It\u27s In Minnesota\u27s Nature: An Exploration Into Building Social Capital Through Place Branding

Place branding is a growing practice in communities worldwide. While much academic research has been conducted on the subject, the majority is directed toward the study of tourist perceptions. Research on those living in a branded community is limited. Therefore, this study seeks to explore how a place brand could build or strengthen social capital among residents of a location through a shared representation of a community\u27s identity. A case study was conducted in Grand Rapids, Minnesota where 30 residents were interviewed from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Through the lens of the seven community capitals, discussed in Flora and Flora (2009), interview transcriptions were analyzed and five stages in the branding process were uncovered where brand decisions tipped the balance of the community capitals. Those stages are as follows: Defining the cultural sphere, producing cultural identities, funneling identities, creating a simplified representation, and restituting culture. By comparing interview responses of those who worked directly with the brand versus the average community member, it was found that social capital was strengthened during place branding, but only among members of the brand committee, whom I also refer to as community leaders. This was due to the model of community development selected. Approaching branding from a technical assistance model, the process strengthened social capital among members of the power elite due to their existing political capital. Interviewed community members not directly involved with the branding, on the other hand, were faced with a loss of cultural capital and did not experience strengthened social capital because of how they were perceived in the selected model of community development

Superstorm Sandy: Lessons for Optimizing Limited Training Resources for Local Impact

Professional training development, whether for a classroom, work environment, or other setting, typically follows a validated instructional design model that includes an assessment of learner needs before the development of a training. This foundational principle is integrated into federal guidance documents for emergency preparedness training. That said, local preparedness resources are sometimes in misalignment with this principle. Funding tends to favor nationally defined priorities as a proxy for the assessment of local needs. This letter explores this dynamic in the context of the response to Superstorm Sandy, and proposes a revised funding paradigm to support training development

The effect of a single dose of beetroot juice on speed, strength, and power in healthy recreationally active females.

Nitrate-rich beetroot juice (BR) improves muscle contraction which is relevant for intense intermittent-type sports. However, few studies have examined the effect of BR ingestion on performance using sport-specific exercise protocols. Moreover, there is a scarcity of research that include female participants which limits real world application given that females potentially have different responses to BR ingestion. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of BR supplementation on speed, acceleration, strength and power before and after fatigue in females. In a double-blind, randomized crossover design, 15 recreationally active females consumed BR and nitrate-depleted placebo juice (PL) ~2.5 hours prior to exercise testing. Measurements included 20 m sprint and acceleration using timing gates, strength using isokinetic handgrip dynamometry, and upper and lower body power using the medicine ball power throw and countermovement jump (CMJ) before and after a fatiguing running protocol. Data from a subset of participants (n=15) were analyzed and revealed no significant difference between PL and BR for 20 m speed and 10 m acceleration (P\u3e0.05), isokinetic handgrip dynamometry (PL: PRE: 76±10 vs POST: 76±13; BR: PRE: 78±12 vs POST: 78±12 lb; P\u3e0.05), medicine ball power throw (PL: PRE: 4.45±0.48 vs POST: 4.35±0.48; BR: PRE: 4.41±0.38 vs POST: 4.49±0.47 m; P\u3e0.05) or CMJ (PL: PRE: 1.72±0.27 vs POST: 1.7±0.26; BR: PRE: 1.77±0.25 vs POST: 1.73±0.28 m; P\u3e0.05). These results indicate that there are no effects of BR supplementation on exercise performance in female athletes; however, this study is currently underpowered, and research is still in progress

The effects of nitrate-rich beetroot juice supplementation on nonverbal executive function in healthy recreationally active females

Nitrate-rich beetroot juice (BR) supplementation has been reported to preserve executive function (i.e. decision making and reaction time) before and after a simulated soccer match in recreationally active males, which may be due to enhanced cerebral blood flow. However, the literature examining the physiological response following BR ingestion in females is scarce, which hampers the extrapolation of results since physiological sex-differences may exist. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess if BR ingestion influenced executive function in an unfatigued and fatigued state in healthy recreationally active females. In a double-blind, randomized crossover design, 20 females consumed 140 mL of concentrated BR or nitrate-depleted placebo juice (PL) approximately 2.5 hours prior to each experimental visit. The Delis-Kaplan Executive Function (D-KEF) test, used for assessing higher-level cognitive function, was administered before and after completing a high-intensity intermittent running protocol. The D-KEF test involved 3 x 60-s conditions evaluating various cognitive tasks. A two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted (n=15) and revealed no significant differences in executive function between PL (PRE: 15.27 ± 32.71 vs. POST: 16.93 ± 1.44) and BR (PRE: 15.80 ± 2.65 vs. POST: 16.60 ± 1.88). These preliminary data suggest that acute BR ingestion does not have an influence on processing and creative thinking of nonverbal executive function in an unfatigued or fatigued state in healthy recreationally active females, although importantly, the study is still in progress

Impact of Service Learning on the Inter-Cultural Competency of Pre-Service Teachers

The population of the U.S. is becoming increasingly diverse in language and culture. And, the population of students in elementary and secondary schools is becoming more diverse, as well. Therefore, it is critical that pre-service teachers (PSTs) experience and understand other cultures. Teachers will need to become more inter-culturally competent (ICC). According to Hammer & Bennett (2010), ICC is the capability to accurately understand and adapt behavior to cultural differences and commonality.” One way to do this is for PSTs to participate in Service Learning. According to the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse (NSLC), service learning is “a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities (NSLC, 2012). This study responded to the question: Do different types of Service Learning have different impacts on changes in inter-cultural competence of pre-service teachers? The data set included more than 800 students who took the general education course, Human Relations in a Multicultural Society. Students completed the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) at the beginning and at the conclusion of the semester (Hammer, Bennett, & Wiseman, 2003). This study analyzed several types of Service Learning that may have impacted the pretest and posttest results. Service Learning opportunities included 18 hours of volunteer work at organizations such as residences for disabled adults, English language tutoring of immigrants and refugees, home visits with children of new immigrants, and others. The university may use this information in considering the effectiveness of its cultural diversity goal: experience diversity with supervised reflection and recognize and respond to conditions of marginalized populations. University departments will use the information in planning, evaluating, and promoting opportunities in the community

The Effects of Acute Beetroot Juice Ingestion on Exercise and Cognitive Performance in Female Athletes

Nitrate-rich beetroot juice can enhance intense exercise performance which is attributed to enhanced skeletal muscle contractility. However, limited data exist in females and it is unknown whether dietary nitrate has an ergogenic effect in this population. PURPOSE: To investigate the potential effects of acute nitrate ingestion on a battery of exercise performance and cognitive tests before and after fatiguing intermittent running exercise. METHODS: Fifteen female team-sport athletes were assigned in a randomized, double-blind, crossover design to consume nitrate-rich beetroot juice (BR; 12 mmol of nitrate) and nitrate-depleted beetroot juice (PL; 0.10 mmol of nitrate) 2.5 h prior to performing the exercise protocol, with a washout period of 7 days between trials. Running 10 m and 20 m sprint split times, sprint reaction time, upper- and lower-body power, handgrip strength, and cognitive flexibility were measured before and after the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1) test, during which performance and rate of perceived exertion were recorded. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in any performance outcome or cognitive flexibility (P \u3e 0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that acute nitrate ingestion does not influence performance in sprints, intermittent running, power, strength, or cognitive function in young adult female team-sport athletes

A History of the Book: Disrupting Society from Tablet to Tablet

The written word is arguably one of the most powerful tools available to mankind. This book analyzes the history and social impact of written language from the oldest known writing systems to the rise of electronic media.https://digitalcommons.wou.edu/history_of_book/1015/thumbnail.jp

Specific strains of Escherichia coli are pathogenic for the endometrium of cattle and cause pelvic inflammatory disease in cattle and mice.

BACKGROUND: Escherichia coli are widespread in the environment and pathogenic strains cause diseases of mucosal surfaces including the female genital tract. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID; metritis) or endometritis affects ∼40% of cattle after parturition. We tested the expectation that multiple genetically diverse E. coli from the environment opportunistically contaminate the uterine lumen after parturition to establish PID. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Distinct clonal groups of E. coli were identified by Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) from animals with uterine disease and these differed from known diarrhoeic or extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli. The endometrial pathogenic E. coli (EnPEC) were more adherent and invasive for endometrial epithelial and stromal cells, compared with E. coli isolated from the uterus of clinically unaffected animals. The endometrial epithelial and stromal cells produced more prostaglandin E(2) and interleukin-8 in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) purified from EnPEC compared with non-pathogenic E. coli. The EnPEC or their LPS also caused PID when infused into the uterus of mice with accumulation of neutrophils and macrophages in the endometrium. Infusion of EnPEC was only associated with bacterial invasion of the endometrium and myometrium. Despite their ability to invade cultured cells, elicit host cell responses and establish PID, EnPEC lacked sixteen genes commonly associated with adhesion and invasion by enteric or extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli, though the ferric yersiniabactin uptake gene (fyuA) was present in PID-associated EnPEC. Endometrial epithelial or stromal cells from wild type but not Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) null mice secreted prostaglandin E(2) and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1) in response to LPS from EnPEC, highlighting the key role of LPS in PID. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The implication arising from the discovery of EnPEC is that development of treatments or vaccines for PID should focus specifically on EnPEC and not other strains of E. coli