John Kenrick and the Transformation of Unitarian Thought

This thesis is a study in the history of ideas which discusses the work and thought of the Unitarian biblical critic, classical historian and philologist John Kenrick (1788-1877). It examines evidence to suggest that during his productive life Kenrick made an intellectual transition from the ideas of the radical English Enlightenment to the more Romantic perspectives of the nineteenth century. The first part of the discussion as a whole is concerned largely with the nature of the context from which Kenrick emerged as a thinker while the second is related to Kenrick’s own changing ideas. Chapter two reveals the monist philosophical and theological tendencies which supported the Socinian beliefs of the polymath Joseph Priestley (1733-1804), who was the dominant influence on Unitarians in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. This discussion of Priestley’s thought, which is brought into relief by means of a comparison with that of the moral and political philosopher Richard Price (1723-1791), has two objectives, the first to reveal something of the context of Unitarianism of the time and the second to establish a foundation from which the nature and extent of later intellectual change may be measured. Chapter three concentrates on another aspect of the Unitarian context closely connected to Socinian beliefs, and that is the tradition of historical biblical criticism which contained the seeds of a new historical consciousness. The fourth chapter is an analysis of the relationship between these radical Unitarian biblical critics and scholars in Germany and discusses some similarities and differences between the two sets of thinkers. Chapter five focuses upon John Kenrick himself and the integration of his Unitarian historical biblical ideas with elements of German thought on the interpretation of classical myth. It points out the implications for his own ideas in terms of the development of Romanticism and cultural relativism. Chapter six is concerned with Kenrick’s historical approach to language and shows how it may be compared with the ideas of the German philologists of the time. The seventh chapter is an account of Kenrick’s opinions on the truth of Genesis and the origins of man. It considers in what ways the uneasy relationship between theology and the science of the mid-nineteenth century helped to bring about changes in his thought which linked it to a transformed Unitarianism and also to the intellectual milieu of the later nineteenth century. Chapter eight concludes the thesis with an assessment of the nature and extent of the changes which had taken place since the domination of the ideas of Joseph Priestley. The thesis offers a study of the transition in thought of an eminent scholar whose work has never been examined before. It opens up some new perspectives with regard to the linkages between the radical English Enlightenment and the historical consciousness and Romanticism of the nineteenth century

Evaluation Design and Technical Assistance Opportunities: Early Findings From the Beacon Community Program Evaluation Teams

Examines study designs, evaluation approaches, outcome measures, data sources, challenges, and technical assistance needs among sites in a project under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to strengthen health information technology capabilities

Field Evaluation of a Competitive Lateral-flow Assay for Detection of Alternaria brassicae in Vegetable Brassica Crops

On-site detection of inoculum of polycyclic plant pathogens could potentially contribute to management of disease outbreaks. A 6-min, in-field competitive immunochromatographic lateral flow device (CLFD) assay was developed for detection of Alternaria brassicae (the cause of dark leaf spot in brassica crops) in air sampled above the crop canopy. Visual recording of the test result by eye provides a detection threshold of approximately 50 dark leaf spot conidia. Assessment using a portable reader improved test sensitivity. In combination with a weather-driven infection model, CLFD assays were evaluated as part of an in-field risk assessment to identify periods when brassica crops were at risk from A. brassicae infection. The weather-driven model overpredicted A. brassicae infection. An automated 7-day multivial cyclone air sampler combined with a daily in-field CLFD assay detected A. brassicae conidia air samples from above the crops. Integration of information from an in-field detection system (CLFD) with weather-driven mathematical models predicting pathogen infection have the potential for use within disease management systems

Textbook Alternative Program (TAP) Grant Support Workshop

This workshop is for TAP applicants interested in learning more about free or low-cost textbook alternatives. We will discuss the benefits of using affordable and accessible materials even beyond saving students money, and bust some common myths about alternatives to traditional textbooks. We will also provide practical strategies for multiple methods of implementing alternatives, with realistic estimations of the time and effort required for each, and demonstrate how to find and evaluate pre-existing materials using library resources and on the open web. If you provide the subject area you are looking to choose or make an alternative for, we can provide targeted resources for your project. Please join us for ideas to get started with replacing the textbook for your course

Provider Insight on Surmounting Specialty Practice Challenges to Improve Tdap Immunization Rates among Pregnant Women

Background Pertussis, or “whooping cough,” is an acute, contagious pulmonary disease that, despite being vaccine-preventable, has become an increasingly widespread problem in the United States. As a result, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists updated recommendations stating clinicians should give a Tdap dose during every pregnancy, preferably at 27–36 weeks. Despite this recommendation, reported Tdap vaccine receipt rates during pregnancy vary from 16–61%, and previous studies have shown that clinician recommendation and vaccine administration are strongly associated with vaccine uptake among pregnant women. Methods Our aim was to inform new strategies to increase uptake of the Tdap vaccine among pregnant women and, ultimately, reduce pertussis-related morbidityand mortality in infants. We conducted interviewswith a sample of 24 ob-gyns. We subsequently performed grounded theory analyses of transcripts using deductive and inductive coding strategies followed by intercoder reliability assessment. Results All physicians interviewed were familiar with the most recent recommendation of giving the Tdap vaccine during the third trimester of every pregnancy, and the majority of physicians stated that they felt that the vaccine was important and effective due to the transfer of pertussis antibodies from the mother to the fetus. Most physicians indicated that they recommended the vaccine to patients during pregnancy, but not all reported administering it on site because it was not stocked at their practice. Implementation challenges for physicians included insurance reimbursement and other challenges (i.e., patient refusal). Tdap vaccinationduring pregnancy was a lower clinical priority for some physicians. Physicians recognized the benefits associated with Tdap vaccination during pregnancy. Conclusions Findings indicate while most ob-gyns recognize the benefits of Tdap and recommend vaccination during pregnancy, barriers such as insurance reimbursement and financial concerns for the practice can outweigh the perceived benefits. This resulted in some ob-gyns reporting choosing not to stock and administer the vaccine in their practice. Recommendations to address these concerns include 1) structural support for Tdap vaccine administration in ob-gyns practices; 2) Continuing medical education-equivalent educational interventions that address management techniques, vaccine coding, and other relevant information; and 3) interventions to assist physicians in communicating the importance of Tdap vaccination during pregnancy

Improving Communication between Doctors and Parents after Newborn Screening

Background: Newborn screening (NBS) enables early treatment, and some consider it a natural vehicle for genetic screening. Bioethicists argue for caution since families of infants with carrier status can develop psychosocial complications. This paper describes the methods and feasibility of Wisconsin’s statewide project for quality improvement of communication and psychosocial outcomes after NBS. Methods: When NBS identifies carrier status for cystic fibrosis or sickle cell, we contact primary care providers (PCPs), answer questions, and invite them to rehearse informing the parents. Three months later, we telephone the parents, assess knowledge and psychosocial outcomes, provide counseling, and assist with self-referral to further resources. Afterward, evaluation surveys are provided to the parents, to be returned anonymously. Results: Birthing facilities provided accurate PCP names for 73% of 817 infants meeting inclusion criteria; we identified PCPs for 21% more. We reached 47.3% of PCPs in time to invite a rehearsal; 60% of these accepted. We successfully called 50.2% of eligible parents; 61% recalled a PCP explanation, and 48.5% evaluated the explanation favorably. Evaluations by parents with limited health literacy were less favorable. Conclusion: It is feasible to follow parents for psychosocial outcomes after NBS. Preliminary data about communication is mixed, but further data will describe psychosocial outcomes and investigate outcomes’ associations with communication

Interface of the Environment and Occurrence of Botrytis cinerea in Pre-symptomatic Tomato Crops

Botrytis cinerea (Grey mould) is a necrotrophic fungus infecting over 230 plant species worldwide. It can cause major pre- and post-harvest diseases of many agronomic and horticultural crops. Botrytis cinerea causes annual economic losses of 10–100 billion US dollars worldwide and instability in the food supply (Jin and Wu, 2015). Grey mould losses, either at the farm gate or later in the food chain, could be reduced with improved knowledge of inoculum availability during production. In this paper, we report on the ability to monitor Botrytis spore concentration in glasshouse tomato production ahead of symptom development on plants. Using a light weight and portable air sampler (microtitre immunospore trap) it was possible to quantify inoculum availability within hours. Also, this study investigated the spatial aspect of the pathogen with an increase of B. cinerea concentration in bio-aerosols collected in the lower part of the glasshouse (0.5 m) and adjacent to the trained stems of the tomato plants. No obvious relationship was observed between B. cinerea concentration and the internal glasshouse environmental parameters of temperature and relative humidity. However the occurrence of higher outside wind speeds did increase the prevalence of B. cinerea conidia in the cropping environment of a vented glasshouse. Knowledge of inoculum availability at time periods when the environmental risk of pathogen infection is high should improve the targeted use and effectiveness of control inputs