A Theology of Interconnectivity: Buber, Dialogue and Cyberspace

Relationships are a fundamental part of being human; they enable communication, a shared sense of belonging, and a means of building identity and social capital. However, the hallmarks of late modernity can be encapsulated by the themes of detraditionalisation, individualisation and globalisation, which have essentially challenged the mode and means of engaging in relationships. This thesis uses the theology of Martin Buber to demonstrate how his dialogical claims about relationships, namely the “I-It” and “I-Thou” model, can provide a new ethical dimension to communication in the technological era. This thesis argues that through co-creation in cyberspace there is a realisation of the need for a new theological understanding of interconnection. Theology can utilise the platform of technology to facilitate a re-connection in all spheres of relationality and, ultimately, to the Divine. This thesis will first outline the predicament for theology in late modernity. It will discuss how detraditionalisation has led to an emphasis on individual spirituality, as opposed to collective doctrinal beliefs. The global nature of cyberspace has facilitated the means to experiment with these alternative forms of spirituality, which has allowed theology to be commodified and has introduced a challenge to the dimension of relationships. Cyberspace presents a paradox for relationship: the medium transforms modes of relating because the self is re-configured through its contact with technology. This facilitates communication as the individual merges with the machine, resulting in models such as the cyborg. However, this can also be seen to erode the essence of humanity, as humans find themselves on the fringes of relationships. Their hybrid status means that they are no longer fully human or fully machine but become dominated by the latter. They exist on the boundary of both domains and cannot cultivate genuine relationships of the “Thou” variety. This leads to alienation from surroundings, community and the Divine. Second, the thesis will discuss how Buber’s theology can be used to re-position relationships by providing a means to reflect on different aspects of dialogue and communication. By applying Buber’s dialectic to cyberspace it will be demonstrated how interconnectivity causes individuals to re-think the notion of self-in-relation. The three spheres of relationship which Buber identified: “man with nature, man with man, man with forms of the spirit” will be re-contextualised in cyberspace to show how the medium manifests both aspects of the dialectic but allows for a greater awareness of interconnection. Buber’s insistence on the centrality of creative dialogue provides a solution to overcome this dilemma by bringing awareness of the interconnectivity of the self to all aspects of creation. It is through informed use of the medium of cyberspace that humans can re-envisage relationships characterised by a more genuine ethical dimension. These “Thou” moments begin the process of redemption; each one is part of the relationship with the “eternal Thou” and has the potential to draw the Divine down into the encounter, to re-connect with creation. This thesis is arguing for a new theology of interconnectivity that is able to redeem the potentiality of cyberspace as a medium for genuine “Thou” relationality

The effects of graded motor imagery and its components on chronic pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis

This is the post-print version of the final paper published in The Journal of Pain. The published article is available from the link below. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. Copyright @ 2013 The American Pain Society.Graded motor imagery (GMI) is becoming increasingly used in the treatment of chronic pain conditions. The objective of this systematic review was to synthesize all evidence concerning the effects of GMI and its constituent components on chronic pain. Systematic searches were conducted in 10 electronic databases. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of GMI, left/right judgment training, motor imagery, and mirror therapy used as a treatment for chronic pain were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Six RCTs met our inclusion criteria, and the methodological quality was generally low. No effect was seen for left/right judgment training, and conflicting results were found for motor imagery used as stand-alone techniques, but positive effects were observed for both mirror therapy and GMI. A meta-analysis of GMI versus usual physiotherapy care favored GMI in reducing pain (2 studies, n = 63; effect size, 1.06 [95% confidence interval, .41, 1.71]; heterogeneity, I2 = 15%). Our results suggest that GMI and mirror therapy alone may be effective, although this conclusion is based on limited evidence. Further rigorous studies are needed to investigate the effects of GMI and its components on a wider chronic pain population.NHMR

Developing socioeconomic performance measures for the Watershed Condition Framework

24 pagesAcross multiple presidential administrations, forest and watershed restoration has become an increasingly important focus of the USDA Forest Service. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, for example, has made restoring watershed and forest health the primary objective of the Forest Service. In FY 2012, Congress initiated an integrated resource restoration (IRR) pilot project to align the Forest Service budget with integrated restoration priorities on a trial basis. To foster watershed restoration, in 2010 the Forest Service introduced the Watershed Condition Framework (WCF) program, a comprehensive approach to planning and implementing integrated projects in priority watersheds. This framework promises to help national forests assess watershed health, prioritize restoration and maintenance activities, and measure their progress towards restoration. Using the WCF, the Forest Service should be able to increase the effectiveness of restoration by being more strategic about where and how it works. The WCF’s focus on outcomes should also help demonstrate the costs and benefits of investments in restoration.This study was made possible with funding from the USDA Forest Service (FS #11-CR-11061800-008)

The benefits of USDA Forest Service agreements with community-based organizations

2 pagesThe federal government is the largest landowner in many western communities. It can contribute to local socioeconomic vitality by providing opportunities for businesses and partners to perform land management activities and process natural resources. However, little is known about how the Forest Service engages nonprofit partners to accomplish this work and produce community benefits. We examined how formal agreements between the Forest Service and community based-organizations under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) in 2009-2010 created social and livelihood benefits. We found that different kinds of agreement structures can make these benefits possible.This briefing paper was made possible with funding from the US Endowment for Forestry and Communities, USDA Rural Development, and the USDA Forest Service

The social and livelihood benefits of USDA Forest Service agreements with community-based organizations

12 pagesThe federal government is the largest landowner in many western communities. It contributes to local socioeconomic vitality by providing opportunities for businesses and partners to perform land management activities and process natural resources. How federal agencies produce these benefits depends on the type of mechanism (e.g., timber sales, service contracts, or stewardship contracts and agreements) used to sell goods or procure services. To perform land management work on the ground, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service or U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management typically goes “to the market” by soliciting service contracts or offering timber sales in the private sector. The agency also chooses how to structure the opportunity—for example, setting an amount of timber to be sold or acres to be treated—and selects a business to purchase goods or perform work. In turn, how this business conducts work further determines community benefits such as the number of jobs created or retained and the wages paid.This project was made possible by funding from the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities and USDA Rural Development

Socioeconomic Impacts of Recovery act Investments on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest

2 p.Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to create immediate job opportunities and stimulate long-term economic growth. The United States Forest Service received approximately $1.15 billion to promote economic recovery through hazardous fuels reduction, biomass utilization development, and infrastructure projects. When ARRA was passed, there was considerable political conversation about whether investments in the ecological infrastructure of public lands could create both short-term jobs and long-term economic development. The purpose of this study was to understand how Forest Service ARRA investments may have impacted local job creation and economic opportunities.This report was made possible by funding from the US Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station

The antimalarial properties of thiosemicarbazone, chalcone, and nucleoside phosphonate derivatives

Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for ninety percent of malaria infections in sub-Saharan Africa, and the majority of malaria-related deaths, with antimalarial drugs failing at an alarming rate. To combat this deadly disease, not only are novel target-specific antimalarial drugs needed, but also a high-throughput method for the screening of compounds to replace standard methodologies. A total of 112 novel compounds from three chemical classes were assessed for antimalarial activity against the chloroquine-sensitive 3D7 strain of P. falciparum using the [3H]-hypoxanthine incorporation assay, and their haemolytic activity against healthy red blood cells determined. Lead compounds were examined for their effects on parasite morphology and parasitic development; as well as their pharmacological interactions when combined with standard antimalarial drugs. Antimalarial mechanisms of action were examined using the β-haematin inhibitory activity, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) free-radical scavenging, and ferrous iron chelating activity assays. Using the DNA probe dihydroethidium, flow cytometry as a high-throughput drug screening method was validated against the [3H]-hypoxanthine incorporation assay and assessed for its ability to determine the stage-specific activity of the compounds. Of the three classes of compounds, the metronidazole-thiosemicarbazone analogues were the most active, 75% of the compounds inhibited parasite growth at IC50 values below 10 μM, whilst also exhibiting no haemolytic activity. The most active of which, 4-(2-Chlorobenzyl)-1-(4-(2-(1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-5-nitro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)vinyl)benzylidene)-thio-semi-carbazide (compound Y-3) (IC50 value: 2.83 ± 0.20 μM) was also a potent inhibitor of β-haematin formation (IC50 value: 19.08 ± 2.37 μM), proving to be more active than chloroquine (IC50 value: 29.64 ± 3.35 μM). Similarly, metronidazole-thiosemicarbazones analogues were potent scavengers of the free-radical of DPPH•, with the activity of 1-(4-(2-(1-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-5-nitro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)vinyl)benzylidene)-4-benzyl-4-methyl-thio-semi-carbazide (compound Y-8) (IC50 value: 21.98 ± 0.56 μM), comparable to that of the standard, ascorbic acid (IC50 value: 19.31 ± 2.62 μM). When combined with quinine and dihydroartemisinin, compound Y-3 produced an additive pharmacological interaction. Seventy one percent of the chloroquinoline-chalcones tested had IC50 values below 100 μM, with (E)-3-(2-chloro-7-methylquinoline-3yl)-1-(pyridine-2yl)prop-2-en-1-one (compound F-13) the most active (IC50 value: 31.31 ± 0.87 μM). None of the compounds displayed any notable activity in the antimalarial mechanisms of action tested for, whilst also resulting in no red blood cell toxicity. When combined with quinine, compound F-13 exhibited an additive interaction. The nucleoside phosphonates, phosphonic acids and purine/pyrimidine derivatives exhibited disappointing antimalarial activity, with only 21% of the compounds inhibiting parasite growth with IC50 values below 100 μM, with compound DR-4850 (currently under patent) the most potent (IC50 value: 13.35 ± 0.38 μM). None of the compounds resulted in any red blood cell lysis, with the exception of compound DR-4914B (currently under patent) (50.20 ± 3.35% haemolysis at 100 μM). Some nucleoside derivatives were potent inhibitors of β-haematin formation, with Hexadecyloxypropyl uridin-5’-yl 2-([3R,4R]-3,4-dihydroxypyrrolidin-1-N-yl)ethylphosphonate (compound DR-4137) (IC50 value: 8.29 ± 1.11 μM) 3.6-fold more active than chloroquine, although this did not appear to be the primary antimalarial mechanism of action of this class of compounds. Combination studies with quinine produced an additive interaction, whilst combination studies with the nucleoside transporter inhibitor dipyridamole produced additive-antagonistic interactions. In conclusion, this study examined a wide variety of compounds and identified lead compounds, which following structural modifications may produce potent antimalarial drugs

Quick guide to monitoring economic impacts of ecosystem restoration and stewardship

16 pagesThis guide will help you develop an economic monitoring program by setting goals, selecting monitoring measures, collecting data, and reporting and using monitoring results. Specifically, it describes how to obtain and utilize detailed information about job numbers, job quality, wages, contracting and subcontracting opportunities, and other related economic impacts of restoration.This quick guide was made possible with funding from the Meyer Fund for a Sustainable Environment

Heritabilities for the puppy weight at birth in Labrador retrievers.

BACKGROUND Weight at birth is an important predictor of neonatal mortality and morbidity in dogs. In addition, the birthweight of the puppies in a litter influences the decision to perform a cesarean section. The goal of the present study was to estimate heritabilities for the puppy birth weight in Labrador retrievers. RESULTS Of the 1138 Labrador retriever litters whelped at the Guiding Eye for the Blind between September 2001 and February 2018, 1013 were included in the analyses after data editing. Puppy weight at birth was the target trait, measured on a continuous scale in pounds, and converted to grams. Linear mixed models were used to identify factors influencing puppy weight at birth. The analyses showed that the sex of the puppy, litter size, length of gestation, adult weight of the dam, parity, year of birth and inbreeding coefficient of the puppies and dams contributed to the variance of the puppy birth weight. Dam and litter effects were included as random effects. A multiple trait derivative free restricted maximum likelihood approach was used to estimate variance components and genetic parameters with two animal models, one without covariates (Model 1) and one with covariates (Model 2). Sex of the puppy and litter size had moderate effects, whereas gestation length, adult weight of the dam, parity, year of birth and inbreeding coefficients of the dam and the puppies had minor effects. Estimates for Model 1 and Model 2 were 0.21 and 0.17 for the direct heritabilities, 0.22 and 0.22 for the maternal additive genetic heritabilities, 0.07 and 0.07 for the maternal permanent environmental proportions, and 0.14 and 0.08 for the environmental proportion of the litter. CONCLUSIONS In order to estimate reliable breeding values for puppy weight at birth, sex of puppy, litter size, length of gestation and the adult weight of the dam should be included. Estimates could benefit from weighing the dams prior to each mating

A profile of community-based organizations in the U.S. West

2 pagesCommunity-based organizations (CBOs) are non-profit organizations based in rural communities that work on both local economic development and natural resource stewardship. CBOs were established in many places across the U.S. West to help struggling rural communities build sustainable natural resource-based economies. They often serve communities that were greatly affected by changes to public land policy and changes in the timber industry or other natural resource industries since the late 1980s. These communities have typically experienced social conflict, unemployment, and other challenges related to environmental management. In 2016 we conducted a survey of CBOs across the West to better understand their organizational characteristics and activities.This research was supported by funding from the USDA Agricultural and Food Research Initiative, grant #2011-67023- 30111