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This paper discusses how principles of market transformation inform organizationalchange across the U.S. House of Representatives. By regarding the specific House procurement market as analogous to the general energy efficiency market, we are designing andimplementing a House green procurement program that benefits from market transformationphilosophies and methods.Driven by the Speaker's mandate to reduce the House's carbon footprint and resourceconsumption, the Chief Administrative Office (CAO) seeks to change House practices with aGreen Procurement program developed by the Green the Capitol office. The CAO controls thepurchase of most goods and services for the House itself and stands to influence procurementdecisions throughout the broad network of autonomous Congressional offices and legislativeagencies, including each Representative's DC and district offices, CAO vendors, and Housesupport agencies.An effective green procurement program must withstand inevitable political pressuresand changes in Congressional priorities. Based on the model of market transformation in energyefficiency markets, the House Green Procurement program applies similar tools to increasedemand for and availability of environmentally preferable products and services. Not only willthis approach transform the House procurement market, but it will stimulate enduring Housecontribution to a larger change in the market for green goods and services.

History and literature complement each other. The study of history can be beneficial to understanding literature, as literature can be beneficial to understanding history. Seamus Heaney's poetry concerning the Troubles can be better understood with a background in the history of the conflict as well as some knowledge about Heaney's own views. Through examining Heaney's poetry with history and biography in mind, a greater understanding of the poetry can be achieved. Through the reading of Heaney's poetry, a better insight into the personal side of the conflict can help the reader understand the conflict as well. The same applies to other literature; in using literature to remember the past, perhaps future conflict can be prevented. In order to influence others to read more about the Troubles and other conflicts, libraries can create book displays about them to generate awareness and create discussion that could be helpful in working toward peace.

While development-related conflicts are remarkably common in many regions, successful resolution of these conflicts, from the community perspective, is rare. The existing literature shows that early and sustained engagement with civil society has been key in securing better outcomes for communities, however, the activities and interventions of CSO networks that facilitate this are less clear. Based on more than a year of ethnographic field research in two communities engaged in protracted development-related conflicts in Cambodia, I find that through engagement with civil society networks, community members develop new understandings of development and development-related conflicts, particularly the role of the state in resolving or not resolving these conflicts, and awareness of potential solutions to those conflicts as well as of their own agency in seeking resolutions. These new understandings and agency enable community members to remain engaged in protracted conflicts, despite the high costs and barriers which increases the likelihood that the conflict will be resolved in ways that community members consider successful or at least less detrimental. The research indicates that sustained engagement with CSO networks, particularly local and regional CSOs, can help to ensure better outcomes for communities engaged in development-related conflicts in Southeast Asia. (JCSA/GIGA)

Sarah Jensen, Kaitlyn Pritzl, Pajarita Charles, Margaret Kerr, and Julie Poehlmann on maintaining kids' carceral connections.

ObjectiveIn this Lesson from the Field, we describe an intervention designed by our transdisciplinary team focusing on opportunities for enhanced parent–child visits when a parent is incarcerated in jail. We present implementation challenges and lessons learned from our pilot feasibility study.BackgroundSeparation from one's parent because of incarceration has become an increasingly common experience for U.S. children, with one in 14 children experiencing a coresident parent leaving for prison or jail. Parental incarceration is associated with elevated risk for less optimal child development outcomes, yet few evidence‐based interventions are available to mitigate this risk.ExperienceOur field experience underscores knowledge about intervention development and lessons learned in four areas: (a) use of visit coaching with jailed parents and caregivers, (b) application of video chat technology, (c) serving families holistically, and (d) developing family‐focused services in jails.Conclusion and ImplicationsOur study highlights the value of integrating multiple perspectives, ensuring flexibility with families, combining technology with enhanced support strategies, and collaborating with community organizations and government agencies. The intervention can be implemented without extensive training and can be useful across different family professionals working with families involved in the criminal justice system.

AbstractChildren living in low‐resource settings are at risk for failing to reach their developmental potential. While the behavioral outcomes of growing up in such settings are well‐known, the neural mechanisms underpinning poor outcomes have not been well elucidated, particularly in the context of low‐ and middle‐income countries. In this study, we measure brain metabolic responses to social and nonsocial stimuli in a cohort of 6‐ and 36‐month‐old Bangladeshi children. Study participants in both cohorts lived in an urban slum and were exposed to a broad range of adversity early in life including extreme poverty, malnutrition, recurrent infections, and low maternal education. We observed brain regions that responded selectively to social stimuli in both ages indicating that these specialized brain responses are online from an early age. We additionally show that the magnitude of the socially selective response is related to maternal education, maternal stress, and the caregiving environment. Ultimately our results suggest that a variety of psychosocial hazards have a measurable relationship with the developing social brain.

AbstractChildhood poverty has been associated with structural and functional alterations in the developing brain. However, poverty does not alter brain development directly, but acts through associated biological or psychosocial risk factors (e.g. malnutrition, family conflict). Yet few studies have investigated risk factors in the context of infant neurodevelopment, and none have done so in low‐resource settings such as Bangladesh, where children are exposed to multiple, severe biological and psychosocial hazards. In this feasibility and pilot study, usable resting‐state fMRI data were acquired in infants from extremely poor (n = 16) and (relatively) more affluent (n = 16) families in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Whole‐brain intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) was estimated using bilateral seeds in the amygdala, where iFC has shown susceptibility to early life stress, and in sensory areas, which have exhibited less susceptibility to early life hazards. Biological and psychosocial risk factors were examined for associations with iFC. Three resting‐state networks were identified in within‐group brain maps: medial temporal/striatal, visual, and auditory networks. Infants from extremely poor families compared with those from more affluent families exhibited greater (i.e. less negative) iFC in precuneus for amygdala seeds; however, no group differences in iFC were observed for sensory area seeds. Height‐for‐age, a proxy for malnutrition/infection, was not associated with amygdala/precuneus iFC, whereas prenatal family conflict was positively correlated. Findings suggest that it is feasible to conduct infant fMRI studies in low‐resource settings. Challenges and practical steps for successful implementations are discussed.