Recent Articles
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Ethology and veterinary practice: Effect of person
Dr. Myrna Milani Pet CareWhy could putting a "Watch!" or "Aggressive!" label on a patient file backfire if the file included no supporting behavioral and bond information? This takes us to one of the unique factors that characterizes the natural environment of companion animals compared to their wild counterparts: they live in a human-controlled environment. However, long before homosapiens entered the scene, wild animals routinely shared their environments with animals belonging to different and similar species.
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New home sales rise as inventory shrinks
Michael J. Berens Construction & Building MaterialsA patch of blue has opened up in the murky waters clouding the prospects for the housing industry. Both new home starts and new home sales rose in June, the latter well above expectations. Builders received the news with guarded optimism, however, as a number of challenges still confront the industry. Among them, demand continues to outstrip availability as inventories shrink and prices rise.
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What does the association of the future look like?
Robert C. Harris Association ManagementDoes anybody know what the association of the future looks like? At the Institute for Organizational Management, offered by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, I have the opportunity to teach — or facilitate — a class entitled "Strong Associations for the Future." The elective is described as an environmental scan of challenges, opportunities and resources to better position organizations.
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Medical marijuana’s influence on Medicare drug spending
Dr. Denise A. Valenti Medical & Allied HealthcareIs the use of marijuana as a medical prescription treatment saving the government money? The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is one of the largest purchasers of prescription drugs in the U.S. The amount the government spends on prescription medications through Medicare Part D may have come down in states that allow for the use of marijuana as a treatment for several medical diagnoses, according to a recent study.
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Navigating a sea of words: An assessment of academic conversation
David Irwin EducationThe use of structured academic conversation in the classroom is becoming more sophisticated. However, many teachers are still unsure about how to assess the quality of the conversations. How do we know the students are talking about germane content, addressing the questions presented, and using the academic language skills targeted for that lesson? As with any lesson, we need assessment to know whether re-teaching is required, or if we can move on to new skills and content.
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Combating terror against the police
Bambi Majumdar Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityThe past few weeks have been tragic for America, as unspeakable acts of violence have been committed against police. However, the tension has been brewing for some time, and we have seen a lot of anti-police sentiments aired over social media for the past few years. As these hostile feelings intensified, many police activities and shootings have been highly scrutinized by the media and the general population, whether warranted or not.
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Pros and cons of retention pay: Employer and employee perspectives
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementRetention pay is a common tool in a total rewards toolkit. However, as discussed in the previous article of this series, the case of Kelly Rieves is breaking new ground on both who is offered retention pay and how it is offered. This week, we will review the pros and cons of this approach from the employer and the employee perspectives.
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Data analytics for the patient population
Christina Thielst Healthcare AdministrationTraditional electronic health records are designed around the care delivered during encounters with individual patients. However, incentives for improved outcomes, value, and expectations of those paying the bills, including patients and taxpayers, require more efficient and effective care processes and decision-making. These factors are driving a shift in the healthcare delivery system and the way we think about care processes.
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Tell your members what to say (but be careful)
Mark MacDonald Religious CommunityThe power of good communications is the ability to get people to understand the "main" benefit of something so they’ll share it. It’s what you want to be known for. Want people to come to your church? Tell your members what to say. Plant into their minds the key benefit of attending your church, and something that’s compelling enough to get someone else to try your house of worship. If you don't say it for them first, each will be tempted to say different things.
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Metals Thoughts: Two-legged stool
Brad Yates Natural ResourcesGold and silver are hanging somewhat precariously with some of the recent extreme momentum having come off a bit, and both the ETFs and futures markets turning into slight net sellers. I can make an argument either that it’s a respite for another leg higher (prices haven’t collapsed despite spec redux), or that we have a long way to go should buying support not emerge. I think the headlines, largely from central banks will be the determinants here, and all eyes are on the Fed in particular to see how they respond to the two incredibly noisy jobs reports we have seen recently.