Support For Public Funding Research Articles

Villain and Visionary

This article is about the legacy of William Mulholland, engineer of the Los Angeles Aqueduct who was instrumental in building public support for funding and building the project. Supporters hail him as a masterful campaigner and visionary without whom Los Angeles could not have developed into a major city; detractors accuse him of swindling farmers in the Owens Valley out of money and water rights and a puppet of powerful real estate interests in Los Angeles who lied to the public to get voters to support the aqueduct.

Industrial perspective: capturing the benefits of genomics to Irish cattle breeding

Genomics is a technology for increasing the accuracy with which the genetic merit of young potential breeding animals can be determined. It enables earlier selection decisions, thus reducing generation intervals and gives rise to more rapid annual rates of genetic gain. Recently, the cost of genomics has reduced to the point where it enables breeding-program costs to be reduced substantially. Ireland has been a rapid adopter of genomics technology in its dairy-cattle breeding program, with 40% of dairy-cow artificial inseminations in 2010 being from bulls evaluated using genomic information. This rapid adoption has been facilitated by a comprehensive database of phenotypes and genotypes, strong public funding support for applied genomics research, an international network of collaborators, a short path between research and implementation, an overall selection index which farmers use in making breeding decisions, and a motivated and informed breeding industry. The shorter generation interval possible with genomic selection strategies also allows exploitation of the already accelerating rate of genetic progress in Ireland, because elite young dairy bulls are considerably superior to the small numbers of bulls that entered progeny test 6 years ago. In addition, genomics is having a dramatic impact on the artificial-insemination industry by substantially reducing the cost of entry, the cost of operation, and shifting the focus of breeding from bulls to cows. We believe that the current industry structures must evolve substantially if Irish cattle farmers are to realise the full benefits of genomics and be protected from related risks. Our model for future dairy breeding envisages a small number of ‘next generation research herds’, 1000 ‘bull breeder herds’ and an artificial-insemination sector using 30 new genomically selected bulls per year to breed the bulk of replacements in commercial milk-producing herds. Accurate imputation from a low-density to a higher-density chip is a key element of our strategy to enable dairy farmers to afford access to genomics. This model is capable of delivering high rates of genetic gain, realising cost savings, and protecting against the risks of increased inbreeding and suboptimal breeding goals. Our strategy for exploiting genomic selection for beef breeding is currently focussed on genotyping, using a high-density chip, a training population of greater than 2000 progeny-tested bulls representing all the main beef breeds in Ireland. We recognise the need for a larger training population and are seeking collaboration with organisations in other countries and populations.

P1-359 Public opinion of childcare providers in Alberta, Canada

ObjectiveTo assess public opinion about, and interactions with, childcare providers and programs.MethodsBetween September 2007 and March 2008, 1443 randomly selected adults living in Alberta, Canada, completed a telephone survey. Individuals...

The Struggle for Public Education in California: Introduction

When then-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger cut the California higher education budget by 20 percent in 2009, the largest protests erupted on University of California campuses than had been seen in the United States since the 1960s. The struggle for public education was the culmination of a state Republican Party that had for years maintained effective minority rule by grafting the tax wedge onto the racial wedge and a Democratic opposition that came to accept the description of public infrastructure as a “safety net” for society's alleged losers. University administrators themselves suppressed public support for public funding by touting privatization measures as significant solutions, though these represented only marginal revenue increases. The media was largely indifferent to faculty and staff protests about loss of pay and cuts to education but showed surprising sympathy to students' fears that the fee hikes would deny them access to a bachelor's degree. While UC administrators systematically denied that public funding cuts would seriously damage educational access for low-income students or students of color, student movements reconnected these issues, constantly noting the links between reduced funding, reduced access, and racial discrimination. Along with democratic consensus making and the place of nonviolence in protest tactics, race was also a key issue around which activist coalitions broke down. Despite movement infighting, the student struggle for public education forced a quietly antieducation governor to stop cutting the higher education sector, brought international attention to the decline of public higher education in the United States, and produced public sympathy for the beneficiaries of the public sector for one of the few times in recent decades.

Making sense of policy choices: understanding the roles of value predispositions, mass media, and cognitive processing in public attitudes toward nanotechnology

Using a nationally representative telephone survey of 1,015 adults in the United States, this study examines how value predispositions, communication variables, and perceptions of risks and benefits are associated with public support for federal funding of nanotechnology. Our findings show that highly religious individuals were less supportive of funding of nanotech than less religious individuals, whereas individuals who held a high deference for scientific authority were more supportive of funding of the emerging technology than those low in deference. Mass media use and elaborative processing of scientific news were positively associated with public support for funding, whereas factual scientific knowledge had no significant association with policy choices. The findings suggest that thinking about and reflecting upon scientific news promote better understanding of the scientific world and may provide a more sophisticated cognitive structure for the public to form opinions about nanotech than factual scientific knowledge. Finally, heuristic cues including trust in scientists and perceived risks and benefits of nanotech were found to be associated with public support for nanotech funding. We conclude with policy implications that will be useful for policymakers and science communication practitioners.

Status Quo and Future Challenges for the Research Infrastructure in the Field of Culture

The term “culture” is notorious for the multitude of its meanings. This expertise strictly focuses on culture in terms of the arts. We adopt a sociological as well as an economic perspective. Research questions are subdivided into three spheres of action: artistic production and its organization; the distribution and valuation of culture; and the consumption and reception of culture. The data requirements and the availability of adequate data vary substantively, depending on artistic branches (music, performing arts, etc.) and specific research questions. In order to make the empirical investigation of culture a flourishing field, we recommend the following improvements of the data infrastructure: firstly, comprehensive surveys of artists on the one hand and cultural consumption on the other hand should be carried out with the support of public funding; secondly, a national cultural statistic should be established, illuminating the size, impact and evolution of the cultural sector in comparative perspective; thirdly, the public availability of organization-level data as well as communal surveys on cultural production and consumption issues should be improved; fourthly, the transparency of existing data sources and their accessibility should be improved by archiving them centrally, e.g. at the ZA.

Combat Injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan Help Rewrite the Book on War Surgery

man DJ et al. JAMA. 2009;301[13]: 1367-1372). The recommendations, which reflect these individuals’ personal opinions, not those of their respective organizations, include a suggested ban on branded gifts (such as bags at organizations’ meetings) and an end to medical organizations’ collaboration with company-sponsored satellite symposia (which may include continuing medical education). The report also recommends that associations seek nonindustry funding sources. Cutting industry funding may require cuts in programs as well, noted the authors, who acknowledged that such funding may make up a substantial portion of organizations’ budgets. James H. Scully Jr, MD, one of the authors and medical director and CEO of the APA, said in a press conference that physicians may need to pay more for their continuing education, as other professionals do. There also may be some political support for public funding of physician education. On April 1, legislators in the House of Representatives and the Senate introduced the Independent Drug Education and Outreach Act. The bill would provide grants to produce and disseminate unbiased educational materials for physicians on the safety, efficacy, and costs of medications. Funding for these grants could come from the $400 million in stimulus funding that the Department of Health and Human Services received to develop and disseminate comparative effectiveness research, according to the sponsors of the bill. In the meantime, associations cutting industry funding are making their own adjustments. The APA’s decision means a loss of more than $1 million in annual income, Stotland estimated. This lost revenue, as well as a dip in the organization’s reserves caused by the economic downturn, is being offset by a simultaneous effort to lower the costs of governing the group. Stotland said that the organization has cut staff, decreased the number of working groups and committees by at least one-third, tightened the assembly’s budget by 20%, and reduced the number of assembly meetings from 2 to 1 per year. “We anticipate we can get at least as much work done and as much, if not more, member involvement by having electronic meetings or member forums through our Web sites,” she said. She added that she and her colleagues are hopeful no cuts to services or educational programs will be necessary.

The physiology and pathophysiology of the hyperbaric and diving environments

human exposure to the challenges of the underwater world has been traced back thousands of years (e.g., the diving women of Japan). However, the last century has seen an acceleration of activities with disparate foci on the “Silent World.” The variety and beauty of marine life attract growing

Insights into public preferences for pharmaceutical funding

PurposeTaxes are used to subsidise the public use of pharmaceuticals in some countries. This paper seeks to quantify criteria considered important by the Australian public for allocating resources for pharmaceuticals.Design/methodology/approachA discrete choice experiment (DCE) was administered to two samples of adults in Australia. A forced choice design was used in a pilot study, but an opt‐out option was included in the main study to avoid forcing choice. Data were analysed using multinomial logit.FindingsFor the levels and units presented in the DCE, quality of life (QoL) after treatment was the most important attribute in both the pilot and main studies, followed by survival after treatment and the chance of success for a given pharmaceutical. Cost to the government was of little importance in the pilot study, but was of importance in the main study.Practical implicationsBy understanding public preferences, marketers can tailor pharmaceutical offerings that appeal to the public and to relevant pharmaceutical funding bodies when making submissions, thus increasing the likelihood of receiving public funding support. Understanding public preferences allows public policy‐makers to direct resources towards those medical technologies which are likely to give the greatest overall societal benefit.Originality/valueThis study shows the simultaneous importance of survival, QoL, chance of success and cost to public preferences for pharmaceutical funding. Cost (tax) signals suggest the public are willing to limit the amount they expect the government to pay for effective pharmaceuticals.

Does Open Access Really Make Sense? A Closer Look at Chemistry, Economics, and Mathematics

This article briefly reviews concepts and models associated with open access publishing. It provides a set of data about the frequency of public funding support for research published in leading journals in the disciplines of Chemistry, Economics, and Mathematics. Funding differences by discipline are highlighted. The authors’ intent is not to draw broad conclusions but simply to inform the wider discussion of open access.

A dynamic general equilibrium analysis of the political economy of public education

The primary objective of this paper is to highlight the distinct roles of altruism and of self-interest in the political determination of a public education policy. I assess the relative importance of three factors in the determination of the equilibrium level of this policy: altruism, the impact of public funding of education on social security benefits, and its impact on factor prices. I then focus on the impact of implementing a social security system on the equilibrium levels of education funding and on welfare. I find that although in the benchmark economy, the presence of social security might generate support for public funding of education, its overall effect on the well-being of individuals is negative for any level of social security taxation.

Issues and Dilemmas in Faith-Based Social Service Delivery

The role of religiously affiliated organizations and congregations as social service providers has received increasing attention during a period of governmental support for public funding of faith-based social services. The current policy initiative provides a context for exploration of issues and dilemmas in service delivery that may arise in such settings. Findings from a multi-method evaluation of The Salvation Army of Greater Philadelphia, a long-standing, religiously affiliated organization, provides a window through which to view issues reflective of those that may be encountered in other faith-based organizations.

Liberalism, Group Rights and the Boundaries of Toleration: The Case of Minority Religious Schools in Ontario

Drawing on the proliferating literature on multiculturalism, this article provides a theoretical and critical argument in support of public funding for minority cultural schools, as well as a critique of the Ontario Conservative government's proposal in 2001 to extend tax credits to parents who enroll their children in private schools in Ontario. It argues that governments in Canada committed to the idea of multiculturalism have an obligation to promote the maintenance and flourishing of minority cultures through education and financial support. The article first outlines and refutes neutralist liberal arguments against public funding for minority religious and culturally education, and demonstrates what is meant by a right to culture and the attendant duties such rights impose on the state. It then raises and responds to concerns about such cultural pluralist policies and suggests ways to balance group demands for public funding with other values the state wishes to support. It argues that the Ontario government's proposal to provide tax credits for private education without regulation does not respond to concerns about balancing the right to culture and teaching liberal citizenship values, and offers alternative policy recommendations in the conclusion.

Suggestions for a Modified Approach Towards Implementation and Assessment of Ganga Action Plan and Other Similar River Action Plans in India

Abstract In India, the implementation of river-cleaning operations through River Action Plans (RAPs) conventionally focuses on a reduction in concentrated or point sources of organic loading to the river, and is assessed by monitoring the consequent improvement in river water quality. However, in the case of Indian rivers or river stretches having substantial background pollution due to distributed or non-point loading of organic matter and nutrients, elimination of point sources of pollution may not substantially impact or improve river water quality. It is suggested that implementation of River Action Plans in India under such circumstances must be conducted using a multi-tier approach. The initial emphasis in such cases should be on the selection of priority stretches of the river, where pollution control will have maximum beneficial impact on the citizens, and interception and diversion of all concentrated or point loads of pollution from these stretches. In addition, measures to minimize non-point pollution and visible pollution to the river and initiation of riverfront restoration and development projects are necessary in these priority stretches. Such measures would result in aesthetic improvements, increase the beneficial uses of the river and its surroundings, and generate favorable public perception towards RAPs, though they may not be sufficient to enhance the river water quality to the desired levels. However, as a result of the above actions, public support for funding more expensive and longer-term river cleaning schemes, resulting in comprehensive reduction in organic and nutrient loading to the river from point and non-point sources all along its length, may be generated. The need for this alternative methodology for implementation and assessment of RAPs in India has been illustrated by taking the example of the Ganga Action Plan (GAP) and assessment of its implementation near the city of Kanpur in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, as a test case.

Government Relations with Faith-Based Non-Profit Social Agencies in Alberta

The push to privatize government services and generally retrench the welfare state has increased the Canadian governments' interest in a robust non-profit sector. In Alberta, as in many other provinces, gov ernments have argued that churches and religious non-profit agencies should shoulder more responsibility for social and other services.1 In the United States, President George Bush has set off widespread de bate with his support for public funding for faith-based organizations. This debate has also stimulated heated discussions of the merits and

Must Liberal Support for Separate Schools be Subject to a Condition of Individual Autonomy?

A liberal state based on propositions about the desirability of individual autonomy is bound to be committed to educational programmes which are incompatible with the beliefs and values of parents from non-liberal religious and cultural minorities. One response to this has been support for public funding of those separate schools which offer an education culturally congruent with the values of parents in non-liberal communities. To resolve the potential threat to liberal individualist ideals a condition of support for individual autonomy is usually attached to liberal acceptance of this solution. This condition is in conflict with the motivation which underpins the setting up of such schools. Despite the growing literature on this debate surprisingly little attention has been given to the work of Isaiah Berlin. This article draws on Berlin's version of liberalism developed within the context of a commitment to value pluralism in order to seek clarification of this liberal dilemma.

The Future of U.S. Science Policy

Although the United States' science and technology enterprise has achieved enormous success, it is essentially operating on autopilot. The policies that Vannevar Bush outlined in his 1945 report Science—The Endless Frontier , still, to a large extent, guide the research enterprise. The context in which science and technology presently operate, however, has changed remarkably since publication of The Endless Frontier. At the end of World War II, public support for funding of science was seen as critical in ensuring our nation's defense; the end of the Cold War has brought with it a vacuum in terms of a national imperative to justify research funding. Furthermore, the continuing increase in the cost of federal entitlements has caused decreases in federal research and development spending. The federal government cannot fund every worthwhile scientific project; thus, a policy for determining priorities is essential. The changes are not limited to funding. Today, for example, the link between basic and applied research seems neither as clear nor as unidirectional as was once thought. Some large-scale scientific projects require more international participation. U.S. students are turning their backs on Ph.D. programs, seemingly viewing them as the training grounds for professions only some of them can enter. Our country's citizens are alarmingly scientifically illiterate in an era when the economy is increasingly driven by technology-based industries. In addition, as was pointed out in a recent editorial ( Science 23 May, [p. 1175][1]), much of the scientific community remains unversed in political realities. These new times require us to reformulate our national science policy. I have been given that charge by House Speaker Newt Gingrich and House Science Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, who have also asked me to undertake a review of science and math education. Both will be bipartisan projects conducted within the auspices of the Science Committee, with recommendations stimulating a “national debate in Congress on science policy,” according to Chairman Sensenbrenner. It is important that such a policy be concise so it does not die of its own weight, as some previous attempts have. It must be comprehensive enough to encompass government, universities, and industry, and their relationships to science, technology, and engineering, and to each other. Finally, it must be coherent in that the parts must fit together; it must be a usable guide for Congress. To succeed, it is crucial that the policy be approved by the House, the Senate, and, ideally, the White House. George Brown, the ranking minority member of the House Science Committee, summed up the present situation by saying, “We don't have a science policy; we have a budget policy.” It is time to wipe the slate clean and decide on a future-based vision of where science can, and should, take the nation. Gingrich, in a recent speech to a group of scientists, urged us not to take the approach of working around the margins of our existing system when he said, “Give me a mission which will mobilize a nation … then make it my problem to go out and figure out how to find the money for it.” Thus, I ask each of you, “What are the most important intellectual challenges rising over the scientific horizon in the next half century? What will be the biggest problems facing our nation and our planet in the future, and how can science and technology help overcome or avoid them? What should our scientific and technological enterprise strive to be 10, 20, or 50 years from now? And what changes do we need to make in our present system in order to get there?” I do not ask these questions rhetorically. In October I heard from a number of leaders in science about where we need to go from here. Last month I met with a group of scientists in the early stages of their careers to obtain their perspective. And this spring, the Science Committee intends to hold hearings addressing these questions. I seek your input, too. You can contribute—as individuals, scientific societies,[*][2] or institutions—via the policy study's Web site at [http://www.house.gov/science/science\_policy\_study.htm][3], which will be periodically updated with our progress and with specific requests for your contributions. Science has changed since 1945, and so has the world. It is time to address these changes and chart our course correspondingly. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.276.5316.1175 [2]: #fn-1 [3]: http://www.house.gov/science/science_policy_study.htm

Chemistry in Agriculture and Its Relation to Small Business

EARLY in the history of the United States as a nation, it was recognized that the scientific development of agriculture would require the support of public funds. This concept of the necessity for ...