Rescuers & Redeemers: The Evangelical Church’s role in the anti-trafficking movement

On a recent Sunday night in central London, I attended an Evangelical Protestant church service. Midway through the worship portion, the music leader stopped the fervent singing to welcome a woman to the stage. She had just completed a two-week-long bike trek across Europe to raise awareness about sex trafficking and was now back in London to talk about it. After an impassioned recount of her journey and the horrors of sex trafficking, she pleaded, at the music leader’s request, for us to pray for these victims. And the service continued

Strengthening Youth Leadership in a Metropolitan Region: Examining Lessons From a Multiyear Community Foundation Initiative

This article examines the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan’s launch of a broad-based, multilayered strategy to promote youth leadership in the region, and showcases what can be accomplished when foundations invest in such strategies. In partnership with the University of Michigan School of Social Work and the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University, the foundation helped develop comprehensive programs aimed at building the capacity of youth-serving organizations to engage youth as leaders, support a youth-driven research assessment and social-justice project, and provide funds for youth-run efforts aimed at strengthening the region’s schools and communities. As a result of the initiative, young people were empowered, organizations strengthened, networks developed, and the promise of youth leadership was demonstrated to the region. Although the full impact of the initiative may take longer to be understood, its success can be seen in the ways the region’s young people and organizations, and the foundation itself, now incorporate youth leadership

The Influence of Anadromous Alewife on Maine Lakes and Streams: Using Nutrient Limitation Assays and Stable Isotopes to Track Marine-Derived Nutrients

Anadromous fish can act as nutrient subsidies to freshwater ecosystems when they return there to spawn. However, relatively few studies have quantified the role of alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) as an ecologically important source of marine-derived nutrients (MDN) to lakes and streams. Primary producers in lakes and streams are often limited by nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus. If alewife bring nutrients to lakes and streams, then the limitation of primary producers in those systems should be alleviated. Nutrient limitation assays and stable isotopes were used to examine the effects of alewife MDN on Maine lakes and their outlet streams. Nutrient limitation assays were run prior to, during, and after alewife runs and again after lake turnover. Alewife runs increased water nutrient concentrations in streams slightly, but not in lakes. There was also no coherent shift or alleviation of nutrient limitation in alewife lakes and streams compared to non-alewife systems. There was enrichment in δ13C and δ15N of lake zooplankton and resident fish in one alewife lake in comparison to a non-alewife lake. Additionally, white perch in Fields Pond, to which alewife access was restored by dam removal, were relatively more enriched in 15N after alewife re-introduction in 2011. There was less of an alewife effect on freshwater nutrient limitation than was expected, but the current densities of alewife runs were relatively low compared to historical counts and other areas of the northeastern U.S. Results from the stable isotope data suggest that some MDN were incorporated into lake food webs. This study has relevance in Maine given the current and proposed dam removals and diadromous fish restoration, which will restore access to historical freshwater habitat for native anadromous alewife

An Examination of Sex-Differences in Quadriceps Fatigability During High- and Low-Intensity Contractions

The purpose of the current study was to compare sex-differences in quadriceps fatigability following both high- and low-intensity repeated, isometric contractions. Twenty-four (12 males, 12 females) participants completed two experimental visits consisting of repeated, isometric contractions of the knee extensors at 30% (LT) and 70% (HT) of maximal voluntary force (MVIC) until failure. Prior to, and immediately following the fatiguing contractions, strength, voluntary activation (VA), and peak twitch torque (PTT) were assessed while measuring surface electromyographic amplitude of the vastus lateralis (VLAMP) and vastus medialis (VMAMP ). Fatiguing bouts were assessed via mean torque (TQMEAN), total repetitions completed, torque coefficient of variation (TQcv ), EMG amplitude (VLAMP; VMAMP) and integrated EMG (iEMG) signal, and torque impulse (TQ1MP). Repeated measures Analysis of Variance analyses indicated females completed nearly double the repetitions of males during LT contractions (p = 0.001 ). Greater central fatigue was experienced during the LT contractions than HT (p = 0.050), despite having lower EMG amplitude throughout the fatiguing bout (p \u3c 0.001). A sex difference may be present during LT repeated isometric contractions, but further investigation is needed

The Origin of the Roman Office of Consul

Lucius Junius Brutus is the token founder of the roman office of consul. The establishment of the office of consul firmly instills that the republic is ruled for the good of the people rather than factious interests. This paper discusses how the establishment of the office arose, the history and political significance leading up to its establishment, and the results from it. This paper will focus on the virtues of the office of consul, political benefits of division of power in the executive, while focusing specifically on the first consul Brutus, and the role he plays in strengthening the republic

Wired for behaviors: from development to function of innate limbic system circuitry

The limbic system of the brain regulates a number of behaviors that are essential for the survival of all vertebrate species including humans. The limbic system predominantly controls appropriate responses to stimuli with social, emotional, or motivational salience, which includes innate behaviors such as mating, aggression, and defense. Activation of circuits regulating these innate behaviors begins in the periphery with sensory stimulation (primarily via the olfactory system in rodents), and is then processed in the brain by a set of delineated structures that primarily includes the amygdala and hypothalamus. While the basic neuroanatomy of these connections is well-established, much remains unknown about how information is processed within innate circuits and how genetic hierarchies regulate development and function of these circuits. Utilizing innovative technologies including channel rhodopsin-based circuit manipulation and genetic manipulation in rodents, recent studies have begun to answer these central questions. In this article we review the current understanding of how limbic circuits regulate sexually dimorphic behaviors and how these circuits are established and shaped during pre- and post-natal development. We also discuss how understanding developmental processes of innate circuit formation may inform behavioral alterations observed in neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders, which are characterized by limbic system dysfunction