary Intervention and VAScular function (DIVAS) study

Background: Public health strategies to lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk involve reducing dietary saturated fatty acid (SFA) intake to ≤10% of total energy (%TE). However, the optimal type of replacement fat is unclear. Objective: We investigated the substitution of 9.5-9.6%TE dietary SFA with either monounsaturated (MUFA) or n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on vascular function and other CVD risk factors. Design: Using a randomized, controlled, single-blind, parallel group dietary intervention, 195 men and women aged 21-60 y with moderate CVD risk (≥50% above the population mean) from the United Kingdom followed one of three 16-wk isoenergetic diets (%TE target compositions, total fat:SFA:MUFA:n-6 PUFA): SFA-rich (36:17:11:4, n = 65), MUFA-rich (36:9:19:4, n = 64) or n-6 PUFA-rich (36:9:13:10, n = 66). The primary outcome measure was flow-mediated dilatation (%FMD); secondary outcome measures included fasting serum lipids, microvascular reactivity, arterial stiffness, ambulatory blood pressure, and markers of insulin resistance, inflammation and endothelial activation. Results: Replacing SFA with MUFA or n-6 PUFA did not significantly impact on %FMD (primary endpoint) or other measures of vascular reactivity. Of the secondary outcome measures, substitution of SFA with MUFA attenuated the increase in night systolic blood pressure (-4.9 mm Hg, P = 0.019) and reduced E-selectin (-7.8%, P = 0.012). Replacement with MUFA or n-6 PUFA lowered fasting serum total cholesterol (TC; -8.4% and -9.2%, respectively), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (-11.3% and -13.6%) and TC to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (-5.6% and -8.5%) (P ≤ 0.001). These changes in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol equate to an estimated 17-20% reduction in CVD mortality. Conclusions: Substitution of 9.5-9.6%TE dietary SFA with either MUFA or n-6 PUFA did not impact significantly on %FMD or other measures of vascular function. However, the beneficial effects on serum lipid biomarkers, blood pressure and E-selectin offer a potential public health strategy for CVD risk reduction